Eric Roof

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Eric Roof

| image = Eric Roof (445708521) (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Roof with Michigan State in 2007

| current_title =

| current_team =

| current_conference =

| current_record =

| contract =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|11|15}}

| birth_place = Paducah, Kentucky, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| player_years1 = 2006

| player_team1 = St. Catharine College

| player_years2 = 2007–2009

| player_team2 = Michigan State

| player_years3 = 2009

| player_team3 = Oneonta Tigers

| player_years4 = 2010

| player_team4 = West Michigan Whitecaps

| player_years5 = 2010

| player_team5 = Connecticut Tigers

| player_years6 = 2011

| player_team6 = Lakeland Flying Tigers

| player_positions = Catcher

| coach_years1 = 2013–2014

| coach_team1 = Michigan State (vol. asst.)

| coach_years2 = 2015–2017

| coach_team2 = Eastern Michigan (asst.)

| coach_years3 = 2018

| coach_team3 = Eastern Michigan (Interim HC)

| coach_years4 = 2019–2023

| coach_team4 = Eastern Michigan

| overall_record = 78–153–1

| tournament_record = MAC: 4–2
NCAA: 0–0

| championships =

| awards =

| coaching_records =

}}

Eric Christopher Roof (born November 15, 1986) is an American college baseball coach and former catcher. He is the former head baseball coach at Eastern Michigan University. Roof played college baseball at St. Catharine College and at Michigan State University for coaches David Grewe and Jake Boss from 2007 to 2009.

Amateur career

Roof attended St. Mary High School in Paducah, Kentucky.{{cite web |url=http://www.paducahsun.com/sports/local/st-mary-alum-promoted-to-full-time-baseball-coach-at/article_c01f20b1-4901-5273-afde-b51fe0a4dc58.html |title=St. Mary alum promoted to full-time baseball coach at Eastern Michigan |author=Al Willman |date=June 4, 2018 |publisher=BLOX Content Management System |work=www.paducahsun.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018}} Roof then enrolled at St. Catharine College, to play college baseball for the Patriots baseball team.

As a freshman at St. Catharine College in 2006, Roof had a .345 batting average, 4 home runs and a 33 RBIs.{{cite web |url=http://njcaa.org/sports/bsb/2005-06/div2/teams/StCatharineCollege/players/EricRoof.html |title=Eric Roof |publisher=National Junior College Athletic Association |work=www.njcaa.org |accessdate=July 1, 2018}}

As a sophomore in 2007, Roof transferred to Michigan State University to play for the Michigan State Spartans baseball team.{{cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/mg07meetthespartans.pdf |title=Meet the Spartans |publisher=Michigan State University |work=www.grfx.cstv.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018 |archive-date=November 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131126174935/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/mg07meetthespartans.pdf |url-status=dead }} He batted .247 with a .333 SLG, 1 home run, and 9 RBIs.{{cite web |url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2006-2007/teamcume.html |title=Statistics Summary for 2007 |publisher=Michigan State University |work=www.msuspartans.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018}}

In the 2008 season as a junior, Roof hit .308 with a .423 SLG, 3 home runs, and 33 RBIs.{{cite web |url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2007-2008/teamcume.html |title=Statistics Summary for 2008 |publisher=Michigan State University |work=www.msuspartans.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018}} Roof was drafted in the 46th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers, but Roof opted to return to Michigan State for his senior season.

Roof had his best season as a senior in 2009, hitting a career high in doubles (14), home runs (6), RBIs (41) and slugged (.525).{{cite web |url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-basebl/stats/2008-2009/teamcume.html |title=Statistics Summary for 2009 |publisher=Michigan State University |work=www.msuspartans.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018}}

Professional career

Roof was drafted by the Tigers again, this time in the 18th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft. Roof played 3 years in the Tigers's organization. Playing for the Oneonta Tigers, West Michigan Whitecaps, Connecticut Tigers and Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Coaching career

Roof returned to Michigan State as a volunteer assistant in 2013 and remained with the program through 2014.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/jackson/index.ssf/2013/01/michigan_state_university_base_2.html |title=Michigan State University baseball coach Jake Boss, assistants get Jackson-area players in the swing of baseball |date=January 14, 2013 |publisher=Advance Local Media LLC |work=www.mlive.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018}}

In late December 2017, Van Ameyde left Eastern Michigan to become the pitching coach at Michigan State. On January 3, 2018, Roof was named the interim head coach for the Eagles.{{cite web |url=https://www.emueagles.com/news/2017/12/21/eric-roof-named-interim-head-coach-for-emu-baseball.aspx |title=Eric Roof Named Interim Head Coach For EMU Baseball |date=January 3, 2018 |publisher=Eastern Michigan University |work=www.emueagles.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018}}

On June 4, 2018, Roof was named the full-time head coach of the Eastern Michigan program.{{cite web |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2018/06/04/emu-names-eric-roof-baseball-coach-removes-interim-tag/671540002/ |title=EMU names Eric Roof baseball coach, removes interim tag |author=Tony Paul |date=June 4, 2018 |publisher=The Detroit News |work=www.detroitnews.com |accessdate=July 1, 2018}}