CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ross Steedley has been named the next head coach to lead the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team, Director of Athletics Cherie Swarthout announced today. Steedley comes to the Royals after spending the last year as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Jacksonville University.
 
"Ross was able to separate himself from a talented group of candidates by drawing from his experiences as both a player and a coach to share a very clear vision and strategy on how he was going to nurture excellence in our baseball program," Swarthout said. "He was very appreciative of the talent that exists in the program and eager to continue the development process.
 
One thing that stood out about Ross was his robust network which matched with his strategy of building strong relationships on the recruiting trail and at all previous stops. I know that Queens isn't the only one happy with this selection. I believe many in Charlotte are ready to have Ross back home and at the helm of our program.  Welcome home, Coach Steedley!"
 
Steedley brings with him seven years of experience as an assistant coach in the college ranks, including six years at the Division I level coaching for Gardner-Webb University, UNC Charlotte, and Jacksonville. With knowledge that spans all facets of the game, Steedley has served as a recruiting coordinator at each stop of his coaching career, evaluating and recruiting potential student-athletes. Seven players under Steedley's instruction have gone on to play professional baseball including Jeremy Walker and Chandler Redmond. Walker was a fifth round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft and made his major league debut last season with the Atlanta Braves, while Redmond, the 2019 Big South Player of the Year, was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals last season.
 
During his time as the top assistant at Gardner-Webb, Steedley also worked as the team's hitting coach and was responsible for the development of the Runnin' Bulldog catchers. He helped guide GWU to two 30-win seasons and saw the team hit a program-record 71 home runs during the 2017 season.
 
"I am humbled and incredibly honored to be named the next head baseball coach at Queens," Steedley said. "This is an opportunity that I have dreamed of, envisioned, and prepared for my entire life. The moment Cherie reached out to me to inform me of her and her staff's decision is a memory I will always cherish. Charlotte is home. I love this city and this state. My family still lives in the area. I am just so excited to come back home and be a part of building something special.
 
This opportunity would not be possible without my family, all the players that I've been blessed to coach in my career, and so many others who have invested in me. It would also not be possible without Coach [Brian] Hightower, Coach [Jim] Gantt, Coach [Loren] Hibbs, and Coach [Rusty] Stroupe. I wouldn't be who I am and where I am without their impact in my life."
 
Steedley played collegiately at nearby UNC Charlotte from 2008-12 where he was an All-Atlantic 10 First Team catcher and guided the 49ers to a 43-win season in 2011 that resulted in a conference championship and a berth in the Tempe, Arizona Regional. Steedley holds a bachelor's degree in communications from Charlotte.
 
"Coach McDowell and his staff laid a solid foundation for us and we will build off that to cultivate Queens baseball into a program that excels on and off the field and will make the city of Charlotte and the community proud," continued Steedley. "I can't wait to come home!"