Kivett Named Assistant Coach

HOUSTON – Ross Kivett has joined the University of Houston Baseball program as an assistant coach, head coach Todd Whitting announced Monday. Kivett's primary responsibilities will include serving as hitting coach as well as coaching third base and infielders.

"Coach Kivett is a dynamic coach who is a rising star in college baseball," Whitting said. "His enthusiasm to be our hitting coach and excitement to get on the recruiting trail was a major factor in our decision to bring him to the University of Houston.

"He is a true players' coach who demands the best from his unit both on and off the field. Coach Kivett was a tremendous player in the Big 12 and has worked for one of the top coaching staffs in the nation led by Tony Vitello at Tennessee."

Kivett comes to Houston following four seasons as an assistant coach at Tennessee. The Cleveland, Ohio, native helped vault the Volunteers to a record-setting 50-18 campaign in 2021, capped by the program's fifth trip to the College World Series and first since 2005.

Kivett's main responsibilities at Tennessee included coaching the team's infielders while assisting with base running and hitting on top of serving as Tennessee's camp coordinator.

Tennessee was ranked for the entire 2021 season and reached as high as No. 2 in the polls on multiple occasions—the program's highest ever ranking. The Vols hit 98 home runs, good for second in program history (107 in 1998). Tennessee's 20 SEC wins were its most since 1995.

Kivett also had a hand in the Vols' impressive offensive numbers in 2020. Tennessee led the country in total runs (180) and runs per game (10.6) while ranking second in home runs (31), slugging percentage (.556), walks (124) and on-base percentage (.442).

He was a key piece of Tennessee's 2019 squad that advanced to the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, marking the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2005. The Vols went 40-21 overall and 14-16 in SEC play to finish third in the Eastern Division, the program's highest finish since 2005.

In his first season on Rocky Top, Kivett helped lead an offense that saw increases in its season totals in runs, hits, home runs, extra-base hits, RBI, slugging percentage, walks and on-base percentage in 2018 despite losing their top two hitters from 2017.

Kivett was an All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year for Kansas State in 2013 before being drafted by the Tigers in the sixth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He spent four seasons in the Tigers' minor league system.

Kivett finished ranked among the Wildcats' top-10 in multiple categories, including first in stolen bases (80), second in games played (225) and games started (215), tied for second in runs scored (181), third in hits (277), fifth in hit by pitch (31), tied for fifth in walks (108) and tied for seventh in triples (11). He also started in 207 consecutive games, the longest such streak in Kansas State history.

A 2014 graduate of Kansas State with a degree in communication studies, Kivett is the son of Mike and Mary Kivett and has two siblings, Juliana and Jake.

DUGOUT CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Baseball program directly by joining the Dugout Club. To find out more information about the Dugout Club, text UHBASEBALL to 71777, call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH or visit UHCougarPride.com.

STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Baseball on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarBB, and "Like" Houston Cougar Baseball on Facebook.

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Kivett Named Assistant Coach

Related Videos