BRONXVILLE, N.Y. – Sarah Lawrence College Director of Athletics and Physical Education, Kristin Maile, announced the hiring of Kaleigh Roop as the new head coach of softball on Friday afternoon. In addition to her coaching duties, Roop will also serve as the athletic department's physical education coordinator.

Roop brings 10 years of coaching experience to the Gryphons staff, most recently serving as the assistant coach for the William Woods University softball team in Fulton, Mo. With the Owls, Roop was responsible for the planning and execution of practice schedules. She played a hand in the team's recruiting efforts and drew up scouting reports on opposing teams. Roop spent three years at William Woods, helping lead the Owls to the American Midwest Conference Championship series and the NAIA National Tournament in 2022. She was also the outdoor facilities maintenance manager for the department. In that role, she oversaw the maintenance budget and performed other administrative tasks as needed to maintain the outdoor facilities. Along with her coaching and maintenance responsibilities, Roop was a member of the school's diversity and inclusion committee.

Prior to joining William Woods, Roop was an assistant coach for the softball team at the University of Minnesota Duluth for one year. During her time with the Bulldogs, the team finished 33-20 and received an at-large bid into NCAA Division II Central Region Regional Tournament.

Before reaching the collegiate level, Roop coached high school softball and basketball. She has coached numerous club teams and has been volunteering for various community sports organizations since 2007.

Roop earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Mt. Aloysius College in 2016. She received her Master of Science degree in coaching education from Ohio University in 2021.