DETROIT (9/13/2012) -- The University of Detroit Mercy's softball program has announced that Team USA member Eddy Ketelhut will join the staff as an assistant coach for the 2013 season.

"Coach Ketelhut brings a wealth of playing experience as well as coaching experience to the team," said head softball coach Liz Young.

Ketelhut was recently named to the 2013 USA Softball Men's National Team that will compete next March in Auckland, New Zealand, for the International Softball Federation (ISF) World Championship.

Ketelhut owns EK Fastpitch, LLC, and has been doing both hitting and defensive lessons using his Right View Pro ® certification for the past two years. Previously, he was employed by the Doug Gillis Academy where he was a hitting instructor and trainer for other hitting coaches. He also worked as the Athletic Director and Physical Education teacher at Summit Academy Charter High School.

His brings over 15 years of coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate level, coaching softball, baseball, basketball, and football. Most recently, he was the varsity softball coach at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills and Gabriel Richard High School in Riverview. He led Mercy to a Division 1 district championship this past season and was named the 2010 Catholic League AA division Coach of the Year and was chosen to coach in the Division III All-State game.

He also served as the hitting and infield coach at Northwood University in 2004. One of Eddy's greatest honors during his coaching career thus far was presenting at a hitting and defensive clinic beside Mike Candrea (head coach at the University of Arizona and previous head coach of Team USA) and Doug Gillis (volunteer coach at University of Missouri).

On the field, Ketelhut has played fifteen years of professional men's fastpitch softball, including the past thirteen years with the Midland Explorers. Ketelhut has also been a member of the USA men's fastpitch player pool since 2003 and played in the Tri-Nations tournament in Saskatoon, Canada, in 2008.  He has earned several honors during his playing career including ASA All-American.

Prior to Ketelhut's professional career, he attended both Seminole Junior College in Oklahoma and Central Michigan University on baseball scholarships. He is currently pursuing his masters in sports administration.

Eddy resides in Canton, Mich. with his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Kaylee.