Lt. j.g. Jason Ronai, USN, enters his fourth season on the Navy baseball coaching staff, working with the hitters and catchers, as well as being in charge of Navy Baseball Camps.

In 2007, Ronai helped the offense hit at a .283 clip over the final-38 games of the year, including a .287 mark during Patriot League action. Two Navy hitters, Thomas Hamilton and Michael Garcia, each hit over .400 during league play to top all Patriot League hitters.

Behind the plate, Navy catchers Steven Soares and Joshua Martinez combined to gun down 26.9 percent of all base stealers and picked off three runners. Also, the Midshipmen duo allowed only four passed balls in 457.0 innings of work.

During the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft, former Navy catcher Jonathan Johnston '06 was selected in the 43rd round by the Oakland Athletics organization.

Under Ronai's guidance in 2006, Navy posted a .293 batting average, a 46-point improvement over the previous year's mark. The increase ranks as the fourth-best in school history and fifth-highest among all Division I schools last season. As a result, the Midshipmen set a school record with 525 hits and averaged 5.67 runs per game, compared to their 3.74 runs per game average in 2005.

Navy's catchers also benefited from his tutelage last season, as Navy allowed only six passed balls in 446.0 innings of work, threw out 21 base stealers and picked off five runners.

A Springfield, Ohio, native, Ronai was a four-year starter at UNC-Asheville. Ronai, who earned four letters, was named the team MVP his junior season and captained the squad during his senior campaign. He graduated from UNC-Asheville in 2001, ranking second all-time in total hits and stolen bases. Prior to coming to UNC-Asheville, Ronai played one season of college basketball at Saint Peter's College in Jersey City, N.J.

Ronai played one season of independent professional baseball (2002) for the Alexandria Aces of the Central League.

During that time, he began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Indiana State (2001-02). His duties included working with hitters, outfielders and improving their baserunning.

Ronai moved on and spent a year as the Director of Onfield Sessions for the recruiting service "Baseball Factory" in 2003. He was promoted to Director of The Exclusive Program in 2004, where he helped guide high school players through the recruiting process.

Ronai, who received his Bachelor's of Science in psychology, later went on to earn his master's degree in sports leadership from VCU.

Ronai and his wife, the former Krista Kares, reside in Annapolis.