Brian Erbe is the new softball coach at Cedar Rapids Jefferson, it was announced Tuesday.

Erbe had been the softball coach at Cedar Rapids Xavier. He succeeds Larry Niemeyer, whose contract was not renewed following the 2012 season.

Erbe, a 1972 Jefferson grad, is an at-risk facilitator at Jefferson, where he has coached football and basketball. He also was a softball assistant for Niemeyer before taking the Xavier job 10 years ago.

Jefferson was 36-6 but lost in the regional finals for the third straight season. The J-Hawks graduated six players from that club.

Xavier was 24-18. Erbe, 58, did not coach the team because of a heart attack he suffered in May. He told Iowa Prep Sports that he has been given a clean bill of health to resume coaching.