ST. LOUIS – Pernell "PJ" Roberts, Jr., has officially been named the Head Baseball Coach for the Harris-Stowe State University Hornets by Director of Athletics, William Carey.

Roberts served as the interim coach for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. During the 2021 season, Roberts led the Hornets to a record of 13-23. In 2022, the team made great strides, finishing with a record of 17-24. Roberts is a force when it comes to all things baseball, from coordinating travel to practice to in-game coaching, he never backs down.

Roberts is very familiar with the Harris-Stowe baseball program as a former student-athlete and it shows in each of his interactions. As a former player, he knows the ins and outs of the program and as the head coach, it assists in building a bond with the student-athletes because he has been in their shoes.

"I'm thrilled for Coach Roberts, a Harris-Stowe Alum, and the Harris-Stowe State University Baseball program. Through hard work and dedication, Coach Roberts has established a strong foundation over the past 16 months serving in the role on an interim basis. The future of Harris-Stowe Baseball is in great hands and I'm excited to see what lies ahead in 2022-23 for this program," stated Athletic Director Carey.

During the 2021 season, Roberts stood with pride as his team won their first conference tournament contest in over a decade.

"I am extremely excited to be named next head baseball coach here at Stowe. This means a lot especially being that I attended, played baseball, & graduated from here," said Roberts. "It's a new chapter for the baseball program and I am aiming to take it to new heights. I am thankful for the opportunity and looking forward to leading this new era of baseball here."

Hailing from Watts, California, it isn't a surprise that Roberts is a fan of the Lakers, Dodgers and Raiders. In the words of the Raiders, this season the goal is to, "Win Baby Win!"

Roberts is a member of the Harris-Stowe State University Class of 2019 (Fall), earning his degree in Educational Studies.