Harris Stowe State University appointed assistant coach Pernell Roberts to Interim Head Coach for Hornets baseball Tuesday.
The change comes after the controversial firing of head coach CJ Bilbrey this past Monday after six years at the helm.
Roberts was the starting shortstop for the Hornets on back to back 30 win ball clubs in 2017 and 2018.
Roberts came to Harris Stowe State from Long Beach Community College where he won a junior college championship. Continuing his collegiate playing career at HSSU, he was recruited to the program by Bilbrey and graduated in 2019.
“I am very appreciative and excited that PJ Roberts has accepted the role of Interim Head Baseball Coach at Harris Stowe” Bilbrey said. “I had the pleasure to coach PJ for two seasons at Harris Stowe State. He was a kid that I saw grow up for his two years with me as well as the two years after he was done playing. He was a player who would accept the challenges of being a main component of two really good ball clubs.”
Bilbrey also added “from my recruiting call when he told me the story of how he wants to help kids from his hometown of Watts, California you could tell he had a great heart. He spoke about his father and his influence as a man for him in our first conversation. This past fall PJ lost his father and I think that is what drove him to become a coach this spring. He jumped right in ready to go and gave a helping hand to players. I know he will continue to make sure they stay true to being a Stowe Guy.”
Roberts credits Bilbrey “for the start to my coaching career and giving me the opportunity as an assistant coach.”
“I would like to say thank you for this opportunity to serve in such a significant role as Interim Head Coach for our Baseball program that represents this Athletic Department and University” Roberts said.
Roberts has spent two seasons on the coaching staff of Harris Stowe State baseball, primarily working with hitters and infielders. First task at hand is to prepare for this weekend’s scheduled four-game road series March 19-20 opening American Midwest Conference (AMC) play visiting William Baptist University in Walnut Ridge, ARK.
There are plenty of local talented coaches in the St. Louis Metro area that would help lead this team in the classroom and on the field.
The best way to do this is to dig deep and hire an experienced coach with ties to the St. Louis Metro East area, and does not have a problem recruiting outside of the area also.
Junior College, high caliber transfers, and Freshman will kick start the program again. If the players want to leave let them, it’s their choice. I can find 10 players to replace them in about one hour.
I would like to hear more as well. Maybe if Roberts is not just a fill in to finish the season they can keep that team together. According to some of the people I’ve spoken too the majority of those players are done after the season transferring. Shame because they have talent on that team if they were to stay together they have a legitimate chance at winning their conference this year and next.
Good move on the part of the Athletic Director. But I would like to hear more from the school about the firing of Bilbrey and the selection of Roberts and less from the perspective of Bilbrey.