PNW athletics announced Brian “Boomer” Roberts will be the men’s basketball head coach for the 2018-19 season on May 14.

Roberts said that PNW’s academic reputation, the challenge and location drew him to the university.

“The region is hungry for a winner,” Robert said during a May 24 press conference. “This university is hungry for a winner [and] that is something that really excites us. Then you add in the fact that we can compete in the GLIAC, which is [one of] if not the best, Division II conference in the country for Men’s Basketball.”

Rick Costello, athletic director, said the interactions Roberts had with student athletes during their interview session contributed to the decision to hire him.

“When you meet Roberts, he has such great charisma and is a really good people person,” Costello said. “He is an excellent basketball coach and has [had] such great success.”

At the press conference, Chancellor Thomas Keon said PNW was fortunate to find Roberts, and Costello commended his record as head coach at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill.

As the men’s basketball head coach for TIU, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics program which competes in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, Roberts accumulated a 84-48 overall record after four seasons including a 51-17 record over the past two seasons. During the 2016-2017 season, Roberts was named Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Co-Coach of the year.

Roberts said his goals for the 2018-19 team include helping his athletes perform at their best on the court and off the court in their personal lives and developing the team’s offense and defense.

“From the moment I met some of the [team’s players], I knew that this is the place that we can bring our hope and joy, and our love and toughness,” Roberts said.

Prior to his tenure at TIU, Roberts served as the lead assistant coach at Vanguard University from 2010-14. He competed for Vanguard University from 2004-08, where he was team captain for two seasons.

Roberts graduated from Concordia University Irvine in 2013 with a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration. His bachelor’s degree is in communication from Vanguard University.

Roberts replaces former head coach Matt Bush who died in April.