Joe Roberts begins his 30th year at the helm of Armstrong Atlantic State baseball. While at AASU, Roberts has posted an overall 1,150-547 (.678) record while averaging 40 wins per year and posting 29 consecutive winning seasons. He currently ranks as the leading active Division II coach and second all-time in wins.

During his career, the Pirates have become a perennial contender in NCAA DII baseball. Armstrong Atlantic State is second only to Florida Southern in NCAA DII baseball victories since his arrival at then-Armstrong State in 1980, and at one point the Pirates were ranked in 110 straight polls over seven seasons. The Pirates advanced to the NCAA DII World Series in 1988, 1989 and 1994, with their 1990 squad ranked No. 1 nationally in every week of the season.

Coach Roberts has been selected for a coach of the year award eight times, including Region coach of the year awards in all three seasons at the Pirates advanced to the NCAA DII World Series. The Pirates have had players sign professionally in 26 straight years and AASU has also graduated 130 of its players in the last 23 years, despite its small rosters.

Roberts was a four-sport letterman at Lebanon (Ind.) HS before attending Lake Sumter CC in Leesburg, Fla. He finished his career at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, N.C., where he was again a four sport letterman and a basketball standout, setting several school, league and NCAA records during a two year career that saw him named All-Conference twice. He was selected Dixie MVP in his junior year of 1974 and was inducted intot he St. Andrews Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. He is married to the former Lynn Tucker and they have two teenage sons, Brian and Eric.

Calvain Culberson will be in his 14th season as a full-time assistant coach at AASU, after completing an eight-year professional baseball career. Calvain is no stranger to Armstrong Atlantic, having played for the Pirates from 1985-1988, and having assisted coach Roberts in a part-time role during his professional career.

Calvain’s coaching role at AASU includes working with the outfielders and pitchers, and assisting with baserunning and hitting instruction. While working with AASU’s pitchers, Culberson has instructed several players who have, like him, enjoyed professional success. Righthander Adam Bernero, who Culberson coached during the 1999 season, reached the major leagues in just 15 months, becoming AASU’s first major league player. Another Culberson pupil, Doug Sessions, was a AAA All-Star for the New Orleans Zephyrs in 2003 while pitching in the Houston Astros organization.

Culberson finished his pro career in 1995 at Pawtucket, a triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. He had joined the Red Sox organization as a free agent after having pitched at Double-A Chattanooga and Triple A Indianapolis in the Cincinnati Reds farm chain. Calvain began his pro career in 1989 in the Atlanta Braves farm system, hitting .313 in his first season, then continuing as a pitcher.

During Culberson’s AASU career, the Pirates posted an overall 181-66 (.733) record, with Calvain hitting in the leadoff spot his final three years. The Rome, Georgia native holds seven school records with the most notable being his 32-game hitting streak (1988) and his 128 career stolen bases.

Calvain was an all-Big South Conference selection in 1986 and 1987 when AASU was playing NCAA I baseball. In his last season with the Pirates he was an AASU co-captain and was chosen as a member of the all-South Atlantic Region team and an honorable mention DII All-American.

Calvain is married to the former Pamela Johnson of Port Wentworth, an AASU graduate, who works as a System Analyst II for AASU. The couple have a 10-year old son, Matthew, and a six-year old son, Brandon.