ST. LOUIS – Missouri Baptist University announced Roosevelt Peters as the new Head Men's Soccer Coach on Tuesday, Dec. 16. He comes to MBU after spending the last two seasons as an Assistant Men's Soccer Coach at Maryville University where he helped the team to a pair of NCAA Tournaments and a conference championship.
"Coach Peters brings a proven record of success on the field and, just as importantly, a clear commitment to Christ and to mentoring young men with integrity and purpose," said MBU President Dr. Keith Ross. "His leadership in previous positions demonstrates both competitive excellence and a heart for discipleship, and we are confident he will be a tremendous fit for MBU's soccer program and Christ-centered mission."
"We are thrilled to welcome Roosevelt Peters as our new Head Men's Soccer Coach," said Jeff Fore, Director of Athletics. "Coach Peters is a great mission fit who brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record. His passion for player development, commitment to academic and athletic excellence, and dynamic leadership style make him the perfect fit to lead our program into its next chapter. We are confident that under his guidance, our student-athletes will continue to thrive both on and off the field."
Peters is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he helped the Maryville men's soccer program win the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Championship and post a 12-6-3 overall record. In his first season with the Saints in 2024, the team went 11-5-6 overall, advancing to the GLVC title match before falling in a penalty-kick shootout to the first-seeded Lewis University Flyers. In two seasons, he helped Maryville to a 23-11-9 overall record and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.
"Working with Coach Roosevelt Peters for the past two seasons has been a great experience," said Maryville Head Men's Soccer Coach Adam Hall. "He's very passionate about the sport, and during his time at Maryville, he has taken on every challenge with determination and leadership. Coach Peters has helped our program continue its success, and I look forward to watching his career progress at Missouri Baptist."
In 2023, he assisted Oklahoma Wesleyan University in winning both the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships. The program posted an overall record of 17-2-5 and appeared in the NAIA National Tournament semifinals. Additionally, he and the entire staff earned the NAIA Men's Central Staff of the Year.
In three seasons with the Eagles, Peters helped them to three conference regular-season championships, three conference tournament championships, and three NAIA National Tournament appearances, while ranking in the NAIA's Top 25 in all three campaigns.
Before his time at OKWU, Peters was named the youngest head coach in NAIA history at Bacone College in Muskogee, Okla. He spent two seasons as the men's and women's head coach and led a rebuilding process for a program that had only one player on the men's team and four on the women's squad. Within a year, the men at Bacone had 26 players, and the women had 16. Both programs achieved their first wins in over two years after hiring Peters.
He sharpened his coaching by participating in the UPSL Division 2 with Side FC 92 in the summer of 2020, while also serving as head coach for Muskogee Soccer Club U19 (currently the WSA South 02 boys). Peters helped guide the team to a runner-up in the second division of the Oklahoma Premier Championship.
Peters also coached the 2010 boys at Northeast Oklahoma Futball Club (NEOFC) in Owasso in 2021. He went on to win the Red River, National Premier League (NPL) U13 Division 2 Championship in the 2022-23 season. Peters later received a promotion to Program Director. He also served as an adjunct coach at various high schools in Oklahoma, including Bartlesville Girls, Oologah Boys, Oologah Girls, and Edison Preparatory Girls.
Peters earned his MBA in Organizational Leadership in 2023 from Oklahoma Wesleyan University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bacone College in 2019. He also holds a USSF B National Coaching License.
"I am grateful to God, all my previous coaches, and programs for believing in me," said Peters. "Thank you to Jeff, Dr. Ross, and the hiring committee for giving me this opportunity. I am extremely excited to step back into a head coaching role. I truly feel God has placed me here to build this program and represent Christ in the college soccer community."
He is originally from Abuja, Nigeria, where he represented the National team at the U13 and U15 levels in international competitions. He also attended the Pre-Olympic Camp for Nigeria.
Peters is the son of James Peters, a renowned FIFA and CAF Coaching Accessor and Instructor who has coached at the highest level with the Nigerian National teams. He is married to his wife Anika-Michiko, and has a three-year-old son, Rafael.
