Roger Powell Jr., a native of Joliet, Illinois, is the head coach of the Valparaiso Beacons men's basketball team and a former professional basketball player. Powell's basketball journey began at Joliet West High School and flourished at the University of Illinois, where he was a three-year starter. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors in his final two seasons and was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team as a sophomore.

Powell played a pivotal role in leading the Illini to three Big Ten regular-season titles, two Big Ten Tournament championships, and three Sweet Sixteen appearances. His senior year was particularly remarkable as the team finished 37-2 and reached the national title game.

Beyond basketball, Powell is deeply committed to mentoring young athletes. He founded RPJ Ministries Organization, which focuses on developing young leaders to be godly examples on their sports teams and school campuses. Additionally, he established Integrity Sports Corporation, a company dedicated to enhancing the basketball skills and character of high school and junior high athletes.

Powell graduated from the University of Illinois in 2005 with a degree in speech communications and later earned a master’s degree in Sports Administration from Valparaiso University in 2016.

Powell's coaching career began in 2011, and before taking the helm at Valparaiso, he served as an assistant coach at Gonzaga. He and his wife, Tara, are proud parents of four children: Bria, Liam, Gabriel, and Faith.