Cooper, who led the Tigers to a SWAC championship in his first season as head coach, is a graduate of Grambling State with a Bachelor of Science in marketing (2004) and a Master of Science in Sport Administration (2008). During his playing days at GSU, Cooper was twice named second team all-conference and following his senior campaign received First-Team All-SWAC honors.
Cooper was a 33rd round draft pick to the Houston Astros organization. Cooper followed up his playing career at Grambling with a brief stint in the Houston Astros organization, before playing a year with the Sussex Skyhawks in the CanAm League. Cooper is also the last player drafted that was coached by the Grambling Hall of Fame Legend Coach Wilbert Ellis. Cooper says “there’s no way I can thank Coach Ellis enough for the significant role he played into developing me as a young man, baseball player, and coach.”
Notable draft picks and MLB affiliations under Cooper’s helm:
Jeremy Shelby OF 38th round Baltimore Orioles
Eldred Barnett OF 29th round San Francisco Giants
Chris Wolfe SS 30th round Oakland A’s
Cory Jordan RHP 35th round Tampa Bay Rays
Edwin Drexler OF 38th round Los Angeles Dodgers 2015
Tanner Raiburn LHP 33rd round Boston Red Sox 2017
Johan Mojica C FA sign w/ Milwaukee Brewers 2017
Torreon Woods MLB scout w/ Oakland A’s (currently Chicago White Sox) 2018
Marshawn Taylor SS 28th round Arizona Diamondbacks 2018
Angel Peguero Development Coach Philadelphia Phillies 2019
Team USA Baseball:
In the summer of 2018 Cooper had been selected as an assistant coach for the 16U Team USA Baseball division, where he had the opportunity to coach and mentor some of best 15 and 16 year old baseball players in the country. Later that year, he was also invited to the Team USA Baseball winter camp for the 18U division that was held at TCU. That was also another opportunity for him to coach and mentor some of the best 17 and 18 year old baseball players in the country. Cooper still currently serves as an assistant coach for Team USA Basebal; he recently completed his third stint with the program this past summer at the NTIS 15U age division, that was hosted at the Team USA Baseball headquarters in Cary, NC.
A native of Cullen, La, Cooper and his wife Scherwanda Boston Cooper reside in Ruston, La with their 3 sons Zavier Cooper, Jaxon Cooper, and Jadon Cooper. Historically, he is noted as only the fifth head baseball coach in school history.
