James Cooper (baseball)

James Cooper

Sport(s)	Baseball
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Grambling State
Conference	Southwestern Athletic Conference
Biographical details
Born	February 12, 1982 Shreveport, Louisiana
Playing career
2001–2004	Grambling State
Position(s)	OF
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2007–2009	Grambling State (Asst.)
2010–Present	Grambling State
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
SWAC Coach of the Year: 2010

James Cooper (born February 12, 1982) is an American college baseball coach, currently serving as head coach of the Grambling State Tigers baseball team. He was named to that position prior to the 2010 season.^[1]

Playing career

Cooper was an outfielder for Grambling, where he earned All-Conference honors and played under longtime head coach Wilbert Ellis. He was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros. He played two seasons in the Astros system, reaching Class A, and one season of independent baseball before ending his playing career.^[1][2]

Coaching career

Cooper returned to Grambling as an assistant to new head coach Barret Rey. He helped rebuild the Tigers program, qualifying for a pair of Southwestern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament appearances in three years. With Rey's departure for SWAC rival Alcorn State, Cooper was elevated to Head Coach.^[3][4] In his first season, Cooper led the Tigers to a SWAC Tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA Regional. Cooper earned SWAC Coach of the Year honors for his efforts.^[1][2]

Head coaching record

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Grambling State (Southwestern Athletic Conference) (2010–present)
2010	Grambling State	22–32	11–14	3rd West (5)	NCAA Regional
2011	Grambling State	23–26	14–10	2nd West (5)	SWAC Tournament
2012	Grambling State	22–26	13–11	3rd West (5)	SWAC Tournament[lower-alpha 1]
2013	Grambling State	18–30	9–15	5th West (5)
2014	Grambling State	16–32	11–13	4th West (5)	SWAC Tournament[lower-alpha 2]
Grambling State:		101–146	58-63
Total:		101–146
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

1. The top four teams in each five team division qualified for the SWAC Tournament in 2012.
2. The top four teams in each five team division qualified for the SWAC Tournament in 2014.

See also

• List of current NCAA Division I baseball coaches

References

1. "2012 Baseball Coaching Staff". Grambling State Tigers. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
2. Marq Mitcham (August 16, 2013). "Grambling baseball coach has optimistic outlook". Bastrop Daily Enterprise. Bastrop, Louisiana. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
3. "Grambling State Announces James Cooper as Head Baseball Coach". TSPN Sports. July 18, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
4. Ken Trahan (July 17, 2009). "Grambling chooses James Cooper as baseball coach". SportsNOLA. Retrieved January 20, 2014.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)