Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

Transfer player hopes for successful year against Division I competition

Meet David Cooper, a 6-foot-7-inch, 215-pound red-shirt sophomore transfer from Southern New Hampshire University. Cooper spent the 2001-'02 season — his freshman year — at SNHU, where he played in all 28 games, including six starts.

As a senior starter at Manchester Central High School, Cooper averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, and was the team's Most Valuable Player. He led his college team with 4.7 rebounds a game as a freshman — and he just started playing basketball five years ago.

"Coop," as he popularly is known on the team, grew up near Miami, Fla. Southern Florida is not exactly a hotbed for basketball stars, but it is a factory when it comes to producing football legends, according to Cooper.

"In Florida, you had to play football," Cooper said. He spent most of his life playing wide receiver until, one day, he decided to exchange cleats and touchdowns for high tops and dunks.

"I tried out for my junior varsity [basketball] team [sophomore year], and I was the last cut," Cooper said. "I came back the next year. I worked on my game, grew about four or five inches, and played about six hours every night. Every night, from 3 to 9 [p.m.], I was practicing."

It was that hard work and determination that led to his success in high school and, ultimately, at SNHU. Despite his achievements as a freshman — averaging 8.1 points a game, he reached double figures in scoring in 15 games, and was named to the Northeast-10 Conference's All-Rookie Team. However, Cooper felt he was limited by playing for a Division II school.

"I came out of a Division II school and I felt that I was a Division I player," he said.

Cooper was looking to build upon his beginnings at SNHU elsewhere, but he still had to determine which Division-I school to attend. JMU quickly became his No. 1 choice. Cooper was drawn to Harrisonburg for some of the same reasons that many other JMU students now call JMU home.

"[I came] to JMU because of the campus and the players and coaches," Cooper said. "I like the program, the division of the program. I came down for my visit and fell in love."

But, there was another factor that played a key role in his decision — the weather.

"That's one of the reasons I decided to come to Virginia — to get away from the cold," Cooper said. "I was blown away [at JMU]. This time now in New Hampshire its cold — about 36 degrees."

Although he only has been at JMU for one full year, Cooper has had no trouble fitting in. He quickly was befriended by the team's two seniors, forward/guard Dwayne Broyles and guard Chris Williams.

"My teammates here are great," Cooper said. "They're very supportive, very accepting. I feel like I've been here forever. [Coach Sherman] Dillard has welcomed me with open arms."

Dillard credits Cooper's quick popularity to his desire, tenacity and a strong work ethic. "Those qualities, and the way he works on the court, have made him in ways, right now, a leader," Dillard said.

Cooper is part of the youth movement that the men's basketball team currently is undergoing. Of the 13 members on the team, there only are three juniors and seniors combined. After playing one year at SNHU and then sitting out last year for the Dukes (NCAA guidelines require transfer players to be inactive for one academic year), Cooper still has three years of eligibility left at JMU. With such a young core of talent, Cooper is looking forward to what he can be a part of.

"I'm very excited about what we have here for the future," Cooper said.

"I believe it depends on how we handle diversity — if we lose a game, how we bounce back; if we lose a possession, how we bounce back. Going through the storms will definitely make us a stronger team," he said.

Cooper not only expects a lot from the team this year, but he also is looking to himself to play a key role in the team's success.

"I'm looking forward to playing hard," he said. "I have a couple years of understanding college basketball. I want to come in and help contribute right away.

"And do not let the fact that I'm coming from a [Division II] school fool you," Cooper said. "The Northeast-10 [Conference] is one of the best Division II conferences in the country — the competition is very underrated.

"Some of these guys are Division I players and just couldn't make the grades. It was a very competitive league. Some of those guys were 26, 27 — they were men, but ineligible to play Division I college ball," Cooper said.

Broyles knows that the year Cooper spent at SNHU has provided him with the skills he will need to be able add to the Dukes this year.

"He's going to help with the scoring, rebounding and defensively he'll bring a lot to the table," Broyles said. "Coop also brings toughness to our team. I definitely think he is going to help us out a lot this year."

Dillard echoed Broyles' thoughts, as he knows that Cooper's experience and ability will help to make him a big contributor this year. "He's going to be a very good player for us," Dillard said. "He's an extremely hardworking individual, and plays with a great deal of passion. So far, he's shown me that he could star in the league."