Mason Cooper was chosen as EKU’s director of operations in July of 2022. He had served in the role of coordinator of video and digital content since 2020.
In 2022-23 Cooper was part of a staff that helped the team win 23 games, the third most in one season in program history. The Colonels reached the championship game of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI). It was the program’s first national postseason tournament title game ever and the first time in 78 years that an EKU team won three games in a national tournament.
“Mason’s tireless work ethic and willingness to help our student-athletes be successful both on and off the court made the decision to promote him to director of basketball operations an easy one,” head coach A.W. Hamilton said. “As a former EKU player, his promotion shows how serious we are about taking care of our guys. Mason has represented the program in a first-class manner.”
During the 2021-22 season the Colonels broke program records for 3-pointers in a game (25), 3-pointers attempted in a game (51), 3-pointers made (363) and attempted (1,029) in a season, and 3-point field goals in a road game (18). EKU ranked second in the country in turnover margin (+5.84), third in 3-pointers per game (11.71), fourth in steals per game (10.19) and seventh in turnovers forced (17.42). The team led the ASUN in all those categories as well.
In his first season on staff in 2020-21, Cooper aided a program that had a 22-7 record, featured the most conference wins in program history (15) and the most conference road victories (8) ever. The team was ranked as high as No. 12 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 and concluded the season ranked 25th. The team’s .759 winning percentage was the Colonels’ best since the 1964-65 season (56 years). It was also the highest winning percentage by any NCAA Division I team in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The squad began the 2020-21 season with a 14-2 mark, the best start for an Eastern team in 74 years.
He moved into the position of coordinator of video and digital content following three years as a player at EKU.
Cooper graduated from EKU in only three years, earning a degree in sports management in the spring of 2020. He completed a master’s degree in sport administration from EKU in the spring of 2021.
The Fairfield, Maine native was a standout at Lawrence High School. A three-year varsity starter, Cooper was selected as the KVAC Player of the Year, Morning Sentinel Player of the Year and Bangor Daily News Second Team All-State his senior year.
Cooper and his wife, former EKU cheerleader Hannah Coots Cooper, reside in Richmond.
