ASU Names Cooper Head Baseball Coach

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Former Augusta State standout and current assistant coach Chris Cooper has been promoted to head baseball coach, according to an announcement Friday afternoon from ASU Director of Athletics Clint Bryant.

One of the top power hitters in ASU history, Cooper recently completed his ninth year of affiliation with the Jaguar baseball program and his seventh year as an assistant coach.

“I’m very delighted to promote Chris to head baseball coach,” Bryant said. “He is one of our own. He played here and has been a loyal and dedicated employee for several years. I’m impressed with his knowledge of the game and attention to detail in all that he does. Chris is a tremendous young man and we look forward to his leadership of our baseball program.”

Cooper first joined the Jaguar coaching staff as a student assistant coach beginning in the fall of 2002. He assumed the role of graduate assistant coach in 2005 and climbed to the assistant coach post in the fall of 2007. Cooper also served as the Department of Athletics’ Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, a role he assumed in August, 2008.

A two-year letterwinner for the Jags in 2001 and 2002, Cooper batted .326 as a senior first baseman for the Jaguars in 2002. He led the team in slugging percentage (.674), RBI (59), doubles (14), triples (2), home runs (16), put outs (360) and double plays (21). He was a first team All-Peach Belt Conference selection as well as a first-team, all-South Atlantic Region pick.

“I would like to thank Coach Bryant, Dr. Bloodworth, and everyone at Augusta State for this tremendous opportunity,” Cooper said. “I look forward to continuing to build a competitive program at the conference, regional and national levels. I would also like to thank Coach Fite, not only for what he has done for this university and the baseball program, but for what he has done for my career and the opportunities he has given me.”

A native of Riverview, Fla., Cooper prepped at East Bay High School in Gibsonton, Fla. Prior to arriving in Augusta, Cooper was a two-year letterwinner at Santa Fe (Fla.) Community College.

A 2005 Augusta State graduate from the College of Health and Kinesiology, Cooper earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching from ASU following the Spring, 2007 semester.

Cooper replaces former head baseball coach Stanley “Skip” Fite, who recently resigned after 25 seasons at the helm of the Jaguar baseball program to take over as head coach at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga.