Women's Basketball | 8/16/2013 12:05:00 PM
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – Kyle Cooper has been named assistant women's basketball coach at West Liberty University. Cooper replaces Mike Drahos, who was named head coach at Pitt-Johnstown earlier this month.
"Mike did a terrific job and was an integral part of our success," said veteran head coach Lynn Ullom, who has led the Lady Hilltoppers to more than 450 victories in his 22 years at the helm. "He will definitely be missed. I'm excited to welcome Kyle into the West Liberty family. He's a tireless recruiter and very bright young man who came very highly recommended by a number of people I trust in the coaching profession."
Cooper spent the last two years as assistant women's basketball coach, recruiting coordinator and assistant compliance coordinator at Wheeling Jesuit University.
"It's an honor to become part of a program which has achieved the level of success that West Liberty has under Coach Ullom over the years," Cooper said. "I want to thank Coach Ullom for the opportunity to join his staff and can't wait to get started on our pursuit of the Mountain East Conference's first women's basketball championship."
Cooper began his college basketball coaching odyssey during his undergraduate days as a student at West Virginia University.
The Waterford, Pa. native served as assistant head manager and basketball camp counselor for Coach John Beilein's men's basketball team during Cooper's freshman and sophomore years at WVU. He spent the next four years as head student manager and then graduate assistant for Coach Mike Carey with the Mountaineers' women's basketball program.
He left Morgantown in 2010 when he was hired as director of women's basketball operations at Ohio University. Cooper accepted the assistant coaching position at Wheeling Jesuit after one season with the Lady Bobcats.
"Mike was the sixth assistant coach I've had go on to be a head coach at the collegiate level," Ullom said, "so I've been fortunate to work with some outstanding individuals over the years. Kyle certainly fits that mold. I believe that his experience and work ethic will be great assets for our program."
An outstanding student, Cooper graduated summa cum laude from WVU in 2008 with dual bachelor's degrees in Sport Management and Athletic Coaching Education along with a minor in Business Administration. He earned a master's degree from WVU in Educational Leadership with a focus on Higher Education in 2010.
Kyle and his wife, Katie, make their home in Follansbee, W.Va.
