Wiley College head men’s basketball coach Joseph Flegler announces the hiring of Malik Cooper as assistant coach.

This will be Cooper’s first collegiate coaching position after graduating from Louisiana Christian University in May with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications. He played three seasons with the Wildcats – earning 2021-22 All-Red River Athletic Conference Second Team and 2022 All-Tournament Team. Cooper averaged 11.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game – helping the Wildcats reach the RRAC Championship game. Additionally, he was a part of the team’s 2021 run to the American Southwest Conference Championship game when the program competed in the NCAA Division III.

Flegler was introduced to Cooper by Roderick Sherman, who is an assistant baseball coach and criminal justice professor at Wiley College. Cooper will lead the junior varsity team and work with the forwards and centers on the varsity team. Flegler said this will be a great asset to the program.

“He wants to own post development which will greatly impact the program,” Flegler said. “He’s played the post position and understands it. From a recruiting standpoint, I wanted to be intentional about getting players from Louisiana. He has a lot of connections.”

Before playing at Louisiana Christian University, Cooper played two seasons at Southwestern Christian College. In his sophomore season, he averaged 12.5 points per game and earned Second Team All-Conference. Cooper played for Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, La. He earned First Team All-District and First Team All-City. Cooper said Wiley College is similar to previous schools he attended.

He joins a Wildcat team that won 14 games and advanced to the conference semifinals in four of the last six seasons they competed in.

https://www.wileyathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/releases/20230804jglquv