Howard College has hired Kyle Cooper, former assistant men’s basketball coach at Tarleton State University, as the new Men’s Head Basketball Coach for the Hawks. Cooper will be on campus meeting with players, staff, and faculty and will start his official duties on April 1, 2022.
The position was recently opened after the resignation of Hawks coach, Scott Raines.
“We had several applicants for the position, but Kyle was a stand-out, checking all the boxes, and we are very excited to bring him to campus,” said Mike Yeater, Athletic Director. “His experience from the Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) and D1 level will be invaluable for our recruitment and our program moving forward.”
The WJCAC is no stranger to Cooper as he served a two-year stint as the head men’s basketball coach at Western Texas College from 2019-2021.
“I am humbled and excited to be named the head coach at Howard College,” said Cooper. “Thanks to Athletic Director Mike Yeater and President Sparks for believing in me. Along with my wife Nicole and daughter Mia, we are excited to make the move to Big Spring.”
Prior to his time with Western Texas College and Tarleton State University, Cooper served as the head coach at Little Priest Tribal College and as the assistant men’s coach at North Iowa Area Community College and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Collectively, Cooper brings over 10 years coaching experience to the court.
Cooper added, “The men’s basketball program at Howard College has such a rich tradition of success and I am honored to become a part of the Hawk family.”
While under head coach Billy Gillespie at Tarleton, Cooper assisted the Texans as they competed in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and broke the school record for the WAC conference wins while carrying a 3.1 GPA.
During his time with Western Texas College, the team won the 2021 WJCAC tournament championship, the school’s first post season championship since 1984, and qualified for back-to-back regional tournament appearances. The team finished third in NJCAA in defensive points allowed per game and first in the WJCAC.
Cooper’s playing career include his time at West Plains High School in Missouri and at North Iowa Area Community College.
He earned his associate degree from North Iowa Area Community College, his Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Waldorf University and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in Sports Management from Waldorf University.
“My coaching philosophy is to create a relationship-based program. We want to focus on the development of the student-athlete as a whole. That will help our players and our program reach their maximum potential,” added Cooper. “I cannot wait to get started!”
