University of Memphis Athletics
Women's Basketball
Cooperwood, Josh
Josh Cooperwood
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- j.cooperwood@memphis.edu
Head Memphis women’s basketball coach Alex Simmons has added another member to her staff in Josh Cooperwood.
Cooperwood comes to Memphis after spending last season with Simmons at Gardner-Webb where he helped the team to a 29-5 overall record with a Big South Championship and a perfect 21-0 in conference play.
“Josh is a Memphis, Tennessee native with heavy recruiting ties in the state and surrounding areas,” said Simmons. “Coach Coop loves being on the court and lives in the gym and his ability to develop guards’ individual skill is something that will be immediately impactful in our program.”
Cooperwood has had stops at Winthrop, Georgia Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi Valley State and North Carolina Central as an assistant coach before getting his career start at his alma mater, Tennessee State. Starting out as the Director of Operations during the 2011-12 season, Cooperwood would be promoted to an Assistant Coach in 2012. During his time with TSU, Cooperwood saw the Lady Tigers win the Ohio Valley Conference title in 2015 and make the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 1993-94 season.
In his career, Cooperwood has coached 11 all-conference selections, the 2023 Big South Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year as well as two conference tournament MVPs in Jhessyka Williams (2023, Big South) and Brianna Lawrence (2015, Ohio Valley).
Prior to playing professionally in Europe for nine years, Cooperwood, a standout at Chattanooga State, was named as a TJCAA First Team selection, the TJCAA Player of the Year and earned NJCAA All-American honors in 2001. He would transfer to Tennessee State where he was named to the All-OVC Second Team in 2003.
Cooperwood comes to Memphis after spending last season with Simmons at Gardner-Webb where he helped the team to a 29-5 overall record with a Big South Championship and a perfect 21-0 in conference play.
“Josh is a Memphis, Tennessee native with heavy recruiting ties in the state and surrounding areas,” said Simmons. “Coach Coop loves being on the court and lives in the gym and his ability to develop guards’ individual skill is something that will be immediately impactful in our program.”
Cooperwood has had stops at Winthrop, Georgia Southern, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi Valley State and North Carolina Central as an assistant coach before getting his career start at his alma mater, Tennessee State. Starting out as the Director of Operations during the 2011-12 season, Cooperwood would be promoted to an Assistant Coach in 2012. During his time with TSU, Cooperwood saw the Lady Tigers win the Ohio Valley Conference title in 2015 and make the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 1993-94 season.
In his career, Cooperwood has coached 11 all-conference selections, the 2023 Big South Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year as well as two conference tournament MVPs in Jhessyka Williams (2023, Big South) and Brianna Lawrence (2015, Ohio Valley).
Prior to playing professionally in Europe for nine years, Cooperwood, a standout at Chattanooga State, was named as a TJCAA First Team selection, the TJCAA Player of the Year and earned NJCAA All-American honors in 2001. He would transfer to Tennessee State where he was named to the All-OVC Second Team in 2003.
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