Football's Riley Cooper Joins Gator Baseball Squad
Thursday, February 21, 2008 | Baseball
Head Coach Kevin O'Sullivan and the University of Florida baseball team added another outfielder to its 2008 squad on Thursday with the announcement that Riley Cooper (Clearwater, Fla.), a sophomore wide receiver on the football team, is now a member of the Gators. The 6-foot-3, 216-pounder will be on the active roster for this weekend's season-opening series against Siena at McKethan Stadium.
A 15th-round selection of the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, Cooper was rated as the No. 161 prospect in the nation and No. 22 in the state of Florida according to Baseball America. Cooper will make the transition to baseball after appearing in 10 games last fall on the gridiron, including starts in The Swamp against Tennessee and Auburn. He totaled 182 yards receiving on just eight catches, an average of 22.8 yards per reception, to lead the Gators in yards per catch. Cooper scored a touchdown on his only touch against UT, a 30-yard reception, and made a critical play on special teams, catching the Vols' LaMarcus Coker down the sideline to prevent a touchdown on a 74-yard return. He hauled in a career-high and team-best four catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, including a career-long 59-yard grab, in the 49-3 victory over Western Kentucky.
A gunner on the special teams during the national championship season of 2006, Cooper played in 13 of Florida's 14 games and made four catches for 92 yards. He tied a freshman record with three touchdown receptions against Western Carolina and was named the SEC's Freshman of the Week. Cooper caught three passes for 82 yards versus the Catamounts, including a seven-yard scoring toss from Chris Leak (Charlotte, N.C.) and TD passes of 55 and 20 yards from Tim Tebow (Jacksonville, Fla.). He also forced a fumble that caused a safety in the 23-10 victory over then-No. 9 LSU.
-UF-
