21 Whitney Cooper
Second Base
Jr., Bats: R - Throws: R
Barstow, Calif., Barstow H.S.
California Titans Gold
Business Finance
Kalafatis on Cooper: “We moved Whitney from shortstop to second base and she has made the adjustment almost immediately. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a better team player or harder working player than Whitney Cooper and that kind of work ethic and attitude will pay off for Coop on the field. She’s a terrific leader and I know she’s ready to have the best season of her career in 2009.”
At a glance: Moves to second base for 2009 season after spending her first two years playing shortstop ... athletic infielder and consistent performer at the plate ... was the first to commit to Ohio State’s 2006 recruiting class.
2008 (Sophomore Season): Started in all 56 games ... led the team with 116 assists ... hit a home run April 30 vs. Ohio (game 2) ... scored a total of 15 runs ... second on the team in doubles (6) and triples (1) ... had a total of four stolen bases and finished with a 1.000 stolen base pct. ... had four fielding double plays ... hit .444 in first nine games ... went 2-3 in game 2 at Minnesota April 27 with a double, triple, and two runs scored ... took home the Buckeye Spirit Award.
2007 (Freshman Season): Started at shortstop first 16 games and played in 20 games overall ... received the Buckeye Spirit Award at the postseason banquet ... singled in two of her last three at bats of the season (April 18, May 1) ... hit in the No. 8 spot 14 times when she started ... homered No. 1 Arizona’s Taryne Mowatt Feb. 10 in Tempe ... played in both games vs. IUPUI April 18 and went 1-for-1 at the plate ... 40 defensive assists ranked fourth on the team ... three of her six hits came against ranked teams ... had five assists in win over No. 22 Fresno State Feb. 23 in Palm Springs ... had 5 putouts in two different games ... OSU Scholar-Athlete.
Prior to Ohio State: Three times earned first-team All-Desert Sky League honors ... twice named the conference’s most valuable player ... two-time captain ... all-state as a sophomore ... twice named to the Daily Press first-team all-area squad ... hit .492 as a senior with a .650 on base percentage ... helped Aztecs to a league title as a freshman and to a co-championship as a sophomore ... four-year starter in softball and basketball ... named the Barstow H.S. Female Athlete of the Year in 2005 and 2006 ... named the 2006 Citrus Belt Athlete of the Year ... senior class president after serving as class secretary previous three years ... earned the 2006 Principal’s Award and the Pat Hill Memorial Scholarship ... was the first to commit to Ohio State in its 2005 recruiting class.
Personal: Daughter of Richard and Jacqueline Cooper ... has two siblings, Trevor (23) and Ashley (22) ... would like to start her own business and have a family ... enjoys swimming, running, basketball, soccer and hide-and-seek ... greatest sports thrill was helping her team advance to the California state championship as a sophomore, marking the first time a girls’ sport from Barstow or her conference made it to the state finals.
