BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic University senior co-captain Hunter Cooley has been named to the 2022 Conference USA Preseason baseball team, as announced by C-USA on Wednesday.
Cooley, who will be Saturday’s starter versus Minnesota, filled a variety of roles in 2021, but was moved into the rotation five weekends into the 2021 season, landing as the Friday night starter. It was a role that allowed the lefty to thrive. He was a Second Team All-Conference USA selection at season’s end. He completed his campaign tied for second among C-USA teams with eight wins, while ranking 10th at that time with a 3.57 ERA. His 3.54 ERA in league play was seventh lowest, and his .259 average against ranked 13th. Cooley was second on the squad with 76.2 innings pitched, despite making only 10 starts, but his 17 total appearances were two off the team lead. He continued to be stingy issuing walks, with just 18 on the season, or 2.13 per nine innings. For his career, he only is a 2.18/9, fifth lowest in program history.
Cooley began his turn in the rotation on one day’s notice, as he opened the USF road series with a seven-inning shutout outing, on four hits, with one walk and six strikeouts. He repeated that same exact stat line – 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K – in the C-USA opener the next week against Marshall, but in a complete game effort. Cooley added another conference complete game victory, on the road at WKU (7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 1 K). Twice, he had seven K’s, in a road win over FIU, and in a win over No. 19 USM.
MAC MENTIONSHead Coach John McCormack on Hunter Cooley’s Honor
“We are happy for him. It is a well-deserved honor, and we are excited to see what he can do this year,” said John McCormack, FAU’s head coach.
WHAT’S NEXTParadise and Diamond Club members are invited to the first pregame tailgate party prior to the season opener on February 18. For more information, please call Alvin Hines at 205-789-3594.
FOR SEASON TICKETSTo purchase tickets, call 1-866-FAU-OWLS or click HERE. FAU will open the 2022 season at home on Friday, Feb. 18 versus Minnesota. Stay tuned here at FAUSports.com, and on baseball’s Twitter and Instagram accounts @FAUBaseball.
