Khiry Cooper Season 2009

Honors & Awards
•    Three Letters (2009, 2010, 2011)
•    2008 MLB Fifth-Round Draft Pick (LA Angels of Anaheim)
•    Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (Spring 2011)

2012 Outlook: Khiry (pronounced KY-ree) Cooper returns for his senior season after finishing his junior season with the Husker football team, which went 9-4 in its first season in the Big Ten Conference • Can play all three positions in the outfield for the Huskers • Reads the ball well and covers a lot of ground with his outstanding athleticism and speed • Was selected in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2008 MLB Draft, but elected to play both football and baseball at Nebraska • Is the highest draftee to play baseball at Nebraska since Turner Gill, who was a second-round pick in 1980 • Is the first true multi-sport athlete in baseball and football at NU since Head Coach Darin Erstad in the mid-1990s.

“Khiry’s speed really shows on the baseball field,” Erstad said. “He made some great strides on the football field this year, and we hope that carries over to the diamond. We just need to get him in the cage, as its been tough on him to get the reps as a two-sport athlete.”

2011 Football: Cooper played in a career-high nine games in 2011, including a start against Penn State • Caught four balls for 60 yards, including a pair of 17-yard catches against both Ohio State and Penn State.

2011 Baseball: Cooper started 34 games in the outfield for the Huskers in 2011 • Carried a .260 batting average with seven doubles and a .987 fielding percentage • Successfully stole a base on six of his seven attempts • Scored two runs in four different games • Produced a double and scored a run in NU’s 8-5 win over Missouri on May 21 • Put together a pair of three-hit games against North Dakota at Hawks Field • Was 6-for-10 (.600) during the series with one double and three RBIs • Opened the Fresno State series on March 11 with a career-best four hits, as he went 4-for-5 with a double, one RBI and stole a base • Knocked in a pair of runs on a career-high two doubles against Northern Colorado at the Bearkat Tournament in Huntsville, Texas, on Feb. 25 • Had two hits, including a double, and one RBI in NU’s 16-4 win over Missouri State on Feb. 20 at the Texas State Tournament in San Marcos.

2010 Football: Cooper played in six games behind a group of veteran receivers, but did not have a reception during the 2010 season.

2010 Baseball: Cooper was a regular in Nebraska’s outfield rotation, hitting .258 with eight RBIs in 30 contests • Started the first two games against Southeast Missouri State, going 2-for-8 with a double and two runs scored • Was used as a pinch runner at Baylor on April 23, scoring the tying run against the Bears • Delivered a pinch-hit single against Wichita State on April 13 • Started the series finale against Oklahoma State, going hitless in two at-bats • Saw action in both games against Northern Colorado, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored • Went 3-for-9 with an RBI in three games against Houston Baptist • Was 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a sacrifice against Nebraska-Kearney on March 10 • Hit .444 (4-for-9) with two doubles and an RBI in the series loss at No. 14 UCLA • Tied his then-career high by going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI against the Bruins on March 5 • Came off the bench to go 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 26.

2009 Football: Cooper played in 12 games for the Huskers in 2009, catching 17 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown • Started four games, all in Big 12 play • Had three catches against Texas Tech, Baylor and Kansas and scored his only touchdown on a 13-yard reception against Texas Tech • Redshirted in football in 2008.

2009 Baseaball: Cooper was the Huskers’ fourth outfielder, hitting .239 with a pair of homers and nine RBIs in 35 games • Made 20 starts, seeing the majority of his time in center field • Appeared in 14 games in league play, hitting .208 with six runs scored • Homered and matched his high with a pair of RBIs against CSU Bakersfield on May 10 • Started the series finale against Missouri on May 3, going 1-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base • Went 1-for-2 with an RBI double in a start at Wichita State on March 31 • Had a pinch-hit single to start NU’s four-run seventh inning at No. 11 Oklahoma on March 30 • Started both games against Northern Colorado, going 2-for-3 with an RBI double in NU’s 14-13 come-from-behind win on March 24 • Was 1-for-4 in two starts against No. 11 Oklahoma State • Had two hits in four at-bats, a sacrifice and a stolen base in two games at Texas Tech to open Big 12 action • Was 1-for-3 with an RBI single against South Dakota State on March 4 • Came up with the big hit against North Dakota on Feb. 25, delivering a two-run single in the eighth inning to give NU the lead for good • Hit .333 (4-for-12) with a homer and four RBIs against UL-Lafayette, going 3-for-5 with a homer and two runs scored in the series finale against the Ragin’ Cajuns on Feb. 22.

Before Nebraska: Cooper was one of the top players in Louisiana playing for Coach Rodney Traweek at Calvary Baptist Academy • Selected in the fifth round (No. 169 overall) by the Los Angeles Angels • Earned all-state honors as a senior, hitting .366 with an on-base percentage of .533 and a slugging percentage of .574, as Calvary Baptist Academy won its second straight state title • Carried his team in the state tournament, hitting .500 with two homers, eight RBIs and eight runs scored • Hit .436 with three homers and 16 stolen bases as a junior, helping Calvary to the first of its back-to-back state titles • Named the Shreveport Times Prep Athlete of the Year after a standout three-sport career • Was a three-year starter in football, totaling over 1,700 yards and 42 touchdowns in his prep career • Caught 60 passes for 1,038 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior, helping his team to a 12-1 record and a Class 2A state semifinals appearance • Played basketball for four seasons, serving as the team’s shooting guard • Was active in his church youth group throughout high school.

Personal: Born on Jan. 18, 1990, in Scottsdale, Ariz. • Is the son of Yolanda Cooper and has one sister, Kyla • Major is advertising and public relations.