UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Baseball Head Coach Rob Cooper has announced his resignation, effective at the end of the 2023 season. Penn State concludes its season with home games against Maryland Friday and Saturday.
"I am beyond grateful for my time as the head baseball coach at Penn State," said Cooper. "This is a special place, because of the special people who make it up. My family and I love Penn State. While I am disappointed I wasn't able to get the baseball program the success it deserves, I am excited about the vision Dr. Kraft has for Penn State Athletics, the student-athletes and the baseball program. Penn State Baseball is in good hands. The next coach will love Penn State, the people and the community as much as my family has. I wish our players nothing but success and happiness. We Are!!!"
"We appreciate Rob Cooper for all he has done for the Penn State community these last 10 seasons," said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Rob for not only the commitment he made to our baseball program, but also the way he represented Penn State University with class. I want to thank Rob, and wish him, his wife, Maureen, and his family nothing but the best in the future."
In his 10th year with the program, Cooper has posted 197 wins as head coach at Penn State. In 2022, Cooper led the Nittany Lions to their first Big Ten Tournament appearance since 2012. The Nittany Lions earned the No. 6 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, picking up a 5-2 win over No. 3 seed Iowa to open the tournament.
Under Cooper's tutelage, 12 players were drafted and 13 total signed with MLB teams in the last five seasons with a full draft. Catcher Matt Wood was selected in the fourth round (132nd overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2022 MLB Draft, the highest-selected position player in program history.
Penn State will conduct a national search immediately for Cooper's replacement.
