Cornell University Athletics

• IRA All-Academic Team (2015)

At Cornell
Junior (2015-16): Cooper helped the second varsity eight to victories over Syracuse and Navy in a battle for the Stagg Points Plate, as well as a win over Penn and Dartmouth for the James Wray Memorial Trophy. At the 2016 Eastern Sprints he helped the second varsity eight to a second place finish in the Petite Finals to take eighth place overall. At the IRA National Championship he rowed in the third varsity eight that also placed second in the Petite Finals for an eighth place finish. Following the season, Cooper was named to the IRA All-Academic Team.  After the season, Cooper rowed in the Cornell heavyweight 4- that competed in the Visitors’ Challenge Cup at the 177th edition of the Henley Royal Regatta.

Sophomore (2014-15): During his sophomore season, Cooper stroked the varsity eight that took 10th overall to beat its seed at the 2015 IRA Regatta, after taking fourth in the Petite Finals at the 2015 ECAC Sprints to finish 10th overall. He was also stroked the varsity eight that won its eighth consecutive Madeira Cup by beating Penn, while also defeating Dartmouth for the third year in a row. 

Freshman (2013-14): In his first season with the Big Red, Cooper helped the freshmen eight to win a bronze medal at the 2014 Eastern Sprints. The crew went on to be the Big Red's lone boat to race in the Grand Finals of the 2014 IRA Regatta and placed sixth in the nation.

Prior to Cornell
Cooper rowed five years at the Abingdon School, serving as the team’s Captain of Boats in 2013. That same year, he was selected to represent Great Britain at the Junior World Championships in the eight. He had previously represented Great Britain at the 2012 Coupe de la Juenesse, winning a gold, silver, and bronze medal. Cooper also helped Great Britain’s coxed four to defeat France in 2011. He led the championship eight crew to back-to-back British National School Championships in 2012 and 2013, setting a course record each time, while also winning the coxed four event at the 2013 regatta. Cooper’s crew also won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta in both 2012 and 2013, with the 2013 crew setting a new standard.

Personal
Joel Alexander Cooper is the son of Adrian and Sarah Cooper and he has one older sister and a younger sister and brother. He is enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.