Lamar University Athletics

Cooper Welch joined the Lamar University Media Relations staff in January 2018, and has served as the primary contact for baseball, volleyball, men's and women's track and field, and men's and women's cross country.

Welch came to LU after a two and a half year stint in the Jacksonville University media relations department in Jacksonville, Fla., where he was the Associate Director of Media Relations. He served in several roles in the Dolphin athletic department, including primary coverage of men's basketball, baseball, volleyball, men's soccer, men's and women's golf, softball, and beach volleyball. He was also the secondary contact for football, and the head graphic designer for the department.

Prior to his work in Jacksonville, Welch worked as a graduate assistant in the Texas A&M University-Commerce Sports Information Department. He received his Master's Degree in Sports and Recreation Management from A&M-Commerce in August of 2015.

Welch also served as a graduate research assistant in the Health & Human Performance Department of A&M-Commerce, where he has assisted Dr. Gwendolyn Weatherford in academic writing, feasibility studies, critiquing student assignments, and graphic and web design for the various organizations that Dr. Weatherford is a part of.

Welch received his bachelor's degree from A&M-Commerce in 2013, majoring in Radio and Television. He graduated Cum Laude with a 3.6 GPA. During his undergrad degree he worked for three years at 88.9 KETR as an award-winning news reporter and sports analyst.

Cooper Welch is married to the former Mikala DeVillier, a Lamar University alum. The couple lives in Lumberton, Texas.

Started at LU:
January 2018

Experience:
January 2018-Present: Lamar University (Beaumont, Texas) – Assistant Director of Media Relations
August 2015-January 2018: Jacksonville University (Jacksonville, FL) – Associate Director of Media Relations
January 2015-August 2015: Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce, Texas) -- Sports Information Assistant
2014-2015: Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce, Texas) -- Graduate Assistant Research
2010-2014: 88.9 KETR (Commerce, Texas) -- Producer, Host, Reporter, Sports Analyst, Intern Manager
2010-2012: Texas A&M University-Commerce (Commerce, Texas) -- Video Board Director & Techinal Director

Education:
Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2015 -- M.S. in Sports & Recreation Management
Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2013 -- B.S. in Broadcast Journalism
Sulphur Springs High School (Texas) -- 2009

Hometown:
San Antonio, Texas