Ball State University Athletics
Men's Basketball Signs Jay Copeland To NLI
April 26, 2010 | Men's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State men's basketball head coach Billy Taylor announced the signing of Jay Copeland (Suffolk, Va./King's Fork) to a national letter of intent Monday afternoon. Copeland will begin his Ball State career in the 2010-11 season and joins Matt Kamieniecki (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) and Marvin Jordon (Peoria, Ill./Manual) in this year's recruiting class.
"We are really excited to welcome Jay Copeland to our Ball State basketball program," Taylor said. "Jay comes from a wonderful and involved family structure and his parents were very supportive through the recruiting process. On the court, Jay is an aggressive, athletic and physical post player. He has been an effective scorer in the painted area with his quickness and also has a nice shooting touch from the perimeter."
Copeland, a 6-7, 235-pound forward, was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at King's Fork High School in Virginia for head coach Josh Worrell. He was named First Team All-District and Second Team All-Region as a senior as he averaged 13.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. He helped the Bulldogs win the Southeastern District Championship. His play helped King's Fork finish with a 24-3 overall record as it advanced to the Eastern Regional Quarterfinals before being upset in triple overtime.
Copeland helped guide King's Fork to the Virginia AAA State Championship as a junior. He averaged 12.0 points and 10.0 rebounds that season as the Bulldogs finished the year with a 31-1 overall record. He scored a team-high 10 points in the AAA State Championship game as King's Fork knocked off William Fleming High School 49-47. He is the son of Samuel Copeland Sr. and Lisa Copeland.
"Jay has proven to be a tough defender with a great rebounding instinct," Taylor said. "He has the ability to block and alter shots and will be a presence on the defensive end. While he is coming from a distance, I feel he is a great fit at Ball State and will be comfortable here both on and off the court. We are excited to add Jay to our Ball State basketball family."
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