Joe Copeland will play college baseball for McKendree University

EDWARDSVILLE - Outfielder Joe Copeland will be playing for McKendree University, another local school, and can play anywhere in the outfield.

“Joe was an outfielder for us last year, played center field, and has the ability to play all three outfield positions,” Funkhouser said, “and did a great job for us last year. He’s a left-handed swinger and can go get it in the outfield. You can tell he’s gotten stronger, he’s moving well in the weight room, and really has a good head on his shoulders, stays even-keel. And I think he’ll have a fun time improving on all aspect of his game. He really enjoys the game and enjoys the guys on the team, and always looking to help make others better as well as himself.”

Copeland made a strong connection with head coach and Edwardsville native Danny Jackson, and that connection helped tremendously in his decision to play for the Bearcats.

“When I visited, I just really had a connection with coach Jackson,” Copeland said. “He welcomed me in right away. And it was nice to hear that he was a familiar face around here, just to know he was kind of raised well, in a great environment. I just felt at home when I went to the showcase there, and it was just a great fit all around.”

Jackson is building a successful program at McKendree, and Copeland is looking forward to playing at the school.

“I don’t think they had much success before coach Jackson came around,” Copeland said, “but he’s kind of turned that program around, and he told me that he’s looking forward to really having some success when I get there, and he thinks I’ll be able to do great things. So I’m going to trust him with that.”

The Bearcats play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, one of the very best Division II athletic conferences in the nation, and Copeland is looking forward to the competition in the conference.

“Yeah, for sure,” Copeland said. “The conference is definitely one of the best D-II conferences in the country. I don’t really know much about it, because I haven’t looked into it that much, but I’m looking definitely looking forward to competing wherever I go. I love the sport of baseball. I want to play it as long as I can.”

Copeland plans to major in business, and McKendree’s business school is one of the better ones around.

“Their business program is really well there,” Copeland said, “and their success rate for people getting jobs after they go there is very high. So, I’m definitely counting on getting a great job after my academic career there.”

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