Austin Peay State University Athletics

Awards and Honors
OVC All-Tournament Team, 2016
Gregg Olson Award Semifinalist, 2015
2nd Team All-OVC (2B), 2015
adidas® OVC Player of the Week, April 13, 2015
Athletics Director’s Honor Roll: S14, F14, F15

Career Recap: Austin Peay
As a junior in 2016

• For third consecutive season, started in every Austin Peay contest (57 games). Finished year batting .319 with four home runs, 32 RBI, 42 walks and 12 stolen bases.
• Finished junior season with streak of 164 consecutive games played.
• Early in season saw streak of 355 consecutive innings played snapped when he was substituted for in the eighth inning against Alcorn, Feb. 26. It was the first inning on defense he missed since March 17, 2015.
• Carried a 32-game reached safely streak into the season and extended it to 40 games before seeing it snapped March 4 at Mercer. It is tied for the third-longest streak at APSU since 1996.
• Later in the season had a 23-game streak reaching safely (March 19-April 26) and finished campaign reaching safely in 17 consecutive games (April 29-May 28). Failed to reach base safely just three times during the 57-game campaign.
• Named to OVC All-Tournament squad after leading the championship in batting average (.476), hits (10), doubles (4) and ranking second in RBI (7).
• Posted two of season’s three three-RBI games in OVC tourney, opening with 2-for-5, three RBI effort against Belmont and then a 2-for-4, two double, three-RBI performance against Jacksonville State.
• Season’s other three-RBI outing came as part of 5-for-5 day at Southern Illinois, March 29, that saw him reach base in all six plate appearances. Had a triple, home run, walk and stolen base as part of outing.

As a sophomore in 2015

• Only player to play and start all 51 games, extending his streak to 107 consecutive games played, finishing year with .345 batting average and team-best .463 on-base percentage.
• Concluded bounce-back campaign by leading team in both runs (52) and stolen bases (18), while also totaling five home runs and 29 RBI.
• Finished year with 32-game reached base safely streak, the sixth-longest reached safely streak since 1996. Also was ranked among nation’s top 50 in on-base percentage (49th), and runs per game (39th, 1.02)
• Named second-team All-OVC after batting .330 with four home runs, 19 RBI, 20 walks and 13 stolen bases in league action.
• Was one of 32 semifinalists for the Gregg Olson award, presented to college baseball’s breakout player of the year. After posting a 117-point improvement in batting average and a 101-point improvement in on-base percentage, thanks to dropping his strikeout total from 49 in 206 at-bats as a freshman to 32 in 197 at-bats as a sophomore.
• Led Govs in multi-hit games (21), including a 6-for-6 outing against Middle Tennessee, April 8, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat in program history. Also hit first home run since May 4, 2014, while also recording three RBI and four runs scored.
• Named adidas® OVC Player of the Week, April 13, after posting the game-winning hit in each of APSU’s three wins during the week, finishing week with .474 (9-for-19) average, three home runs and eight RBI.
• Began season by extending his carry-over reached base safely streak to 20 games in opener versus Niagara, before snapping it a day later against South Dakota State.

As a freshman in 2014

• Was the only Gov to appear and start in all 56 games in 2014, making starts at second base, shortstop, third base and finishing year with a .228 (47-206) batting average.
• Posted a .429 batting average (6-of-14) when bunting
• Led the Govs with 40 walks, was second on team with 41 runs and 13 stolen bases and added 12 doubles, three home runs, 25 RBI on the season
• In conference play, batted .252 (29-115) with a team-best 28 runs
• Two of his three home runs were in OVC games
• Batted in game-winning RBI in Govs final win with 10th inning single at SIUE, May 15.
• Had eight-game hit streak, April 27-May 11, that pushed average from .222 to .239
• In OVC doubleheader against Eastern Illinois, March 15, went 5-for-10 with three runs, a double, a home run
• Went 2-for-4 with three RBI, including game-winning RBI, his first collegiate home run, and a walk against Dayton, Feb. 28

Career Recap: Bolton HS

• Was a four-time All-District 14-AAA selection and Commercial Appeal All-Metro pick and also was a three-time All-District 14-AAA all-tournament honoree.
• A 2013 Southeast Region honorable mention selection by Perfect Game, batting .345 with 36 runs scored and 19 RBI in 35 games, including 24 stolen bases, five triples and 25 walks (.461 on-base percentage).
• Selected to 2013 State Farm Shelby County All-Star Team during that senior season.
• As a junior, batted .407 with 22 doubles, 13 triples and 27 stolen bases and was named to 2012 TBCA Junior Sunbelt Classic squad and was a TBCA First-Team All-State selection.
• As a sophomore, batted .539 with two home runs.
• Prepped under head coach Chris Godwin.

Personal

• Curtis Garrett Copeland is the son of Curtis and Lisa Copeland.
• Born Feb. 22.
• Has an older sister, Paige, who played softball at Bethel College.
• Father played golf at North Alabama.
• A political science major with a professional education minor.