June 17, 2019

Former Tech student-athlete Anna Cooper passes away after cancer fight

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Former Tennessee Tech cross country and track and field student-athlete Anna Cooper passed away on Monday following her battle against a rare form of cancer. She was 23. Cooper graduated from Tech in May 2018, wrapping up a four-year career on the Golden Eagles’ cross country and track and field teams. She was a member of Tech’s first Ohio Valley Conference women’s indoor and outdoor track and field championship teams. Cooper also set a personal-best time in the 800-meter run in the OVC Outdoor Championships in Tucker Stadium in 2018.

By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Anna Cooper touched so many lives as she was a student-athlete at Tennessee Tech. Her smile was infectious, her spirit was inviting and it was easy to see how she made so many friends with her fellow student-athletes, coaches, administrators and faculty.

Now they are mourning her loss, yet celebrating the memories they formed with Cooper over the course of her Golden Eagle career. The former Tennessee Tech cross country and track and field student-athlete passed away on Monday following her battle against a rare form of cancer. She was 23.

Cooper graduated from Tech in May 2018, wrapping up a four-year career on the Golden Eagles' cross country and track and field teams. She was a member of Tech's first Ohio Valley Conference women's indoor and outdoor track and field championship teams. Cooper also set a personal-best time in the 800-meter run in the OVC Outdoor Championships in Tucker Stadium in 2018.

As she earned her degree in human ecology with a concentration in nutrition and dietetics, Cooper was named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll eight times, while also earning a spot on the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll four times and taking home the OVC Medal of Honor as a senior. She was also active in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was instrumental in the creation of the Backpack Buddies initiative that helped provided meals for over 1,000 underprivileged youth in Cookeville and the Upper Cumberland.

Following her graduation from Tech, she was accepted into the MS/Dietetic internship program at East Tennessee State. Just months later, she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and underwent treatment at Nicewonder Care Center at Bristol Regional Hospital, then went to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston to continue treatment.

A GoFundMe page was set up in October to help raise money to cover her medical expenses, traveling costs and living expenses during the treatment, and Tech student-athletes responded in force for their classmate as they asked for donations at Tech sporting events.

Cooper returned to Tech in early February as she received a pink Golden Eagle women's basketball jersey as part of the Play4Kay initiative.

The prognosis appeared to be good in recent months, as she reported positive progress in her fight, even as recently as late May.

She is survived by her parents Todd and Jennifer, brothers Ryan and Liam, and fiancé Daniel Williamson, who was also a Tech student-athlete with the men's cross country program. Tennessee Tech Athletics extends its deepest condolences to the family as well as a heartfelt thanks for the time we could spend with her.

Visitation will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Oakley-Cook Funeral Home in Bristol, Tenn. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday at St. Anne Catholic Church with committal and internment to follow at Glenwood Cemetary in Bristol.

Flowers will be accepted, or memorial donations may be made to TTU Athletics, P.O. Box 5057, Cookeville, TN 38505. Please note a memo for Anna Cooper or Backpack Buddies.

Fellow student-athletes, classmates, coaches and faculty are invited to send along their memories of Anna to be posted here. Those can be sent to tcorhern@tntech.edu.

Photos by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information

TRIBUTES

Micayla Rennick, teammate on the Tech cross country and track and field teams: "Anna kept us together. She made us feel like we were at home whenever we would get together as a team, and made sure that we spent practices laughing and positive. What strikes me most is how she never looked at the world negatively - she smiled at it and welcomed challenge like it was a friend and not an adversary. Not only that, but she showed us what love truly is through her relationship with Dan. Her love for him was something that I once believed to only be written about by poets such as John Keats or Emily Dickonson. Once.

"During our last year at Tech, our team took off. We won back to back Conference Championships, and while we (hopefully) made it look easy, it was the hardest goal to reach, and it took a toll on us. Anna made sure that when it did, it wasn't for too long. She kept us going, she kept us upbeat, she kept us strong. Coach Angel is a mastermind when it comes to workout construction, and there were times when I wanted to give up. I would be exhausted, on the brink of tears, and just ready to throw in the cards. Each and every time, Anna would be there, telling me that I've got this, that we can do it, that we can go the distance, and when she did, nothing seemed impossible. She reminded us that we are strong. She would pick us up, dust us off, and be there with us every step of the way. When she was out of breath, she would cheer the loudest for her teammates. When she was tired, she would make sure we stayed up. When she was hurting, she would smile and make sure everyone was well taken care of. She is our team's backbone. She is the reason we did not break.

"I wish I could put into words how beautiful of a person she is inside and out. She radiated love and acceptance, tranquility and fire. We would talk about nothing and everything at the same time, dance like no one was watching, and hobble from practice like the old ladies we were. We rocked the hobo aesthetic in the weight room/at practice and delicately sipped Boost after workouts while discussing nutrition. We laughed at professors we have both had, and pondered what the future had in store for us while simultaneously having a meltdown at the thought of taking on our graduate degrees. We cheered for the large and small victories before seriously discussing the latest episode of the Bachelor.

"I like to think that in the end, Anna won. She fought cancer with grace, poise, and an unbelievable amount of positivity before ringing the bell for her last chemo treatment with that wide Anna smile we have all grown to love. Anna is free now. I think its important to remember that she is still with us, sitting in our hearts and continuing to make the world a better place through the people she touched. Our positivity, good actions, and unconditional love for one another is Anna. At least, that's what I like to think.

"God has the most beautiful, caring angel by his side now. Here's to you, Miss Thing - team mom, team grandma, advocate of buns, team nutritionist, and member of the golden turkey squad. I love you and will see you again someday."

Janet Coonce, TTU Chemistry Instructor: "Anna Cooper brought the sunshine to my 8 a.m. organic chemistry course during the Spring 2017 semester at TTU. Each morning, her bright eyes and infectious smile welcomed the class to the new challenges of the day. Anna's classmates enjoyed her presence, and they followed her positive example of disciplined excellence. She was an exemplary student athlete, and she touched countless lives during her time in Cookeville, including mine.

"At the OVC Outdoor Championships in Spring 2018, my family and I cheered as she took over three seconds off her 800m seed time to earn a new personal record. It was a pleasure to watch her overcome her previous running injuries to enjoy this moment of her senior year on the recently refinished track at Tucker Stadium. Her 6^th place finish in her heat didn't earn her a spot in the finals, but it was clear by the way she interacted with her teammates that she was instrumental in TTU's overall first-place finish. She grinned from ear-to-ear as she cheered for her teammates as they celebrated each event of the meet. Anna was a true team player, and she was proud to be a Golden Eagle.

"Outside of the classroom, Anna and I would sometimes see each other running near Belle Acres Golf Course in Cookeville. As she ran past me, she would offer a cheerful greeting followed by the quick words of encouragement I needed to continue pushing up the Broad Street hill. Her energy was contagious then, and her energy and generous spirit continues to push me to be a better person today. Even with Anna's demanding schedule and lofty personal goals, she found the time to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I can see her now, smiling down on all of us, sending rays of sunshine and good humor. I can hear her telling us to keep pushing towards our dreams. Keep enjoying the journey, even when times are tough. Keep serving others. Keep seeing the best in others. Keep being a light for others. Keep getting better together."

Steve Ray, Jacksonville State head coach, Cross Country and Track and Field: "As I sit in my hotel room overlooking the breathtaking Rocky Mountains just to the west of downtown Denver I find myself trying to rationalize why? Why, such a sweet young lady as Anna has finished her race? Man, this is hard to take. Over the past fourteen years I have witnessed a heck of a lot of sportsmanship among the cross country and track athletes in the OVC. But as I read of Anna's passing there is one image that immediately came to my mind: it was at the OVC cross country championship a few years back and at some point in the heat of the battle (race) one of my female runners slipped and fell on the course. Before she had a chance to get up and try to re-enter the race there was a girl dressed in white, purple and gold that STOPPED running to help her up. I just remember looking at the girl's face and I made it a point to search her out once she came through the finish chute. After I thanked her for helping my runner I asked her her name. 'Anna, Anna Cooper,' she replied. To which I replied something along the line of 'well, thanks again, Anna, you are one of the good ones!"

"Frankly, that is character that can't be coached. One either has it or they don't. I'd call it grace, perhaps 'Grace in Motion' -- and Anna Cooper certainly showed me such on that day."