CLEVELAND, Miss. – Coming off an exceptional turnaround that saw the Delta State University football family finish in the Second Round of the NCAA Division II Championship Playoffs, DSU director of athletics Ronnie Mayers announced a new four-year contract for head coach Todd Cooley on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The new deal has Cooley signed through the 2021 season.

"Coach Cooley and his staff engineered an amazing turnaround this season on the field, while continuing to focus on the right things off of it," Mayers said. "His commitment to our student-athlete's academic pursuits is without question, and his desire to mold the young men within our program into leaders off the field is noteworthy."

Since arriving at DSU in January of 2013, Cooley (33-22) has directed the Statesmen to a share of the Gulf South Conference title in 2014 and two appearances, 2014 and 2017, in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs.
 
In 2017, the Statesmen finished 9-4 overall with a Second Round appearance in the NCAA postseason. Senior running back Chris Robinson capped an exceptional career by setting a new DSU record for touchdowns en route to being named an American Football Coaches Association All-American for a second consecutive season. 
 
"We are committed to the mission of building men of character," Cooley said. "I greatly appreciate the faith our administration has in me and my staff, as we continue to grow the #DSUfamily here at Delta State. Our goal is graduation and we have to do everything we can to insure our student-athletes understand the opportunity they have as a member of the Delta State family."

Off the field, the program has continued to see tremendous growth, including a renovated locker room and weight facilities, the installation of artificial turf at Parker Field-McCool Stadium, and a renewed focus on academics and personal growth. This spring, Cooley & his staff will take on renovating the family meeting and equipment rooms.

In the last six academic semesters, Cooley's Statesmen have set new records for team GPA, number of student-athletes with a 3.0 GPA or higher, and community service hours worked on campus and within the Mississippi Delta. This past fall, DSU football, which earned a 3.01 team GPA, had 38 Statesmen earn GPAs of 3.0 or higher, including five with perfect 4.0 GPAs.
 
In the penultimate benchmark of success, Cooley & his staff saw five Statesmen graduate this past December and will see an additional 16 cross the stage in May. In his five years at the helm of the program, Delta State football has graduated 72 Statesmen.
 
"While I want to win every game we play, our ultimate goal is preparing our family for the future and it all starts with graduation," Cooley added. "Seeing our players walk across the stage is what it's all about."   

Cooley and the Statesmen will begin spring practices in March in preparation for the upcoming 2018 campaign. DSU opens the season on Saturday, Sept. 1 versus Tarleton State University. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville, Texas.