University of North Dakota Athletics

A Grand Forks native, Cooley earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from UND in 1969. Cooley was a three-sport letterwinner at North Dakota (track, 1965; basketball, 1966; baseball, 1966-67-68), gaining all-conference acclaim in 1967-68, all-district honors in '68 and being tabbed team MVP and co-captain in baseball, as well. Cooley played three seasons in the Oakland A's organization after leaving UND, including stops in Bradenton, Fla. ('68), Tri City, Wash. ('69) and Burlington, Ia.('70); he was also an all-star choice in 1968 and 1969.