UMSL Swimming Pool | Missouri St. Louis Tritons
UMSL Swimming Pool | Missouri St. Louis Tritons
The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) Department of Athletics has announced the passing of Arnold Copeland, a member of its Sports Hall of Fame. Copeland passed away on Sunday, June 15, 2025.
A visitation and Celebration of Life for Copeland will be held on Friday, June 20, at The First Baptist Church of O'Fallon in Missouri. The church is located at 8750 Veterans Memorial Parkway in O'Fallon. Visitation hours are from 2 to 4 p.m., followed by a service at 4 p.m.
Copeland was instrumental in establishing UMSL's baseball program as its first coach during the 1967 season. He coached the team for six seasons and achieved notable success during his tenure. In his last four years from 1969 to 1972, he led the team to a record of 63-45-1.
Under Copeland's leadership, UMSL reached its first-ever 20-win season with a record of 23-9 in the 1972 season. That year, the Rivermen won the Midwest Regional title and earned their first bid to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championships. The team concluded the season with a national ranking of No. 8 after defeating Northern Iowa and Northern Colorado twice each in regional play.
The successful squad included two All-Americans, Jim Munden and Ron Edgar, who are both members of the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame today. The team's performance ranks ninth all-time in school history with an ERA of 3.34.
In recognition of his contributions to UMSL athletics, Copeland was inducted into the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
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