Jeffersonville state champion Michael Cooper transfers from Wright State to California

Michael Cooper’s rise has been almost as fast as the title run that made him a statewide name. The Jeffersonville guard who helped finish off the Red Devils’ 67-66 overtime win over Fishers in the 2025 Class 4A championship game is now headed to California after one season at Wright State, a sharp jump that shows how quickly elite Indiana talent can move from Gainbridge Fieldhouse to the big-time college stage.

Cooper was the player Wright State identified as one of Jeffersonville’s title anchors, and his impact showed up in the biggest moment of the season. Fishers had brought a 43-game winning streak into the final, but Jeffersonville’s defense changed the game in the last minute of regulation when Cooper came up with the takeaway that tied it at 60-60 with 58 seconds left. Jeffersonville went on to claim its second state championship all-time and first since 1993 under coach Sherron Wilkerson, the former state champion and 1993 McDonald’s All American who had the Red Devils playing with the edge that championship teams require.

At Wright State, Cooper backed up that high school reputation immediately. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound guard played in 31 games as a freshman and averaged 13.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26.5 minutes per game. He shot 44.3% from the field, 35.6% from 3-point range and 80.5% at the line, production that earned him a spot on the Horizon League All-Freshman team. He enrolled at Wright State on June 30, 2025, entered the transfer portal on March 30, 2026, and committed to Cal on April 14.

The move sends Cooper to a California program that finished 22-12 overall and 9-9 in ACC play last season and is building around portal additions, including Dai Dai Ames and Jake Wilkins. For Cal, Cooper brings a guard who already proved he can score efficiently and handle pressure on a title stage. For Jeffersonville, his path is another reminder that Indiana state champions now move quickly into national-conference rosters, and that a single defensive play in March can still launch a much larger career.