First-year ULM women’s basketball coach Missy Bilderback has completed her full-time coaching staff with the additions of Nick Long as assistant coach/director of scouting, analytics and operations and Devin Cooper as assistant coach. Both Long and Cooper officially joined the ULM coaching staff on June 5.
Long comes to ULM following seven seasons as the director of basketball operations at Louisiana Tech from 2016-23. During his tenure, the Lady Techsters won the 2022 Conference USA West Division Championship and made four appearances in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023).
At LA Tech, his responsibilities included overseeing the daily operations of the program, including scheduling and itinerary coordination, film breakdown, study hall, summer camps and supervision of the program’s graduate assistants and managers.
“We’re very excited and thankful to add Nick Long to our staff,” Bilderback said. “He brings great experience from his time at LA Tech and Northwestern State. He has a wealth of basketball knowledge and will be a tremendous asset on the floor. Nick is a Monroe guy plus a ULM alum. In the past two months, he has already elevated our staff and program.”
Long joined Brooke Stoehr’s staff at LA Tech after one year as an assistant coach at Ouachita Parish High School in Monroe, Louisiana, where he was part of the staff that helped guide the Lions to a semifinal appearance in the Top 28 Tournament.
He previously served as the director of basketball operations and video coordinator for the men’s basketball program at Northwestern State. While working for NSU head coach Mike McConathy, Long assisted with film breakdown, oversaw academic study hall, daily practice schedules as well as equipment and summer camps.
Long earned his Bachelor of Science in teaching from ULM in May 2012 and completed his master’s degree in sports administration from Northwestern State in 2014.
He and his wife Emory have one daughter, Alden.
Cooper spent the last eight season working alongside Coach Bilderback at Jones College in Ellisville, Mississippi, including seven years as an assistant coach. During his tenure, the Bobcats posted a combined overall record of 198-33 (.857), including a 100-11 mark (.901), seven-straight 20-win seasons and seven consecutive appearances in the NJCAA Division I Tournament. Jones College’s NJCAA Tournament streak includes three Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights as well as the program’s first-ever appearance in the Final Four, in 2022.
He helped with all aspects of the Jones College program, including recruiting and working with post players.
"Devin Cooper has been a part of my staff the last eight years and was an instrumental factor in our success at Jones College," Bilderback said. "He is familiar with our system and expectations within our program. Devin is great connecting with people and a tremendous coach and person. We are thankful to have him at ULM."
A native of Mount Olive, Miss., Cooper worked a total of 10 years with the Bobcat women’s basketball program, including two seasons under Jones College Hall of Famer Sandra Sumrall.
Cooper, who received his associate degree from Jones College, earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies from Southern Miss in 2018.
