Senior center For Allvin C. York has the chance to be one of the bigger impact players on the defensive end in the 2A regional tournaments.

Cooper has a physical offensive game as she can generate buckets on the low blocks at any moment. But where she continues to make her biggest impact is defensively.

At 6’1″, Cooper moves extremely well. This, paired with an ultra-high defensive basketball IQ, helps her generate a plethora of steals. In the semi-final and finals of her district tournament, Cooper had a combined 11 steals.

Emma Cooper Emma Cooper 6'1" | PF Alvin C. York | 2026 State TN ‘s offense at the power forward position has always been there, but her defense has shown up in spades this season for York Institute.

Cooper has caused havoc in her opponents trying to run there offensive sets, netting four or more steals in a multitude of games. A few of the schools she has had four or more against are White County, Brentwood, and Cumberland County. The way she has been able to generate these steals is simply from being alert. Cooper does a really good job of predicting what her opponent is going to do next, especially when they are dribbling. Against White County, she secured a couple of steals from just reaching in and timing up her opponents’ dribble.

On offense, Cooper mainly does her damage in the paint. She is comfortable scoring at the low blocks. Also, Cooper is a great rebounder. In a game against Jackson County this season, she posted a double-double, getting 14 points and 10 boards

Emma Cooper Emma Cooper 6'1" | PF Alvin C. York | 2026 State TN has an impressive skillset. She can rebound well, and at 6’1″ has a good jumper behind the arc. Cooper showed these talents during the school season and has only improved them and shown them again this summer. She has performed well for her club team, TN Flight , posting double-doubles on the regular. Against DistinXion Black, she had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and two steals.

Like a lot of the bigs on this list, Cooper, despite her size, moves well. This helps her be an above-average defender down low.

Cooper continues to rebound at a high level! She is the monster of unmeasurable stats! When watching the latest WNBA game, the announcer mentioned screen assists, and how that alone should be a stat. I instantly thought of Emma Cooper Emma Cooper 6'1" | PF Alvin C. York | 2026 State TN . She is the master of screen assists! I love how she is always ready to set the hard screens for her teammates. She also gets the ball off the glass fast, and she may not get the assist, but she is the one that will get the extra possession, and make the pass before the pass! Cooper is the athlete that every coach loves to have! Carson-Newman is getting a great one!

Solid big who can play the 4 or 5 spot. She can face up or play with her back to the basket as she gets to favorable spots to finish. Has a nice mid-range game along with exceptional passing ability. Solid on the defensive end where she moves her feet well to keep opponents in front. Has active hands where she gets steals and blocks. Big time on the boards, eliminating second chance opportunities. A solid kid who is going to build upon this awesome season she had.

Cooper continues to play huge for York! She poured in 17 points in a win against Stone Memorial. Emma is getting stronger in the paint and she continues to show her strength when working around the rim. Trotters coach tweeted, “This girl battles night in and night out. Sometimes the points draw attention but her effort, toughness, versatility, rebounding, and defense are a constant!” I agree completely with coach! You never have to question the effort that Emma brings on a nightly basis! She draws so much attention that it opens up opportunities for her guards. She is the player that continues to do the dirty work! Keep your eyes on Emma!

Solid big who people underestimate her speed and quickness. She can space the floor, knocking down shots from the perimeter. Has great court awareness, where she finds space in open areas to make dump passes and kick out passes easier for drivers to attempt. Love her ability to knock down the mid-range jumpers and short corners shot, but will also put it on the floor and go past her opponents. She defends! Sitting down and guarding an opponent in the open floor, battling down low. She gains rebounds and blocks shots. This kid has grown over the years and the maturation process is blossoming even more. Solid two-way option who is pretty tough to deal with.

I thought she looked awesome vs Lincoln County. Her ability to stretch defenses really opens of the floor for York. And she showed off really nice IQ understanding when to cut or flash to the ball inside the offense, and is developing real confidence scoring at the rim. She looks like she’s gotten stronger too.

Word on the street is Emma Cooper Emma Cooper 6'1" | PF Alvin C. York | 2026 State TN has been playing lights out for York. Everyone knows Beaty is a Power 5 kid. And Raylee Werner Raylee Werner 5'8" | SG York Institute | 2026 State TN is a straight up hooper. But, with the rise of Cooper as a major weapon, it truly changes this team’s trajectory. She’s a 6’1 defensive stalwart that protects the rim and battles on the glass. That’s always been true.

But, she’s developed her offensive game into a diverse scorer that you must respect, and it alleviates the pressure from RB and Werner. York might very well have the best “Big Three” in 2A next season.