June 15, 2021
Cooper Olson is among the most talented and accomplished basketball players in Mounds Park Academy history, yet ask his teammates, coaches, classmates or teachers, and they’re more likely to bring up who he is off the court than his achievements on it.
Since graduating, Olson continues to give back, maintaining a strong presence at MPA basketball functions, including volunteering his time to assist with the team’s summer workouts and helping to organize MPA’s youth basketball camp.
On the court for the Panthers, Olson was a force. A two time captain, two time Team MVP, and two time IMAC all-conference honorable mention honoree, he was the rare player who earned a varsity letter in each of his four years. He led the varsity team in points, assists and steals as a senior and also competed on the Minnesota Heat Premier AAU Team. Off the court, Olson was also recognized for his character with the Act With Respect and Integrity Award at the 2015 Upper School awards ceremony. He also played for the Minnesota Heat AAU program.
“I’m thankful for my experiences at MPA that taught me to push myself both in and out of the classroom,” says Olson.
An MPA lifer, Olson faced a tough decision on where to play collegiately. In the end, he chose to play for St. Thomas University of St. Paul, one of the elite programs in Division III basketball.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of the University of St. Thomas men’s basketball team as a point guard on the JV Team. It has been a great opportunity to continue playing the sport that I love in a challenging new environment,” he says. “I’ve had a blast playing basketball in college so far. It has given me the opportunity to meet and play with guys who are like family to me now. I’ve had the chance to learn more about basketball and improve as a player thanks to the great coaching staff here.”
Olson played two season on the JV team for the Tommies, and then transitioned to a new role with the men’s basketball team as a student assistant coach. He was a member of the Aquinas Scholars Honors Program and graduated with a double major in Business Administration and Management and Economics in 2019. He works in sports management as an event operations coordinator for Prep Network.
