Adam Cooper is in his fifth season as head coach for Saint Mary's, and is the reigning 2009 West Coast Conference Coach of the Year after guiding the Gaels to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.  Cooper's Gaels posted the best record in SMC men's soccer history (10-5-5) and became the first team to post ten wins in a season.  Cooper had eight players named to the 2009 All-WCC teams including a Defensive Player of the Year award going to junior Jordan Grider.  Cooper was also named the NSCAA/MONDO West Region Coach of the Year following the 2009 season.

In his first season at the helm of the Saint Mary's men's soccer program, Adam Cooper led the Gaels to new achievements. For the first time in school history the Gaels downed ranked opponents in back-to-back games. To start the 2006 conference season, SMC defeated No. 11 USF 1-0 and No. 10 USD 4-2.

On top of the team accomplishments, Cooper guided individuals to numerous weekly honors. Alex Christlieb was named the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week and to the College Soccer News, Soccer America and Top Drawer Soccer Teams of the week. Christlieb became the first Gaels to ever receive all four honors in the same week. Dylan Leslie was tabbed WCC Player of the Week the very next selection. Five honors were bestowed on SMC players at the end of the season. Matthew Fitzgerald was named to the first-team while Leslie garnered second-team honors and a selection to the All-Freshmen Team. Desmond Brooks and Christlieb were named honorable mention.

Under the direction of Cooper, two former players were drafted and will continue their soccer careers. Brooks was selected second overall in the Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft by Chivas USA. Brooks became the first men's soccer player at SMC to be drafted by the MLS. Fitzgerald was selected by the California Victory in the 2007 USL First Division College Player Draft.

In addition to Cooper's influence on the Saint Mary's program, the fifth-year head coach was also bestowed another highly-touted coaching position by being named the head coach for of the U.S. Maccabi junior boy's squad. Cooper lead the United States to the World Maccabi Games in Israel in 2009 and a team of 14 and 15 year olds to the Maccabi Pan-American games in Argentina in 2007.  Cooper also serves on the Region IV coaching staff.

After serving as an assistant coach for the Saint Mary's men's soccer team for five seasons, Cooper was promoted to head coach as a unanimous choice by the selection committee, players and staff. Cooper officially took over the program on December 29, 2005.

As an assistant at SMC, Cooper was instrumental in the Gaels tying a school-record with nine wins in 2005. Cooper has also stamped his name on some impressive recruiting classes that included, 2003 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year Matthew Fitzgerald, 2005 Freshman of the Year Michael Clegg and 2004 Second-Team Freshman All-American Brian Mason.

Cooper's coaching experience includes six years as a co-coach of the Los Angeles Maccabi boy's soccer team, which won six straight gold medals in the United States Maccabi Games from 1995-01. He also co-coached the varsity boys soccer team at Calabasas High School from 1999-01, guiding the team to the Frontier League Championship. Cooper served as the Technical Director for MDSL soccer club from 2003-05 and is currently the Associate Director of Coaching for Diablo Futbol Club.

Cooper's playing experience includes one year of professional soccer with the Orange County Waves in the Division II A-League where he was the seventh pick in the first round of the 2000 A-League draft. Prior to playing professionally, Cooper was a four-year letter-winner at UCLA, helping the Bruins to the NCAA Championship in 1997 and a Final Four appearance in 1999. During that time he earned Academic All-Conference honors in 1996 and 1999 and completed a bachelor's degree in Sociology.