Kristy Coppes (2020) - Hall of Fame - Bowling Green State University Athletics

Kristy Coppes

Induction:
2020
Class:
2005

Kristy Coppes, a native of Findlay, Ohio, was record breaking both during her days on the soccer field and now as an inductee into the Athletics Hall of Fame. She is the Falcons' all-time leader in goals and points, with 52 career goals and 111 career points. Coppes is the first inductee in the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame from the women's soccer program.

Coppes was a dominant goal scorer from the moment she entered the program. She burst onto the scene as the 2001 MAC Freshman of the Year and led the Falcons in goals with 12. Her 12 goals as a freshman stand out, as no other Falcon had more than four goals that season. Coppes was also named to the Great Lakes All-Freshman Team in 2001. As a sophomore, Coppes led the Falcons with 12 goals, and was named to the MAC All-Tournament Team. No other Falcon scored more than five goals that season.

Her junior season, Coppes was named to the Soccer America National Team of the Week after scoring three goals in a series of games against the previous season's MAC champion and runner-up. She tied for the team lead in goals (10) despite missing four starts, and her second consecutive All-Tournament Team performance helped the Falcons reach the MAC championship game in just the seventh season in program history.

Coppes put her scoring prowess on full display as a senior, as she led the Falcons with 18 goals. Her 18 goals were 14 more than the next closest Falcon that season. On Aug. 27, 2004, she became the school-record holder for most goals in a match when she scored six against Duquesne.

Coppes was named to the MAC All-Tournament Team for a third consecutive season, as she led the Falcons to their first MAC championship and a berth in the 2004 NCAA Tournament in just the eighth year of the program's history. She was named Second Team All-MAC, OCSA Division I/II Second Team All-Ohio, and Third Team All-Great Lakes Region, and was voted Offensive MVP for a third time by her team.

"I am incredibly humbled and honored to be selected as an inductee of the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame," Coppes said. "Hard work on and off the field, as all athletes know, is the key to what shapes our future.

"I have so many people that helped me along the way that never gave up on me, which includes my family, all my teammates, my coaches, my trainers, and BGSU. This was only possible with everyone's support that I received."

Following her collegiate career, Coppes graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2005 and played professionally in Switzerland for a short time. She received her master's degree from the University of Findlay in 2009, where she spent time as a graduate assistant for the women's soccer team.

Coppes currently resides in Apollo Beach, Fla. working as an accountant for a distribution company. She is married to Andrew Riley and the couple has one son, Boone Riley.