STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State Men's basketball head coach Eric Haut announced his sixth transfer signee, a New Orleans transfer, TJ Cope.

Haut has been adding experienced transfers in the portal so far since his arrival to the Texans. Thus far of the six transfers that he has signed, four will be seniors next season and two will be juniors. Cope joins Isaac Harrell, Caleb Blackwell and Jac Mani as incoming seniors. Franck Emmou and Adrian Shackleton will be incoming juniors. The transfer class is also joined by returners Matyas Vrabel, Kade Douglas and Leroy Kelly IV.

"We're excited to welcome TJ Cope to our Tarleton State family," said Haut. "TJ is a dynamic player who brings elite athleticism, toughness, versatility, and a competitive edge that aligns perfectly with who we are. What stands out even more is who he is off the court—his character, discipline, and approach to the game reflect the strong foundation built by his father, Rashad, and his mother, Tenia. We're proud to have TJ and his family join the Texan family, and look forward to what's ahead!"

Cope heads to Stephenville after playing his first Division I season last year at New Orleans. Originally from Boston, Mass., he started his collegiate career playing two seasons at South Plains College. During his time with the Texans, he was teammates with fellow transfer signee Caleb Blackwell at South Plains during the 2024-25 season.

"I chose Tarleton State because it just felt right from the jump," said Cope. "The coaching staff showed true belief in me and I believe in what they are building over there. The opportunity to come in and compete at a high level and win was big for me. I feel like it's the right situation for me to keep growing my game. I'm coming in ready to work, compete, and do whatever it takes to win. I'm excited to get started."

Last season with the Privateers, he averaged 8.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 21.4 minutes per game. As a junior he started 20 of the 32 games he played in, including starting the last 14 games. He shot 53.3 percent from the floor and made 67.4 percent of his two-point shots connecting on 89 of 132. He scored in double digits in 13 of his 32 games. Cope posted seven-straight games in double figures, averaging 12.2 points per game in that stretch. He ranked fifth on the team in scoring and sixth in rebounding. Cope scored a season-high 21 points off the bench at Memphis (12/3). He made a season-best three triples against the Tigers.

Cope spent his first two collegiate seasons at South Plains College. He played a total of 55 games in his two-year career, totaling 6.3 points per game. At the end of his two years, he was ranked as the No. 45 prospect by JucoRecruting.com.

As a sophomore, he stood out averaging 9.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. Cope played in 33 games while starting 21. He scored in double figures in 15 contests. The shooter knocked down 45.5% of his three-point attempts during conference play. He posted a pair of 20+ games with a season-high 27 points against Hil College (12/7). In that game he shot 11-for-15 from the floor and two-for-three from deep. He posted a season-best eight boards against Hill College earlier in the season (11/30). 

He played sparingly in his freshman campaign. As a freshman he averaged 1.7 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. He played in 22 games all off the bench. He posted a season-high eight points against Western Texas College (2/15). 

He spent his prep days at Fenway High School. During his senior season, he led the Panthers to a perfect 9-0 league record and a regular season Boston City Championship. In his senior season he averaged 30 points per game, nine assists per game and eight rebounds per game. As a senior he was a 2023 Boston Herald All-Scholastic honoree after scoring a career-high 40 points against Brighton, and 27 points against Div. IV semifinalists Burke. He was tabbed to the 2022 Boston City League All-Star game where he scored 11 points. Cope was a multi-sport athlete who lettered in football and track as well as basketball. He played quarterback, wide receiver and safety. He also played AAU Basketball for Team Spartans and Run The Citi.

He is the son of Rashad Cope and Tenia Gilbert. His first name is Tavaj but prefers TJ. Cope plans to continue majoring in marketing with the Texans. 

Tarleton State will continue to announce its roster signees and its 2026-27 schedule at a later date.