ABILENE, Texas (BCH Sports) – Former Cooper assistant coach Michael Bacon is hired as the new head basketball coach for the Cougars.

Bacon takes over the program from Bryan Conover, who resigned in March. With Conover, he helped lead Cooper to the playoffs five years in a row with back to back district titles, for the first time in school history, 2021 and 2022.

This is Bacon’s third stint as a head coach in high school hoops.

His first came at Abilene Christian School where he led the Panthers to a TAPPS state championship in 2012.

His next head coaching job came in Ballinger. He led the Bearcats to the playoffs in the only year he was the head boys coach.

Bacon’s career includes stops as a graduate assistant at Abilene Christian University under Joe Golding and a two-year stint as an assistant basketball coach at Irving High School.

Abilene has been home for Bacon for most of his life. He graduated from Abilene High School and Abilene Christian University with a Bachelors and a Masters.