Purcellville, Va. — Loudoun Valley High School senior Cooper Thunell has made a commitment to Marshall University where he will continue his football and academic career starting in the 2020-2021 school year.
“I chose Marshall because it was my best offer,” the 6-foot-6 Thunell said. “It felt like a good fit for me.”
[adrotate banner=”38″]An important factor in Thunell’s decision was the atmosphere of college football in West Virginia.
The Marshall Thundering Herd play in the Conference USA in the NCAA Division I FBS. In 2019, the Herd finished 8-5 overall, including a 6-2 record in C-USA play. Marshall dropped all three of their marquee matchups to Cincinnati, a nationally televised game against Boise State, and a Gasparilla Bowl loss to Central Florida.
“Going to Marshall as a preferred walk-on has made me more motivated to show the coaches that I am a scholarship player.” Thunell said. “It is something to look forward to and work towards in quarantine.”
Last year, Thunell helped lead Loudoun Valley to a winning season, finishing 7-5 overall. The Vikings’ 2-3 record in the Dulles District earned them a No. 5 seed in the VHSL Region 4C. In their region quarterfinal, Loudoun Valley scored with less than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter to upset No. 4 Handley, 13-9, before falling to No. 1 Broad Run, 28-14, in a region semifinal.
“I loved every second playing for Loudoun Valley: my coaches, my teammates, and the ups and downs of every season,” Thunell said. “We had such an amazing experience.”
After earning first team All-LoCo honors in 2019, Thunell is excited for the opportunity to take his talents to the next level.
“I love being a part of a team,” Thunell said. “It feels great, and it gives me something to look forward to.”
