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LB / QB / SB / P / RB / TE · 1993–1997 · #19

Matt Coppinger

Matt Coppinger started at the University of Hertfordshire in September 1992 and, after winning the BYAFA Youth Championship with the Southend Sabres that October, founded the Hurricanes in 1992. A linebacker who also played quarterback, running back and tight end, he was the first Hurricane picked for the GB Bulldogs and was voted BCAFL MVP for 1996–97, his final playing season; his #19 was retired in 2002. He went on to coach the linebackers, the defence and the defensive line, and was the club’s first Alumni President. He went on to play and coach for clubs including the London Olympians, the Greenwich Mariners (as head coach), the Oxford Saints, the Berkshire Renegades and the Reading Knights. He was inducted into the British American Football Hall of Fame as a player (Class of 2025).

Matt Coppinger: feature

Retired number
#19[1]
BCAFL League MVP
1996–97[2][3][4]
GB Bulldogs
First Hurricane selected[3][1][2]
1994–95; defensive captain in 1995–96
Halls of Fame
Hurricanes, BCAFL and British American Football[5][2][6]

Career with the Hurricanes

  1. 1992

    Started at the University of Hertfordshire in September 1992 and founded the Hurricanes.[7][8]

  2. 1993–94

    Played linebacker, wearing #19.[9][1]

  3. 1994–95

    Hurricanes MVP, playing linebacker, quarterback, slotback and punter, and All-College Second Team linebacker. Became the first Hurricane selected for the GB Bulldogs, touring Ireland in summer 1995.[4][3][2][9]

  4. 1995–96

    BCAFL Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-College First Team linebacker; defensive captain of the GB Bulldogs.[4][3][2]

  5. 1996–97

    In his final playing season, also co-head coach, he was voted BCAFL League MVP, named All-College First Team linebacker and selected for the Southern Conference Wildcats.[2][10][3][11][12]

  6. 1997–98

    Linebackers coach in the College Bowl XII title season.[13][14][15]

  7. 1998–99

    Defensive coordinator.[14][1]

  8. 2002–03

    His #19 was retired, he was inducted into the club’s founding Hall of Fame class and named at outside linebacker in the 10th-anniversary All-Time Team. He also coached the defensive line.[1][5][16][17]

Record as head coach

Regular season, from the archive’s season records. Blank where the record isn’t known yet.

SeasonLeagueW–L–TPointsFinish
1996–97BCAFL5–3168–703rd of 5
Known seasons (1 of 1)5–3168–700 titles

Beyond the Hurricanes

  • Southend Sabres (senior team), player · 1995–1997[15]
  • Southern Sundevils, player · 1999[15]
  • London Olympians, player · 2003–2007[15]
  • Greenwich Mariners, assistant coach for one season, then head coach for three · 2003–2007[15]
  • London Olympians, coach for two seasons[15]
  • Oxford Saints, coach and player · 2010[15]
  • Berkshire Renegades, tight end · 2011–2013[15]
  • Reading Knights, running backs coach · 2014–2015, retiring in 2016[15]

Sources for this feature

  1. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/Retired.htm
  2. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): All-Time Accolades (2002)
  3. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/AllTimeAccolades.htm
  4. Hertfordshire Hurricanes club records (2002), awards.txt: club annual awards, All-College, Wildcats and GB selections, and 1999–2000 and 2000–01 squad lists, compiled by webmaster Neil White (Sep 2002)
  5. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/HallofFame.htm
  6. BAFA, "BAFA Hall of Fame" (inductees by class, to the Class of 2025)
  7. Matt Coppinger, club founder, in conversation 2026-10-21
  8. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): Team History (2001)
  9. Hertfordshire Hurricanes club records (2002), roster.txt: all-time roster to c. 1998 (surname, first name, position, years)
  10. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): Retired Numbers / Matt Coppinger profile (2002)
  11. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): Past Staff/Coaches (2001)
  12. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): All-Time Results (2001)
  13. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): History (2005)
  14. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): Hall of Fame biographies (2002)
  15. Matt Coppinger, club founder, in conversation 2026-10-22
  16. Caneweb (2002 club site), team/AllTimeTeam.htm
  17. Hurricanes club website (Wayback Machine): Coaching staff (2002)

Honours

National Hall of Fame

  • British American Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2025 (Player)

League Hall of Fame

  • BCAFL Hall of Fame, founding class

League MVP

League All-Time Team

  • BCAFL All-Time Team (1984–1999), LB

Great Britain selection

  • 1995–96 — GB Bulldogs, LB, defensive captain
  • 1994–95 — GB Bulldogs, LB (first Hurricane selected; toured Ireland, summer 1995)

Retired number

  • #19

Hurricanes Hall of Fame

  • 2002–03 — Hurricanes Hall of Fame, founding class of 2002

Hurricanes All-Time Team

  • OLB

All-Star

Club award

Other honours

  • 1995–96 — BCAFL Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year

Photos

Sources (19)

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