He was the head baseball coach at the University of Missouri at St. Louis from 1967 to 1972. He was the first baseball coach at UMSL. He founded the baseball program in 1967, and coached the team for six seasons. In 1972, the Rivermen won the Midwest Regional title, advancing to the NCAA Division Two College World Series for the first time in UMSL history. The Rivermen were ranked Number 3 in the nation in 1972, and Copeland was named District Coach of the Year and Regional Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, and his ‘72 team was inducted in 2010. From 1973 to 1983, Copeland was the athletic director and head baseball coach at Lewis and Clark Community College. In 1979, his Bucks baseball team advanced to the semi-finals of the Illinois State Community College tournament. In 1957 and 1958, he was the head baseball coach at Willow Springs High School in Willow Springs, Missouri. In 1958, his team advanced to the semi-finals of the Missouri State tournament. In 1952, Copeland graduated from Dixon High School in Dixon, Missouri. He was the regular first baseman on the Dixon team during all four years he attended the school. The 1952 team played Beaumont High School in the state tournament He also played for the Dixon American Legion team. Copeland played “town team” baseball for Dixon and Willow Springs from 1955 to 1960 while teaching and coaching. He continued “town team” baseball while attending Central Missouri State University at Warrensburg.