Really like this guy after reading up on him. Very Impressive.
Kevin Keatts took over the UNCW program in the spring of 2014 and in two short years has orchestrated one of the biggest turnarounds in NCAA Division I men’s basketball.
After going without a postseason berth the previous eight seasons, the Seahawks have now made back-to-back postseason appearances, reaching the pinnacle in 2015-16 with the school’s first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2005-06 campaign.
Along the way, Keatts has steered the Seahawks to back-to-back CAA regular season titles, 22 home victories and put the program back on the map as one of the nation’s top mid-majors.
Kevin Keatts came to the Port City after serving three highly-successful seasons on the staff of Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino at Louisville.
Keatts, who was introduced as UNCW’s 11th men’s basketball coach on April 1, 2014, was named CAA Coach-of-the-Year in 2014-15 after carrying a team that finished last in the CAA in 2013-14 to its sixth regular season conference championship and a final record of 18-14.
In 2015-16, the Seahawks were tabbed to finish sixth, but Keatts worked his magic again, piloting the team to its first CAA title since 2006 and becoming the first coach in conference history to earn CAA Coach-of-the-Year accolades in successive seasons. UNCW tied the school record with its 25-8 record.
Keatts, 43, joined UofL after heading up the program at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. He led Hargrave to a pair of national prep championships and three runner-up finishes during his time at the prep school. Keatts then moved on to Louisville as an assistant coach in April of 2011 and was elevated to associate head coach in January of 2014.
The engaging Keatts is known for his recruiting expertise. He helped the Cardinals compile two straight top-10 recruiting classes en route to a pair of Big East Conference championships and NCAA Final Four appearances in 2012 and 2013. In 2012-13, the Cardinals won a school-record 35 games and captured the NCAA title.
In 2013-14, the Cardinals, the 2013 national champions, picked up where they left off, streaking to seven straight wins en route to a third consecutive appearance in the NCAA’s Sweet Sixteen.
Keatts is no secret to those in the basketball world. After surveying more than 200 collegiate coaches, he was named the third most respected/feared assistant coach in July of 2013 by ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman.
Prior to arriving at Louisville, Keatts served as the head coach at HMA. In 10 seasons with two separate stints at Hargrave (1999-2001, 2003-2011), he compiled an impressive 263-17 record with two national prep championships (2004, 2008), three runner-up finishes (2005, 2006, 2009) and two other appearances among the final four prep teams (2007, 2010).
Keatts, who was inducted into Hargrave’s Hall of Fame in 2011, won his second national prep title in 2008 with an unblemished 29-0 record – the school’s first undefeated season. His teams lost one or fewer games six times.
Hargrave produced 103 players who signed NCAA Division I men’s basketball scholarships during Keatts’ 10 seasons and 18 others played on the NCAA Division II level. Luke Hancock, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2013 NCAA Final Four for the Cardinals, played at Hargrave under Keatts.
Keatts has coached nine players at the prep level who have reached the NBA, including Joe Alexander, Jordan Crawford, Josh Howard, Vernon Macklin, Mike Scott, Marreese Speights, Sam Young, David West and Korleone Young.
Keatts has also had stops as an assistant coach at Marshall and Southwestern Michigan College. He worked for two seasons at Marshall from 2001-03 under former head coach Greg White and assisted with the program at Southwestern Michigan in Dowagiac, Mich., during the 1996-97 campaign.
Keatts was a two-sport standout in football and basketball at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, Va., and went on to play four seasons of basketball as a point guard at Ferrum (Va.) College.
Keatts, one of 10 former Pitino aides now working as active NCAA Division I head coaches, and his wife, Georgette, have two sons, K.J. and Kaden.
http://www.uncwsports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=190&path=mbball
Kevin Keatts took over the UNCW program in the spring of 2014 and in two short years has orchestrated one of the biggest turnarounds in NCAA Division I men’s basketball.
After going without a postseason berth the previous eight seasons, the Seahawks have now made back-to-back postseason appearances, reaching the pinnacle in 2015-16 with the school’s first NCAA Tournament berth since the 2005-06 campaign.
Along the way, Keatts has steered the Seahawks to back-to-back CAA regular season titles, 22 home victories and put the program back on the map as one of the nation’s top mid-majors.
Kevin Keatts came to the Port City after serving three highly-successful seasons on the staff of Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino at Louisville.
Keatts, who was introduced as UNCW’s 11th men’s basketball coach on April 1, 2014, was named CAA Coach-of-the-Year in 2014-15 after carrying a team that finished last in the CAA in 2013-14 to its sixth regular season conference championship and a final record of 18-14.
In 2015-16, the Seahawks were tabbed to finish sixth, but Keatts worked his magic again, piloting the team to its first CAA title since 2006 and becoming the first coach in conference history to earn CAA Coach-of-the-Year accolades in successive seasons. UNCW tied the school record with its 25-8 record.
Keatts, 43, joined UofL after heading up the program at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. He led Hargrave to a pair of national prep championships and three runner-up finishes during his time at the prep school. Keatts then moved on to Louisville as an assistant coach in April of 2011 and was elevated to associate head coach in January of 2014.
The engaging Keatts is known for his recruiting expertise. He helped the Cardinals compile two straight top-10 recruiting classes en route to a pair of Big East Conference championships and NCAA Final Four appearances in 2012 and 2013. In 2012-13, the Cardinals won a school-record 35 games and captured the NCAA title.
In 2013-14, the Cardinals, the 2013 national champions, picked up where they left off, streaking to seven straight wins en route to a third consecutive appearance in the NCAA’s Sweet Sixteen.
Keatts is no secret to those in the basketball world. After surveying more than 200 collegiate coaches, he was named the third most respected/feared assistant coach in July of 2013 by ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman.
Prior to arriving at Louisville, Keatts served as the head coach at HMA. In 10 seasons with two separate stints at Hargrave (1999-2001, 2003-2011), he compiled an impressive 263-17 record with two national prep championships (2004, 2008), three runner-up finishes (2005, 2006, 2009) and two other appearances among the final four prep teams (2007, 2010).
Keatts, who was inducted into Hargrave’s Hall of Fame in 2011, won his second national prep title in 2008 with an unblemished 29-0 record – the school’s first undefeated season. His teams lost one or fewer games six times.
Hargrave produced 103 players who signed NCAA Division I men’s basketball scholarships during Keatts’ 10 seasons and 18 others played on the NCAA Division II level. Luke Hancock, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2013 NCAA Final Four for the Cardinals, played at Hargrave under Keatts.
Keatts has coached nine players at the prep level who have reached the NBA, including Joe Alexander, Jordan Crawford, Josh Howard, Vernon Macklin, Mike Scott, Marreese Speights, Sam Young, David West and Korleone Young.
Keatts has also had stops as an assistant coach at Marshall and Southwestern Michigan College. He worked for two seasons at Marshall from 2001-03 under former head coach Greg White and assisted with the program at Southwestern Michigan in Dowagiac, Mich., during the 1996-97 campaign.
Keatts was a two-sport standout in football and basketball at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, Va., and went on to play four seasons of basketball as a point guard at Ferrum (Va.) College.
Keatts, one of 10 former Pitino aides now working as active NCAA Division I head coaches, and his wife, Georgette, have two sons, K.J. and Kaden.
http://www.uncwsports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=190&path=mbball
