Rudy Keeling

Education

Keeling attended Bishop Dubois High School and Quincy University, where he played basketball and graduated in 1970.

Career

He was a Division I head basketball coach at the University of Maine and Northeastern University, before becoming Athletic Director at Emerson College and commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). In 1977, he began his coaching career as head coach of Bergan High School in Peoria, Illinois. In 1980, he was hired as an assistant at Bradley University by head coach Dick Versace.

After a stint at Marquette, Keeling was named head coach at Maine in 1988 - the school"s first African-American head coach.

From there, Keeling was named head coach at Northeastern, where in five seasons he went 45–92. In 2002, Keeling was named Athletic Director at Emerson College, where in his five years he added five varsity sports.

In 2007 he left to become commissioner of the ECAC, the first African-American commissioner of a major conference. Keeling died on July 6, 2013 in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

Achievements

• In eight seasons at Maine, he compiled a record of 106–122 and led the school to its first 20 win season.