Keller named USM men’s soccer coach

Mike Keller, most recently the men’s head soccer coach at Maine Maritime Academy, has been named to the same post at the University of Southern Maine.

Keller, who previously served as the Huskies’ head coach in 1992 and guided the team to a 9-7 record, returns to the Gorham campus after seven years at MMA. While at Maine Maritime, Keller compiled a 27-83-6 record and twice earned the North Atlantic Conference soccer sportsmanship award.

Keller also served as head coach of the MMA women’s soccer program from 1998 to 2000 and the academy’s softball coach from 2000 to 2004.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to return to USM,” said Keller. “I think that the program over the last five years has grown in the right direction. I want to keep it going in that direction.”

Keller replaces Eric Miller, who left after five seasons to pursue other professional opportunities.

Keller becomes the 12th head coach in USM’s 48-year men’s soccer history.

The Huskies are coming off their best season in 24 years, finishing 11-5-3 and making their first postseason appearance since 1984.

Before going to MMA, Keller served as athletic director and men’s soccer coach at Thomas College in Waterville. He coached soccer at Thomas for five years, compiling a 27-47-5 record and winning the Maine Athletic Conference championship in 1995.

Keller also has coached soccer at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and served as a graduate assistant at the University of New Hampshire.

UMaine adds two recruits

The University of Maine has added two players to its list of football recruits who have signed national letters of intent to join the Black Bears this fall, according to a listing of recruits to Atlantic 10 Conference schools.

One is the second Mainer among 28 players recruited to the Orono campus, Kyle McKague of Bonny Eagle High in Standish.

McKague, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker, helped lead Bonny Eagle to a 12-0 season last fall and the school’s first Class A state championship.

He joins defensive end Jon Pirruccello of Leavitt High in Turner Center as Maine high schoolers who have signed to attend UMaine.

Another addition to the recruiting list is Kenneth Somers, a 6-1, 290-pound offensive guard from Voorhees High School in Califon, N.J.

Maine’s 28-player contingent is the largest recruiting class in the Atlantic 10 this year.

Sirmans lands Mich. State post

Ben Sirmans, a 1993 University of Maine graduate who has served as an assistant football coach at Kent State for the last five yeaers, has been named running backs coach at Michigan State.

The announcement was made Wednesday by MSU head coach John L. Smith.

“Ben has worked his way up through the coaching ranks because he has a great work ethic,” said Smith. “He’s ready to hit the ground running.”

Sirmans previously spent four years as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Maine from 1996 to 1999. Before joining the Maine coaching staff, he worked for three years as assistant head coach at Barringer High School in Newark, N.J.

A native of East Orange, N.J., Sirmans was a four-year football letterwinner at Maine. As a senior, he rushed for 1,214 yards while earning All-Yannkee Conference and All-New England honors.

“I’m very excited about having the opportunity to coach at Michigan State with its rich football tradition,” said Sirmans.