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From assistant basketball coach to head coach to athletic director to commissioner.
It has been an interesting climb for former University of Maine men’s basketball coach Rudy Keeling, who was named commissioner of the ECAC.
The affable Keeling had been an assistant coach at Bradley University and Marquette before becoming the head coach at Maine in 1988. After eight seasons produced a 106-122 record at Maine, he spent the next five years coaching Northeastern University’s Huskies (48-92).
He was fired by NU but landed on his feet as the athletic director at Emerson College in Boston where he helped transform the athletic program from a virtual wasteland into a viable, competitive entity.
Emerson is known for its communications and art programs and famous alumni Jay Leno, Henry Winkler and Denis Leary.
“He has done some great things here,” said Stan Nance, the assistant athletic director and recruiting coordinator at Emerson. “He has helped us become a serious player [in the athletic world].”
When Keeling took over five years ago, Emerson College didn’t have its own facilities. Its teams would practice and play wherever it could.
Keeling oversaw the building of the artificial turf field at Rotch Playground, which is used by the soccer, lacrosse and softball teams, and the Piano Row Gym, which houses the two basketball teams.
During his tenure, Emerson added five varsity sports and he hired nine coaches and several administrators.
“I really enjoyed Emerson,” said Keeling. “If I had known being an AD was as enjoyable as it was, I would have tried it earlier in my career.”
Keeling noted that school administrators told him if he created a path for success in athletics, they would build new facilities. And they did.
“I had to deal with architects and the city of Boston because there was a collaboration between the city of Boston and the school,” said Keeling. “That has helped me to grow. I know a lot more about those types of things now.”
Keeling is ready for his new venture. The ECAC has 323 member institutions in all three divisions (I, II and III).
“It is going to be a challenge. The ECAC isn’t what it was. But they wanted someone to get it back on track and they thought I was the guy to do it,” said the 57-year-old Keeling.
Keeling said he can draw a parallel between his new job and the situation he inherited at Maine.
“Things needed to be done. We needed to put in a program and get it running the way people wanted it to be run. It took us three years at Maine to get to the league championship game,” said Keeling.
The other parallel is he was the first African-American head coach in any sport at Maine and he pointed that he will be the “first African-American commissioner of any league in the country other than the traditional black school leagues.
“That’s neat,” said Keeling.
He said “each step has helped me grow” so the ECAC job “won’t be daunting to me.”
“I’m going to evaluate the staff and get everyone on the same page. The most important thing is going out to the members and reassuring them we have their best interest at heart,” said Keeling.
The father of four and grandfather of one has fond memories of Maine and wouldn’t mind returning some day as its athletic director.
“I really enjoyed Maine. It would be a good place to finish my career,” said Keeling.
Larry Mahoney can be reached by calling 990-8231, 1-800-310-8600 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.
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