Kyle Keller (basketball)

Kyle Keller
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Stephen F. Austin
Conference	WAC
Record	161–82 (.663)
Biographical details
Born	January 16, 1968 (age 56); Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	Oklahoma State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1990–1994	Louisiana Tech (assistant)
1994–1996	Tyler JC (assistant)
1996–1997	UTSA (assistant)
1997–1999	Tyler JC
1999–2008	Oklahoma State (assistant)
2008–2011	Kansas (assistant)
2011–2016	Texas A&M (assistant)
2016–present	Stephen F. Austin
Head coaching record
Overall	161–82 (.663)
Tournaments	0–1 (NCAA Division I); 0–1 (CIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
	Southland tournament (2018); Southland regular season (2020); WAC regular season (2022); Vacated by the NCAA

Last updated March 12, 2024

Kyle Edward Keller (born January 16, 1968) is an American basketball coach, currently the head coach for the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks men's basketball team. Previously, he served as an assistant coach at Texas A&M, Kansas, Oklahoma State, UTSA, Louisiana Tech and head coach at Tyler Junior College.

Early coaching career

Keller started his coaching career as an assistant at Louisiana Tech. After a four-year stint, Keller joined the staff at Tyler Junior College before taking a position as an assistant at Texas-San Antonio for one season. In 1997, Keller returned to Tyler Junior College and accepted his first head coaching job. Keller joined the staff of head coach Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State in 1999, where he would remain until 2008. Keller's time in Stillwater was marred by the plane crash that killed 10 players and staffers in early 2001, including Keller's cousin, Nate Fleming, who replaced Keller on the plane during a last-minute switch. Keller's experience and that of Fleming's family in the aftermath of the crash was documented by ESPN's Outside the Lines in 2011.^[1] Following the resignation of then-head coach Sean Sutton in 2008, Keller relocated to Kansas where he served as an assistant to Bill Self. After three seasons, Keller became an assistant to Billy Kennedy at Texas A&M. In 2016, Keller accepted the head coaching position at Stephen F. Austin following the departure of Brad Underwood to Oklahoma State.^[2]

Head coaching career

Stephen F. Austin

On April 4, 2016, Keller was hired as the head coach at Stephen F. Austin. He replaced Brad Underwood who left after 3 seasons to become the head coach at Oklahoma State. SFA athletic director Robert Hill said in a statement, "Kyle brings a wealth of experience having worked for great coaches like Eddie Sutton, Bill Self and Billy Kennedy. This experience will fit well to continue our SFA basketball culture of winning championships and making NCAA tournament appearances. He cares deeply for his players and is a wonderful husband and father. We are so happy he has agreed to become a Lumberjack. I look forward to having our fans and students get to know him."^[2]

Keller won his first game as a Division I head coach against the Longwood Lancers on November 15, 2016.^[3] Keller led Stephen F. Austin to an 18–15 record in his first season. In 2017–18, Stephen F. Austin finished 28–7, won the 2018 Southland tournament as the no. 3 seed, and appeared in the NCAA tournament. Keller reached 100 wins on February 11, 2021, making him the fastest coach at SFA to reach this milestone.

Keller is known for his stifling, unique defense. SFA led the nation in forced turnovers and steals in 2018 AND 2020 and are on pace to end 2021 in the top 15. In 2020, SFA was top 10 in the nation in 8 categories. In 2021, SFA is 2nd in the nation with field-goal percentage, and is Top 10 in the nation in categories.

On November 26, 2019, Stephen F. Austin upset no. 1 Duke 85–83 in overtime, giving Duke their first non-conference home loss in 150 games.^[4] Stephen F. Austin finished the 2019–20 season with a 28–3 (19–1 Southland) record and the regular season Southland title.^[5] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Southland and NCAA tournaments were cancelled. He also led the team to two other Power 5 victories, 59-58 vs Baylor and 83-82 over LSU.

Following the discovery of an administrative error in declaring student-athletes eligible, on May 20, 2020, Stephen F. Austin reached an agreement with the NCAA to vacate hundreds of wins across multiple sports from 2013 to 2019, including all 117 men's basketball wins from the 2014–15 to 2018–19 seasons.^[6]^[7]

In 2021-2022, SFA were co-champions in the WAC. Kyle Keller is currently the 19th most winning basketball coach in all the NCAA of coaches that have been a head coach for a minimum of 4 years. ^[8]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (Southland Conference)(2016–2023)
2016–17	Stephen F. Austin	18–15	12–6	T–2nd (vacated)	CIT First Round (vacated)
2017–18	Stephen F. Austin	28–7	14–4	3rd (vacated)	NCAA Division I Round of 64 (vacated)
2018–19	Stephen F. Austin	14–16	7–11	T–9th (vacated)
2019–20	Stephen F. Austin	28–3	19–1	1st	No postseason held
2020–21	Stephen F. Austin	16–5	12–3	4th	Not eligible for Postseason
Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (Western Athletic Conference)(2021–present)
2021–22	Stephen F. Austin	22–9	14–4	T–1st	CBI First Round
2022–23	Stephen F. Austin	19–13	11–7	T-4th
2023–24	Stephen F. Austin	17–14	10–10	T–6th
Stephen F. Austin:		162–82 (.664)	97–42 (.698)
Total:		162–82 (.664)
National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion

Personal

A native of Dallas, Texas, Keller attended Oklahoma State University where he played baseball. He is married to Chaunsea Keller and has two children: Kenzie and Kemper.^[2]

Related Research Articles

The Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball team represents Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. All women's teams at the school are known as Cowgirls. The Cowboys currently compete in the Big 12 Conference. In 2020, CBS Sports ranked Oklahoma State the 25th best college basketball program of all-time, ahead of such programs as Oklahoma and Texas. Oklahoma State men’s basketball has a very rich history of success, having won more national titles and advanced to the NCAA Championship, Final Four, Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen more times than any Big 12 program other than Kansas. Oklahoma State has won a combined 23 regular season conference titles and conference tournament titles, which is the most of any program in the state of Oklahoma.

The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team is the men's basketball team that represents Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States.

Clint Conque is a retired American college football coach and former player. Conque was the head football coach at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) from 2000 to 2013 and Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) from 2014 to 2017, compiling a career head coaching record of 126–84.

The 2011–12 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin University in the 2011–12 men's college basketball season. This was head coach Danny Kaspar's twelfth season at SFA. The Lumberjacks play their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum. They are members of the West Division of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 20–12, 12–4 in Southland play to finish in second place in the West Division. They lost in the semifinals of the Southland Basketball tournament to Lamar. Despite having 20 wins, they did not participate in a post season tournament.

The 2013–14 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin University during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by new head coach Brad Underwood and played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum. They were members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 32–3, 18–0 in Southland play to claim their second consecutive Southland regular season championship. They were champions of the Southland Conference tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, they upset VCU in the second round before losing in the third round to UCLA.

Bradley Cole Underwood is the current head coach for the Illinois men's basketball team. Previously, he served as head coach at Oklahoma State, Stephen F. Austin, Dodge City Community College, and Daytona Beach Community College and assistant coach at Western Illinois, Kansas State, and South Carolina.

The 2014–15 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by head coach Brad Underwood and played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum. They were members of the Southland Conference.

Thomas Ryan Walkup is an American/Greek professional basketball player. He is a naturalized Greek player for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League (GBL), the EuroLeague, and for the Greek national team. He played college basketball for Stephen F. Austin State University, before being named Southland Conference Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons. Walkup is a native of Texas.

Marshall Earl Brown was an American professional basketball player, minor league baseball player, and college basketball coach.

The 2015–16 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by head coach Brad Underwood and played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum. They were members of the Southland Conference. The Lumberjacks finished the season with a record of 28–6, 18–0 in Southland play to win the regular season championship. They won the Southland tournament championship to earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As a #14 seed, they upset #8 ranked West Virginia in the first round before losing in the final seconds to Notre Dame in the second round.

The 2016–17 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by first-year head coach Kyle Keller and played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 18–18, 12–6 in Southland play to finish in a three-way tie for second place. They defeated Lamar in the quarterfinals of the Southland tournament to advance to the Semifinals where they lost to Texas A&M–Corpus Christi. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they lost in the first round to Idaho.

The 2017–18 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by second-year head coach Kyle Keller and played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 28–7, 14–4 in Southland play to finish in third place. They defeated Central Arkansas, Nicholls State, and Southeastern Louisiana to become champions of the Southland tournament. They received the Southland's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round to Texas Tech.

The 2018–19 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by third-year head coach Kyle Keller and played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 14–16 overall, 7–11 in Southland play to finish in a tie for ninth place. Since only the top eight teams are eligible to play in the Southland tournament, the Lumberjacks failed to qualify this season.

Johnny Ray Cardenas is an American college baseball coach and former catcher. Cardenas is the head coach of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks baseball team.

The 2019–20 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks were led by fourth-year head coach Kyle Keller and played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 28–3, 19–1 in Southland play to win the Southland regular season championship. As the No. 1 seed, they received a double-bye to the semifinals of the Southland tournament, however, the tournament was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the Southland tournament's cancellation, they were awarded the Southland's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, however, the NCAA tournament was also cancelled due to the same outbreak.

The 2020–21 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks, led by fifth-year head coach Kyle Keller, played home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches, Texas. This season was the Lumberjacks' last as members of the Southland Conference; SFA is one of four schools, all from Texas, that will leave the Southland in July 2021 to join the Western Athletic Conference.

The 2021–22 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks, led by sixth-year head coach Kyle Keller, played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches, Texas. This season was the Lumberjacks' first as members of the Western Athletic Conference; SFA was one of four schools, all from Texas, that left the Southland Conference in July 2021 joining the WAC.

The 2022–23 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represented Stephen F. Austin State University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks, led by seventh-year head coach Kyle Keller, played their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches, Texas as members of the Western Athletic Conference.

The 2023–24 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks basketball team represents Stephen F. Austin State University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Lumberjacks, led by eighth-year head coach Kyle Keller, play their home games at the William R. Johnson Coliseum in Nacogdoches, Texas as members of the Western Athletic Conference.

The 2000 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team represented Stephen F. Austin State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by second-year head coach Mike Santiago the Lumberjacks compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, placing fifth in the Southland. Stephen F. Austin played home games at Homer Bryce Stadium in Nacogdoches, Texas.

References

↑ "OTL: Story of OSU plane crash, 10 years later". Outside the Lines. ESPN. January 26, 2011. Archived from the original on January 29, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
1 2 3 "Kyle Keller". SFAJacks.com. Stephen F. Austin State University. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
↑ "First-year coach Kyle Keller gets 1st victory with SFA". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
↑ McCreary, Joedy (November 27, 2019). "Stephen F. Austin Stuns No. 1 Duke, 85-83 In OT". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
↑ "2019-20 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Schedule and Results".
↑ "NCAA Negotiated Resolution Agreement: What It Means for SFA". SFAJacks.com. Stephen F. Austin State University. May 20, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
↑ Rieken, Kristie (May 20, 2020). "Stephen F. Austin Gets Postseason Bans; Agrees To Sanctions". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
↑ "2021-22 Coaches".

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[1] "OTL: Story of OSU plane crash, 10 years later". Outside the Lines. ESPN. January 26, 2011. Archived from the original on January 29, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2017.

[SFA-2] 1 2 3 "Kyle Keller". SFAJacks.com. Stephen F. Austin State University. Retrieved November 8, 2018.

[3] "First-year coach Kyle Keller gets 1st victory with SFA". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 28, 2017.

[4] McCreary, Joedy (November 27, 2019). "Stephen F. Austin Stuns No. 1 Duke, 85-83 In OT". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2023.

[5] "2019-20 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks Schedule and Results".

[6] "NCAA Negotiated Resolution Agreement: What It Means for SFA". SFAJacks.com. Stephen F. Austin State University. May 20, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.

[7] Rieken, Kristie (May 20, 2020). "Stephen F. Austin Gets Postseason Bans; Agrees To Sanctions". Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2023.

[8] "2021-22 Coaches".

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