TEMPE, Ariz.—Sun Devil Lacrosse has hired Meghan Keelan as an assistant coach, head coach Courtney Martinez Connor announced on Friday. Keelan will join the team for its introductory season in 2017-18.
“The Sun Devil lacrosse program is very lucky to have Meghan Keelan join our staff,” Martinez Connor said. “She is an incredibly knowledgeable coach and a tireless worker on the recruiting front. Meghan brings a wealth of experience that she will undoubtedly share with our inaugural class and beyond.”
“I am truly honored to be named an assistant coach for the Sun Devil Lacrosse program,” Keelan said. “My sincerest thanks to Vice President for University Athletics, Ray Anderson, Senior Associate Athletic Directors, Deana Garner-Smith and Scottie Graham, as well as Head Coach Courtney Martinez Connor for affording me this unique opportunity. I feel privileged to represent such an innovative university, and work amongst some of the best administrators, professors, coaches, staff and student-athletes every day.”
Keelan comes to Tempe after serving as the head lacrosse coach at Shepherd University for the last five seasons. She also spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Bucknell University from 2008-11.
Keelan had a standout career as a student-athlete at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County from 2004-08, where she was a captain for her final season under then UMBC head coach Martinez Connor. Keelan led the team in assists in 2006 and 2008 and is 11th in school history for career assists. She graduated in 2008 with a B.A. in Psychology and received her M.B.A. in Sports Management from Shepherd in 2015.
“We are extremely excited to have Meghan Keelan join coach Courtney Martinez Connor in leading our Sun Devil Lacrosse program to success,” Garner-Smith said. “These talented women will be a wonderful addition to our SDA family as well as strong, positive role models for our female athletes.”
During the 2014-15 season, Keelan led the Shepherd Rams to an undefeated Mountain East Conference regular season and to the inaugural conference title. The Rams were ranked nationally in Division II in ground balls per game (6th), caused turnovers per game (11th), and scoring offense (11th).
That season, Keelan coached eight All-MEC performers, including a trio of first-team honorees, along with the 2015 MEC Defensive Player of the Year. That team also boasted four All-MEC Tournament selections, including the Most Valuable Player.