North Central College Cardinals

Joe Keenan joined the North Central College staff prior to the 2018 season as an assistant baseball coach.

Keenan spent 28 years on the coaching staff at Northwestern University, serving as an assistant coach from 1988-2015.  Primarily assisting with catcher, eight of Keenan's catchers at Northwestern were selected in the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft including Tom Dodge (Angels; 1990), Joe Perona (Tigers; 1991), Brett Wyngarden (Astros; 1992), Brian Fuller (Tigers; 1995), Joe Hietpas (Mets; 2001) Dan Pohlman (Diamondbacks; 2004) Chad Noble (Cubs; 2010) and Geoff Rowan (Rays 2012). Hietpas made it to the Major Leagues with the New York Mets for a brief stay in 2004, while Noble has been the bullpen catcher for the Chicago Cubs for the last four years. 

Keenan was a standout catcher himself at the NCAA Division I level, playing three years at the University of Notre Dame, earning team Most Valuable Player honors his final season.  After graduating with a bachelor's degree in communication art from Notre Dame in 1970, Kennan went on to play two seasons in the Cleveland Indians minor league system.

Post playing career, Keenan returned to school to earn his juris doctorate degree from the DePaul University School of Law in 1977 and has practiced law for the last 40 years.  Keenan and his wife. Sally, currently reside in Park Ridge, Illinois and have two children, Katharine and Joseph, and a granddaughter, Brynn.