Former University of Maine men’s basketball coach Rudy Keeling passed away on Saturday after an illness in Londonderry, N.H. He was 64 years old.

"The Black Bear Men’s Basketball program, and the entire UMaine community is deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of Coach Keeling," said Maine head coach Ted Woodward. "He was an outstanding coach, a first-class person and representative of the University of Maine, and a beloved and highly respected member of the entire basketball coaching community. He touched many lives of young people here at Maine, was an outstanding example of character, integrity, and intelligence, and his influence has, and will continue to be felt throughout our great school and all of college athletics. It has always been an honor to follow in his footsteps at the University of Maine and the wonderful example he provided daily and throughout his career. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, and to all the outstanding young men who had the tremendous opportunity to be coached and mentored by him."

Coach Keeling served as head coach at Maine from 1988-1996 where he compiled a record of 104-124. He earned North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1993-94 while leading UMaine to a school-record 20 wins.

Following his time at the University of Maine, he was head coach at Northeastern University for five seasons. Prior to Maine, Keeling served as an assistant coach at both Marquette University and Bradley University.

After Northeastern, Keeling served as athletic director at Emerson College in Boston. In May of 2007, Keeling was named the Commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference, where served until this past January. He was responsible for establishing the ECAC as host for the NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Frozen Four in 2014 in Philadelphia.

Keeling graduated from Quincy College in Illinois in 1970. He and his wife, Jane, raised four children.

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