Josh Keener is entering his sixth season as the head softball coach at Rockford University. Keener has brought a wealth of knowledge to the RU softball program after spending seven seasons as an assistant baseball coach at both the NCAA Division III and junior college levels. Directly before taking over the reins of the softball program, Keener spent five years as an assistant baseball coach at Rockford University. Prior to that, he was an assistant at Rock Valley College for two seasons.
Under Keener’s direction, the softball program has seen tremendous improvement over each of his first four seasons. In 2021, the softball program earned its first berth to the NACC Tournament in school history and also recorded the first NACC Tournament win in program history. The softball program also set numerous school records during the 2021 season, including home runs in a season and stolen bases in a season.
During his time with Rockford, Keener was an integral part to the success of the baseball program. Rockford earned multiple berths in the conference tournament throughout his tenure, including finishing as high as fourth place in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. His responsibilities on staff included working as the team's assistant hitting coach, as well as coaching both the infielders and outfielders. Off the field, Keener was responsible for assisting with the recruiting efforts of the program and organizing and running camps.
Prior to Rockford, Keener spent two seasons at Rock Valley College as an assistant baseball coach. While at Rock Valley, Keener served as the first base coach, along with working with both the outfielders and the hitters. He also helped run both youth camps and high school showcases.
Keener is a native of the Rockford area, graduating from Hononegah Community High School in 2009. He then went on to earn his associate's degree from Rock Valley College, before earning his bachelor's degree in Economics with a minor in Accounting and his MBA from Rockford University. He currently resides in Loves Park, Ill. with his wife, Morgan, and their cat, Howard, and dog, Maxwell.
