Chuck Keenan was hired as the interim head women’s tennis coach at Savannah State in early 2020, and promoted to head women’s tennis coach in August of the same year.
Despite several early season obstacles, as interim head coach during the 2020 spring season, Keenan put together a full team of players, scheduled a full season and ended up earning the program’s first Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) win beating LeMoyne-Owen College, 4-1.
Keenan comes to Savannah State from the Savannah Area Tennis Association where he served as the Community Tennis Coordinator. He also was head tennis professional and racquet sport instructor at the Savannah Yacht Club.
Prior to those positions, Keenan was the head men’s and women’s tennis coach at Savannah College of Art & Design, where he led the Bees from 1999-2011. He led the Bees to five consecutive Sun Conference Championships from 2006 to 2010 and two Region XIV Championships in 2007 and 2008.
In 2007, Keenan was named the ITA NAIA Women’s National Coach of the Year after leading the Bees to their third consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championship.
He was named the Sun Conference Women’s Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 as well as the SCAD Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2008. He also was named the NAIA Region XIV Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2008.
Prior to SCAD, Keenan coached at his alma mater Penn State Behrend from 1994-1998 and began his coaching career at Mercyhurst College, serving as an assistant coach from 1992-1994.
He played for Penn State Behrend from 1988-1992, serving as team captain in 1991-1992. He graduated from Penn State Behrend in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
Keenan has two sons, Charlie and Noah.
Full Name:
Charles Emmett Keenan III
Education:
Penn State Behrend, ’92
Playing Experience:
Penn State Behrend, 1988-1992; Team Captain 1991-1992
Coaching Experience:
Mercyhurst College 1992-1994 | Assistant Men’s and Women’s Coach
Penn State Behrend, 1994-1998 | Head Men’s and Women’s Coach
SCAD, 1999-2011 | Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach
Savannah State University, 2020 | Interim Head Women’s Tennis Coach
Savannah State University, 2020 | Head Women’s Tennis Coach
Honors:
2007 Women’s ITA/NAIA National Coach of the Year
2006-2009 Sun Conference Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year
2001, 2008 SCAD Coach of the Year
2007, 2008 NAIA Region XIV Coach of the Year
Memberships in Civic Organizations:
Professional Tennis Registry
United States Tennis Association
Favorite Athlete:
Sidney Crosby
Favorite Food:
Gnocchi
Favorite Leader:
Jud Damon
