The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women’s basketball team announced on Thursday that it has hired Kevin Hackerott, who spent the last eight years as the head girls basketball coach at Goddard High School, as the associate head coach, and Keanna Keys, who spent the last two years as the athletic director at Immaculate Heart of Mary School, as an assistant coach.
While at Goddard, Hackerott led his team to a 22-3 record in 2018-19 and a state championship appearance. He wrapped up his time at Goddard with two state tournament appearances, two league titles, and three Coach of the Year awards.
Prior to his time at Goddard, Hackerott was the head coach at Wellington High School from 2008-13, where he led the team some of its best years in program history, including a 21-3 record and a state tournament appearance in 2012. Additionally, Hackerott led Wellington to two league titles and was named Coach of the Year twice.
“We are really excited to have Kevin join our UTRGV family,” UTRGV head coach Lane Lord said. “I have known him for 15 or 16 years. Back when I was a high school coach and he was a college coach, he recruited our players so we developed a relationship. In this business, it is nice to have people that you know and trust, but what he brings to us is that he is a winner. He has a great record as a head coach at different levels. He brings a lot of experience to our program.”
Hackerott has collegiate head coaching experience, having spent two seasons at Cameron University before taking the reins at Wellington. Prior to his time at Cameron, Hackerott spent three seasons as the head coach at Pratt Community College, where he racked up 67 wins and the program’s first NJCAA Division I Top-25 ranking by coming in as high as No. 13 in 2003-04. Hackerott started his head coaching career at Highland Community College in 2002.
Hackerott graduated from Saint Mary of the Plains College in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and then earned a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Kansas City in 1995.
“I am super excited,” Hackerott said. “I have known Lane a long time. We used to compete against one another in our junior college days as head coaches. To get this opportunity to come down and see the Valley, my wife and I and our family are so excited. I think this place is about to go crazy and take off. We are just really excited to be a part of that.”
Keys was a member of the Little Rock women’s basketball team from 2013-18, where she helped her team to Sun Belt Conference Championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018. She was named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Third Team during her final year by averaging 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Keys finished her career with the sixth most offensive rebounds in program history while graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Exercise Science Education in 2017 and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice in 2018.
“Keanna comes from Little Rock, where she played for the legendary coach Joe Foley,” Lord said. “Most recently she was an athletic director and does an outstanding job with kids. She played in the post in college and has that Division I playing experience, plus being part of NCAA Tournaments and postseason play. She is a very talented young coach that we are excited to have.”
She had the opportunity to coach at the Little Rock Basketball Camps, working with young basketball players in skill development. Keys also instructed young athletes in practicing and developing leadership skills.
During the summers of 2014 and 2015, Keys served as an AAU basketball assistant coach, providing skill instruction and mentoring young athletes.
“I am honored and grateful to join Coach Lord’s staff,” Keys said. “I met him back in November and it was a great experience. The staff is so loving and welcoming. I am super excited and I can’t wait to learn more from the staff and Coach Lord. I love being here in the Valley and I can’t wait to grow with this program.”
Photo Courtesy UTRGV Athletics
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