Northern Oklahoma College has hired Michael Keeran as the new baseball coach for the NOC Tonkawa Mavericks.

Keeran most recently was the recruiting coordinator at Western Illinois University.

Athletic Director Alan Foster announced the hiring Monday.

"I want to thank Alan Foster and the committee for this unbelievable opportunity," Keeran said.  "My family and I are so humbled and blessed to join the NOC Tonkawa athletic department and community. I am looking forward to adding onto the storied legacy of this program that Coach Bay has built.  We are excited to talk and meet with the players and provide a standard of excellence that former, current and future Mavericks can be proud of. The facilities and resources at NOC are incredible and I am excited to be a part of the unbelievable atmosphere. I am excited to get to work to compete for championships for years to come as a Maverick."

Foster said Keeran stood out in an impressive group of candidates.

"I was super impressed with the pool of candidates who expressed interest in the head baseball job at NOC Tonkawa," Foster said. "I feel through the process that Michael kept checking the boxes the committee was look for.

"He has had success everywhere he has been and his experience as a Head Coach at Bismarck State should translate to NOC Tonkawa," he added.  "His experience at the Division 1 level should benefit our student athletes as that is what many of their goals are.  I feel like our student athletes will benefit from his leadership.

I look forward to working with Michael to continue the success that has been achieved by the Mavericks Baseball program.

We welcome him as well as his wife Kaitlin, and two sons Maddux and Jax."

Before Keeran's stint at Western Illinois, he was the head coach at Bismarck State College (North Dakota) from 2020-22.  During that time the Mystics won conference (2021, 2022) and region championships (2022).

During that time-span BSC held a 69-18 (.793). BSC was ranked in the Top 25 in 2021 and 2022 and were ranked as high as #2 nationally in NJCAA Division 2.

Keeran coached six All-Americans during that time. In 2022 Keeran won the Mon-Dak Coach of the Year, Region 13 Coach of the Year and North Dakota Sports Coach of the Year. 

From 2018-2022 Keeran was a head coach in various summer collegiate leagues. During those five years, Keeran held a 171-38 (.818). In all five years, Keeran's teams were Regular-Season Champions and in four of those five seasons they were Postseason Champions (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022). Keeran was the Coach of the Year in the Pioneer Collegiate Baseball League in 2018-2020, and the Expedition League Coach of the Year in 2022. 

In 2019 he coached at Valley City State University (NAIA) as the Recruiting Coordinator. The Vikings finished as conference runners-up and had the best postseason finish in school history. 

In 2018 he coached at Grinnell College (NCAA D3) as the Assistant Head Softball Coach where the Pioneers were 24-14, an 11-win improvement from the year prior. Two players were named All-Americans. 

From 2013-2016, Keeran coached high school baseball in Iowa as an Assistant Head Coach for Clear Lake High School. The Lions were IHSAA State Champions in 2013, 2015, and 2016. Over the four years, the Lions were 129-27 (.827) during those times. 

He graduated from Waldorf University where he earned a Bachelors and Master's degree. He was All-Conference twice on the baseball team at Waldorf University.

Keeran comes to NOC Tonkawa with wife, Kaitlin, and two sons Maddux and Jax.

Keenan replaces Ryan Bay who is now the baseball coach at NOC Enid.