Stephen F. Austin parts ways with coach Kyle Keller after nine seasons and a 1-7 start in conference play in Nacogdoches

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Kyle Keller led the Lumberjacks to an NCAA tournament appearance and a historic upset

Kyle Keller’s time as head coach at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas has come to an end. The school announced on Wednesday that it had fired Keller, marking the first major coaching change of the 2024-25 season.

Associate head coach Tony Jasick will take over as interim head coach for the rest of the season.

Keller’s Achievements and Challenges at SFA

Keller had a significant impact on the program during his nine seasons with the Lumberjacks. He was hired in 2016 to replace Brad Underwood and helped the team achieve three 20-win seasons. Under his leadership, SFA won the Southland Conference title in 2018, going 28-7, and made it to the NCAA tournament, although they were eliminated in the first round.

In the following season, the Lumberjacks made history by beating No. 1-ranked Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium with a buzzer-beater in overtime, ending Duke’s 150-game home win streak against non-conference teams.

Stephen F. Austin basketball coach Kyle Keller giving directions to his players from the sideline

Keller finished his tenure with a 171-95 record. He was named Southland Coach of the Year during the 2019-20 season after guiding the team to a 28-3 record. However, their NCAA tournament appearance was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This season, the Lumberjacks struggled with an 8-11 record, including a tough 1-7 start in conference play. They have lost three straight games and five of their last six as they prepare for Saturday’s match against Northwestern State.

Kai Soriano

By Kai Soriano

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