HEAD COACH JOE MCKEOWN

McKeown (pronounced Mick-Q-ann) is the sixth individual to lead the Northwestern's women's basketball program. He was hired on June 9, 2008.

During his time in Evanston, McKeown has transformed the culture of the women's basketball program while cementing his name as one of the winningest coaches in NCAA Division I Women's Basketball. He currently ranks 4th among active Big Ten coaches in total wins. Additionally, McKeown has guided the Wildcats to eight winning seasons, shattering the win total in his first 13 years with the program (208) compared to the previous decade-plus before his arrival (117 wins in 13 seasons; 1995-2008).

During his tenure, the Wildcats have established a number of program firsts, including Nia Coffey becoming the first freshman in program history to be named First Team All-Big Ten during the 2013-14 campaign, Maggie Lyon's crowning as the 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Ashley Deary’s back-to-back Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015-16 and 2016-17 and Amy Jaeschke becoming the first Wildcat to be selected in the WNBA Draft as the 27th pick overall by the Chicago Sky (2011). Additionally, the Wildcats had the best back-to-back stretch in nearly 15 years under McKeown's watch. Combined, the 2009-10 and 2010-11 campaigns yielded 37 victories, two postseason appearances and milestone wins over nationally-renowned programs in Ohio State, LSU, and DePaul.

Jaeschke turned in not only one of the best seasons in Wildcat annals, but also one of the most storied careers, ranking first in blocks, second in scoring and in rebounding. Jaeschke also was tabbed an Associated Press honorable mention All-American, marking the first time since 1998 that a Wildcat appeared on the prestigious list. Coffey was named an AP honorable mention All-American twice in 2016 and 2017 and has four All-Big Ten first-team honors. She went on follow Jaeschke's footsteps and was selected in the WNBA Draft with the fifth overall pick by the San Antonio Stars, the highest pick in program history. Meanwhile Deary was named the program’s first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. After repeating, Deary also became just the third player in Big Ten history to win the award back-to-back seasons.

McKeown led the Wildcats to a historic 2019-20 campaign, most notably capturing the program's second Big Ten regular season title and its first since 1989-90. He was named as the conference's coach of the year following NU's tremendous run, becoming the first to earn the honor since Don Perelli did so in 1990. The Wildcats' record-breaking 26 wins overall and 16 in conference play placed McKeown into elite coaching company as he was named as one of five semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy Women's College Coach of the Year.

Under his tutelage in 2019-20, McKeown saw three players earn all-conference honors, including Lindsey Pulliam and Abi Scheid named to the All-Big Ten First Team with Pulliam recognized as an unanimous selection. Veronica Burton was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. Burton also was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team. It marked the first time in program history that three players were selected to the first two All-Big Ten Teams.

McKeown picked up his 700th career victory during the 2019-20 campaign after defeating East Carolina on Dec. 20, 2019. He became just the 13th active head coach in NCAA Division I play to surpass the milestone as well as the fourth in the Big Ten to do so. His 200th career victory at NU came against Michigan on Jan. 30, 2020, making him the second coach in Wildcat history to reach 200 wins (Don Perelli).

The Wildcats have also seen postseason success under McKeown as they have qualified for postseason play in six of the last 11 years, most recently earning a trip to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament in 2018-19. McKeown’s side excelled their way to the championship game and finished as runners up to Arizona.

McKeown also led Northwestern to the WNIT in 2009-10, just his second year with the program, NU had not made the postseason since 1997. That year, the Wildcats played George Washington University in the first round of the 1997 NCAA Tournament and at the time, McKeown dueled against NU as head coach of the Colonials. NU’s postseason success developed following the 2014-15 season as the Wildcats made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1997.

McKeown’s Wildcats have also seen success in the Big Ten Tournament, appearing in the Tournament semifinals for two-consecutive years (2015, 2016). In 2016, the Wildcats won three games in the league tournament for the first time in program history.

Following the success of the Wildcats 2014-15 season, McKeown was selected to be the head coach of the USA representative to the World University Games held in Seoul, South Korea on July 5–13, 2015. The team won all six games, including the gold medal game against Canada.

McKeown joined the Wildcats following 19 years as the head coach at George Washington University, where he became one of the most respected names in women's college basketball. He left George Washington as the winningest coach in school history and in the Atlantic 10 Conference. He coached the Colonials to 14 regular season or postseason Atlantic 10 crowns.

In his 19 seasons at GW, McKeown compiled a 441-154 record, with his 1997 squad reaching the Elite Eight. On three other occasions, the Colonials advanced to the Sweet Sixteen--1995, 2007 and 2008. In his 15 NCAA Tournament trips with GW, the Colonials won their first-round tournament game 13 times. McKeownis a five-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year (1991, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2007) and two-time National Coach of the Year nominee (1995, 1997). He was inducted into the George Washington Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.

McKeown went to George Washington in September of 1989, inheriting a team that went 9-19 a year earlier. After his first squad went 14-14, McKeown quickly turned the Colonials into an elite women's college program with his teams averaging nearly 24 wins per year the next 18 seasons. At GW, McKeown coached six Atlantic 10 Players of the Year. He also mentored seven A-10 Rookies of the Year, five Defensive Players of the Year, five Sixth Players of the Year, 14 All-Rookie Team selections and 51 all-conference performers.

Equally as impressive as GW's success on the court was its outstanding performance in the classroom, which has carried over to his tenure in Evanston. During McKeown's tenure with the Colonials, George Washington players received Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference recognition 17 times and eight players were named CoSIDA academic all-district selections (three Academic All-Americans). Among Northwestern’s record-breaking 86 2019 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars (minimum 3.70 yearly GPA), four of McKeown’s players were awarded with the special recognition.

McKeown also is involved with USA Basketball, as he was named an assistant coach for the 2008 USA Basketball Women's U-18 National Basketball Team. He was also a floor coach for the 1992 Olympic team.

McKeown spent three seasons as the head coach at New Mexico State, where he went 68-20 and appeared in two NCAA tournaments, Prior to coaching at New Mexico State, McKeown served as an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1983-86, and at his alma mater, Kent State University, from 1979-80.

As a player, McKeown earned Junior College National Small Player of the Year honors at Mercer College in Trenton, N.J. He helped the team to a 33-1 record and a spot in the NJCAA championship game. McKeown transferred to Kent State the following season, where he was co-captain of the Golden Flashes as a senior and earned honorable mention All-Mid-American Conference honors. His school-record 15 assists in a game still stands.

A proud native of Philadelphia, McKeown was inducted into the Father Judge High School Hall of Fame, a prestigious member of the Philadelphia Catholic League, in 1999.

McKeown and his family are heavily involved in the Autism Speaks Foundation, a national organization that creates awareness and raises money for the fight against autism. McKeown and his wife, Laura, have three children, Meghan, Joey and Ally.