Baseball Head Coach & Academic Success Coach
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Overview
Former Black Hawk College baseball player Josh Keim became the Braves’ head baseball coach in August 2020 and is entering his fourth year at the helm of his alma mater. In his three seasons, the Braves are 116-57, and his teams have been nationally inside the Top 10 while making three consecutive regional tournament appearances to go along with two conference championships.
Baseball achievements
2022-23
Keim earned his 100th win on April 15, 2023, in just his third season. The Braves finished with a 37-24 record, won the Arrowhead Conference Championship for the 29th time in program history, won the NJCAA Region 4 Division II Sectional Championship, and finished third in the NJCAA Region 4 Division II Tournament. Four players earned All-Region honors, five were named to the All-Conference team, and three were recognized as Rawlings Gold Glove recipients. Payton Barton was recognized as National Pitcher of the Week on May 16, 2023. The team received the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellence Award and earned a 2022-23 team GPA of 3.08. Eleven Braves have moved on to four-year schools.
2021-22
Keim’s Braves finished with a 35-20 record, won the NJCAA Region 4 Division II Sectional Championship, and finished third in the NJCAA Region 4 Division II Tournament. Payton Lawrence earned Third Team All-American and First Team All-Region as a pitcher. Freshman Lucas Spence earned First-Team All-Region honors, All-Conference and a Rawlings Gold Glove recipient in the outfield. Chance Resetich earned Second-Team All-Region and All-Conference honors as a shortstop.
The 2022 team was recognized as a NJCAA Academic Team of the Year and ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award winner. The team led all of BHC athletics posting a 3.35 2021-22 Team GPA. Thirteen Braves moved on to four-year schools.
2020-21
In Keim’s first year, the Braves tied the program record for second-most wins by posting a 44-13 overall record. They also were Arrowhead Athletic Conference Champions with a 20-0 record and advanced to the NJCAA Region 4 Tournament after winning a Sectional Championship. Keim’s team finished the season ranked ninth in the country and the NJCAA Region 4 runner-up after losing in the Region 4 Championship game in Madison, WI.
Payton Lawrence earned Second Team All-American, First Team All-Region, and All-Conference honors as a starting pitcher. Cayle Webster was named Arrowhead Athletic Conference MVP, First Team All-Region, and a Rawlings Gold Glove Recipient as a third baseman. Chance Resetich earned First Team All-Region and All-Conference honors as a center fielder, and Drew Davis was Second Team All-Region, All-Conference and a Rawlings Gold Glove first baseman. Kyle Stoddard earned Second Team All-Region honors after leading the country in saves.
The 2021 team was recognized as an ABCA All-Academic Team after posting a 3.21 GPA for the 2020-21 academic year. Nine Braves moved on to the four-year schools following the season.
Coaching background
Keim has five years of NCAA Division II coaching experience and served as the recruiting coordinator at his two previous institutions. Prior to taking over the Brave’s program, he spent one season at Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, FL, as the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Unfortunately, the 2020 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Keim helped guide the Lions to seven wins prior to cancellation. Keim’s responsibilities also included hitting and infield.
Keim spent four years at the NCAA Division II powerhouse Quincy University in Quincy, IL. He served in multiple roles for the Hawks, most notably head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Keim helped guide the Hawks to a 149-79 record, and the Hawks achieved a Top 10 national ranking all four years. From 2016-19, the Hawks advanced to four straight NCAA tournaments. The Hawks won the 2017 Midwest Regional Championship, advancing to the College World Series for the first time in program history, the 2017 Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship, and the 2018 Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship.
Keim spent two summers as the field manager of the Rockford Rivets (IL), a summer collegiate team in the Northwoods League. The Rivets 2020 roster ranked fifth among all collegiate summer league teams. Keim guided the Rivets to their second-most wins in franchise history with 33 in 2019. Prior to being elevated, Keim was the Rivets hitting coach in 2016.
Keim has coached 18 MLB Draft picks including a 2021 first-rounder, 21 players who have gone on to sign professional contracts, 30 All-Conference players and four All-Americans prior to Black Hawk College.
Collegiate background
At Black Hawk College, Keim played infield and pitched for the Braves during the 2011-12 seasons under Arnie Chavera, current BHC director of athletics. Keim helped the Braves to two of the winningest seasons in program history with records of 44-9 in 2011 and 45-10 in 2012. The Braves were ranked Top 5 in the country both seasons, won two Arrowhead Athletic Conference Championships and two sectional championships, and appeared in back-to-back NJCAA Region 4 tournaments.
Keim went on to play at Illinois State University. After one year at Illinois State, he played two years at Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, IN, finishing with more than 100 hits in two seasons while earning First Team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference as an infielder.
A Quad-Cities native, Keim graduated from Rock Island High School and earned an associate degree at Black Hawk College. He completed a bachelor’s degree in sport management at Saint Joseph’s College and a master’s degree in leadership education at Quincy University.
Academic Success Coach
Keim serves as Academic Success Coach and Compliance for BHC Athletics. He advises all student-athletes each semester in selecting classes for registration. Keim aids in transfer processes, oversees student-athlete progress reports and study-table requirements and handles all early alerts. On top of these duties, he is responsible for NJCAA eligibility compliance for all sports before and during seasons.