Purdue Legend Gene Keady Part of 2024 NJCAA Hall of Fame Class
Legendary Purdue coach Gene Keady will soon be inducted into another Hall of Fame. The 25-year leader of the Boilermakers is a member of the 2024 NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Hall of Fame class.
The NJCAA announced its six-member Hall of Fame class on Tuesday. Keady is being inducted as a former quarterback at Garden City Community College (Kansas) and basketball coach at Hutchinson Community College (Kansas).
Keady was an All-American quarterback at Garden City before transferring to Kansas State and continuing his athletic career in football, baseball and track. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 19th round of the 1958 NFL Draft.
After his playing career ended, Keady went into coaching. He was an assistant coach at Hutchinson in 1965-66 before taking over as the head coach for the 1966-67 season. He led the program to a 187-48 record in eight seasons, also winning six Jayhawk Conference titles.
Keady then spent two seasons at Western Kentucky (1978-80) before spending the bulk of his coaching career at Purdue (1980-2005). During his time with the Boilermakers, he won six Big Ten regular season titles, was a seven-time Big Ten Coach of the Year and led the Boilers to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances.
In 2023, Keady was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, one of the greatest honors of his career. He is also a member of the College Basketball Hall of Fame and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
During his career at Hutchinson, Western Kentucky and Purdue, Keady compiled a 737-340 record.
Other inductees into the NJCAA Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024 include Artis Gilmore, Lin Laursen, Shawn Marion, Veronica Campbell Brown and Gene Bess.
Keady and others will be recognized at the 2024 NJCAA Foundation Awards event, scheduled for Thursday, June 6, 2024, at 6:30 PM ET. The event will be held at the Hilton Charlotte University Place in Charlotte, N.C.
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