Cleveland Reporter

After 13 outstanding seasons, the Shaun Keenan era has come to an end.

Shaun Keenan has stepped down as the head coach of the John Carroll University Men's & Women's Tennis programs. Keenan has decided to bow out of coaching due to increased responsibilities at his job at the Paramount Tennis Club in Medina. Keenan is the Head Tennis Professional at Paramount, where he manages and develops the junior and adult tennis programs.

"I am sad to leave John Carroll, which is a wonderful place with so many amazing people," said Keenan. "But due to the increase in popularity in tennis during the pandemic, I need to devote more time to the Paramount Tennis Club. It was not an easy decision, but I believe it was the right one for myself and for John Carroll Tennis."

Keenan orchestrated an unbelievable run of success for John Carroll Tennis. The Wichita State grad assumed the head coaching role in 2010 and turned the Blue Streaks into a powerhouse in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

After building for a few seasons, Keenan's Blue Streaks broke through in 2015 and 2016. JCU Men's Tennis won six straight OAC Championships from 2015-21, and JCU Women's Tennis claimed five consecutive OAC Championships from 2016-21 (the 2020 championships were not held due to COVID-19).

And Keenan's teams dominated conference foes. The Blue Streaks boasted a 61-match winning streak on the men's side and a 55-match unbeaten streak on the women's side before both were snapped this season.

The 11-time OAC Champ reeled in a bevy of awards during his time in University Heights. Keenan notched 5 OAC Coach of the Year awards. In 2017, Keenan was named the Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III Women's Central Region Coach of the Year. JCU tallied a total of 55 All-OAC selections under Keenan's tutelage, not counting this season's honorees, which will be announced at a later date. Keenan helped Lauren O'Malley '19 propel onto the national stage with All-American and CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year honors.

Keenan's teams made 11 NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, six on the men's side and five on the women's side. Without a doubt, the run of excellence may never be matched.

"We're very sorry to see Shaun go, but we understand that this is the right move for him and his family," said Senior Director of Athletics Michelle Morgan. "Shaun's body of work at John Carroll was simply incredible. Shaun left a lasting legacy for John Carroll Tennis, and we are incredibly grateful for all he has done to elevate our program to new heights."

Keenan also helped to oversee the grand opening of the beautiful Short Family Tennis Center. The brand-new six court facility will be a major draw for future student-athletes, as the world-class facility will be the host site for many events both in the immediate and near future.

"I'm very happy to leave the program in a better place than I found it," said Keenan. "We've been fortunate to have lots of success, and I owe everything to each and every one of the student-athletes who played for me. Our student-athletes are the best, and I will miss them a lot.

"For the next coach, this job has a lot of potential. This could be a great opportunity for the next coach to take it to a national level. I'm excited to continue following the program and cheering on these great student-athletes." 

Original source can be found here.