<<go back

Warhawk Fast-Pitch Softball Head Coach
Dr. Nancy Keenum

Coach Nancy Keenum begins her 25th year at Calhoun Community College (CCC) this season.  Her responsibilities at the college include teaching physical education courses, overseeing the Wellness Center, serving as Athletic Director, and coaching the softball team.

A graduate of West Morgan High School in the pre-Title IX era, Keenum became a member of the first women's basketball team at Calhoun to be awarded athletic scholarships.  She graduated with academic honors from CCC in 1977 before transferring to the University of Alabama as manager of the volleyball team.  Keenum's commitment to academic success of her players can be traced to her own academic performance. The magna cum laude graduate at the University of Alabama earned a Master's Degree at the University of North Alabama in 1980.  Coach Keenum returned to the classroom 18 years later as a doctoral student.  She added the Doctor title in 2003 with an Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Keenum's coaching career began as a graduate assistant volleyball coach at the University of North Alabama.  Upon graduation, she was named as the women's basketball coach and volleyball coach at Judson College.  After two years, she returned to North Alabama to teach part-time in the physical education department at Calhoun. On October 1, 1983, she was employed full-time in her "dream job." Keenum's Lady Warhawks have established themselves as state contenders in four different sports. Keenum's initial position was women's tennis coach, replacing Hall of Fame coach/mentor Mary McCoy.  Three years later, the tennis program was discontinued and replaced with slowpitch softball.  Keenum moved to the hardwood as the women's basketball coach.  In 1995, Coach Keenum followed another ultra successful coach/mentor, Myra King by becoming the coach for the slowpitch softball program inheriting 7 consecutive state titles.  In 1998, Coach Keenum's Lady Warhawks began their own string of championships, 3 consecutive ACCC State and NJCAA National titles (1998, 1999, 2000) before the NJCAA discontinued the sport.  Unfortunately, discontinued sports program became a reality at Calhoun in 2001 when President Richard Carpenter suspended the entire athletic program.

On May 22, 2005, a new Calhoun administration under the leadership of President Marilyn Beck reinstated the baseball and softball programs.  Coach Keenum was called upon by Chancellor Roy Johnson to step up to the plate and return to coaching.  This coaching assignment was a challenge, she must develop a program from scratch, build a foundation for the future without balls, bats, field, or players.  Coach Keenum immediately announced an open tryout for interested persons.  In the first year of fastpitch softball, the team finished 2nd in the ACCC northern division standings and earned a berth in the ACCC State/Regional Tournament and accomplished a career milestone with 500 wins at Calhoun. Coach Keenum's teams continue to be contenders in the ACCC in a variety of ways.  For the first time in her 19 year Calhoun coaching career, her beloved Lady Warhawks did not qualify for post season play. As fate may have it, she moved to the baseball diamond to become the first female baseball coach in the ACCC State tournament.  Coach Keenum finished the season in the dugout with the Calhoun baseball team to fill the vacant baseball coach position.

Coach Keenum coaching career has led to 7 trips to the NJCAA National Tournment, 4 State Championships, 3 National Championships, 11 Athletic All-Americans, and 10 Academic All-Americans in three decades in two centuries in 4 different sports.

Back to Menu