McKeon Joins Saint Xavier University Football Coaching Staff
CHICAGO – Just a couple of months after being inducted into the Saint Xavier University Athletics Hall of Fame, the SXU Athletics Department and its football program is pleased to announce the recent hire of Bill McKeon '11 to the coaching staff. McKeon will serve as the Cougars' defensive coordinator moving forward and brings a wealth of experience both from a standout playing career at Saint Xavier as well as assistant coaching stints at SXU and neighboring Brother Rice High School over the last six years. He was also a part-time assistant coach for the team that won the University's first national championship in 2011.
"We are ecstatic to have Billy come back to us in a full-time role and are looking forward to him doing a fantastic job as our defensive coordinator," said Saint Xavier University football coach Mike Feminis. "Billy has a great mind for the game of football and, even though he previously coached and played on the offensive side, I believe the transition he's making to defense will be relatively smooth because of the coaches he'll be surrounded by which are guys he played with and enjoyed tremendous success. I have no doubt the passion and energy that Billy will bring to the table every day on the field and as a recruiter will allow SXU to remain one of the top small college football programs in the country."
McKeon was a wide receiver and return specialist for the Cougars from 2006-09. During his playing career, SXU amassed an impressive 40-11 overall record, won the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Mideast League title in 2009, boasted the program's first perfect regular season slate (11-0) in 2009 and made three NAIA Football Championship Series appearances, including two trips to the national semifinals in 2006 and 2009. McKeon was named a College Fanz NAIA First Team All-American in 2009 and an honorable mention All-American in 2008. He was also a first team selection on the MSFA All-Mideast League Team in both 2008 and 2009 and a second team selection in 2007. McKeon currently ranks No. 2 all-time at Saint Xavier University in career receptions (257), No. 5 in career touchdowns scored (33) and No. 7 in career all-purpose yards (4,146) and is also tied at No. 3 for single-season rushing touchdowns (10) in 2009. This past February, he was inducted into the SXU Athletics Hall of Fame.
"It is a great privilege and dream come true for me to join the SXU staff," said McKeon. "I have developed a great friendship with the staff over the years and I look forward to continuing to build on that. I'm ecstatic about getting back around the players, building those relationships and working toward our 'one goal' of winning another national championship."
The Saint Xavier University football program has found plenty of success in recent years with adding former players to its coaching staff. In addition to McKeon, the Cougars head into the 2016 campaign with the following alumni on its staff: Tim Ladd '14 (offensive line), Andy Ricca '06 (wide receivers), Chris Rodgers '08 (defensive backs), Eric Schreiber '08 (film coordinator), Brendan Sheehy '12 (linebackers) and McHale Smith '13 (wide receivers). Rodgers and Ricca join McKeon on the staff as former All-Americans and members of the SXU Athletics Hall of Fame.
"With the recent additions of Chris Rodgers, Brendan Sheehy and Andy Ricca in part-time roles, we now have a total of seven alums on our staff and I couldn't be happier," continued Feminis. "All of these guys were instrumental in the success of some of our great teams from the past, but I'm also very proud of how much they've given back to the program and University since they graduated from here. We have a very generous and close-knit group of SXU football alums and I know all of them will agree that this is a great day for Cougar football and are anxiously awaiting the 2016 season."
