Longtime KU and College Athletics Administrator Larry Keating Passes Away
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Larry Keating, longtime Kansas administrator whose career in intercollegiate athletics spanned more than five decades, died early Tuesday morning at his home in Southport, N.C. Keating was 76 years old.
Keating joined the Kansas Athletics staff in August 2003. During that span he served as Senior Associate Athletics Director and as Special Assistant to the Athletics Director. For 16 years, from 2003-19, Keating oversaw the KU’s men’s basketball schedule, which consistently ranked among the nation’s best.
“We are all deeply saddened with the passing of Larry,” KU head basketball coach Bill Self said. “Larry was an integral part of the Kansas Athletics Department and our program. He played a pivotal role in success that we had during his 16-year tenure (at KU). He was solely responsible for putting together schedules that gave us the best opportunity for NCAA Tournament success. More than a colleague, he was a mentor and a friend to everyone that knew him. We’re all hurting for his wife Jaime, their son Kerry, and their daughters Jaime and Katie, and their two grandsons. He will be missed.”
Keating was among the nation’s most respected athletics administrators, having served on the NCAA Council, the Men’s Basketball Issues Committee and other NCAA sports committees. He served two terms on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, which he chaired for a total of four years.
Keating came to KU from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), where he served as Assistant Commissioner for Basketball/Football. At the MAAC, Keating was responsible for conference scheduling, the MAAC Basketball Tournaments, officiating and television coordination. He served as Tournament Director of the 2003 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball East Regional in Albany, N.Y.
Keating was Athletics Director at Seton Hall University for 12 years, during which time the Pirates participated in six NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments. That included Seton Hall’s first-ever appearance (1988), and the Pirates’ run to the championship game of the 1989 NCAA Final Four. While at Seton Hall, Keating served terms as chair the Big East Executive, Television and Championships Committees. Prior to Seton Hall, Keating was Athletics Director at Adelphi University (Garden City, N.Y.) for six years.
After military service, including a tour in Vietnam, Keating began his athletics career as an assistant basketball coach for 10 years, first at his alma mater, Stonehill College (North Easton, Mass.), then at Hofstra University (Hempstead, N.Y.), which made its first-ever NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball appearance during that time.
