Keith was a three-year letterwinner at Sheboygan North and John Overton H.S. in Tennessee. In four years of high school wrestling, Keith compiled an impressive 99-26 record, including a 28-5 record as a senior. He was a three-time team captain and team most valuable wrestler. Keith won several local tournaments and was a district champion in his senior season.
After high school, Keith joined the military and served four years of active duty onboard the USS Connole, stationed in Newport, Rhode Island. While working as an Operations Specialist onboard the USS Connole he received nine different awards for his outstanding work. His military service didn’t stop him from wrestling as he won the Freestyle and Greco-Roman competition at 114.5 lbs. at an all-Navy wrestling tournament in 1989. After his service, he began his MATC athletic career in the fall of 1992.
Keith adjusted to civilian life and school in his first year at MATC. Wrestling for only half of his first season he learned the ropes of collegiate wrestling and recorded an overall record of 8-6 while competing in the 118 and 126 pound weight classes. In his second season, Keith made tremendous improvement as he posted a 20-7 overall record. Along the way, he won the Concordia Open at 118 lbs., was the Maranatha Wrestling Festival Champion at 136.5 lbs and the Lawrence Invitational champion by “technical fall” at 118 lbs. His win at Lawrence helped propel MATC to the team title for the first time in ten years. At the 1994 Region XIII tournament he placed second, the highest finish by any MATC wrestler that season. With his second place finish he also became a national qualifier. At the national tournament he helped MATC to an eleventh place finish, tying the best national finish in school history. Keith also broke records that season including recording the fastest fall in MATC history, pining his opponent in a mere 13 seconds. He also broke the record for most 4-point decisions. The tremendous work ethic Keith displayed at practice and on the mat made him a deserving choice for the team’s most improved award in his second season. In 1996, Keith competed at the US Olympic Wrestling Team Trials in Chattanooga, TN, winning two matches by pin.
After MATC, Keith attended UW-Oshkosh where he wrestled for one semester and earned his bachelors degree in International Studies and minors in German and European Studies, graduating in May of 2000.
Keith currently works as a Psychiatric Care Technician and has been a Naval Reservist since 2001. Keith hasn’t lost his love of wrestling either. He has helped coach middle school and high school wrestling in Nashville and has also helped teach wrestling to kids at various area high schools over the last five years. Keith currently lives in Oshkosh, WI with his wife Stacy, their two year old daughter Madeline and a new baby girl, Olivia.
“Keith always set high goals for himself and was very motivated to reach them,” said Dennis Hoeser, former MATC Wrestling coach. “More than his wrestling accomplishments… I am proud of the person he has become today.”
