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Rivier University names coach for inaugural Men's Ice Hockey team

Experienced ice hockey coach and former Northeastern Huskies forward Matt Keating joins Raiders Athletics.

Matt Keating Head Coach Men's Ice Hockey

Matt Keating, Head Coach Raiders Men’s Ice Hockey

Join us on October 29 for the Men’s Ice Hockey team’s inaugural game.

Rivier University has hired Matthew Keating as head coach for its new men’s ice hockey program. Currently an NCAA Division III assistant hockey coach, Keating joins Raiders Athletics with a wealth of experience in player recruitment, development, and coaching. He will play an integral role in establishing the University’s NCAA Division III men’s ice hockey program, launching in fall 2021.

Demonstrating its commitment to college athletics and student success, the University announced last year that it would add men’s and women’s ice hockey to its 2021 roster of athletic teams, expanding to 15 intercollegiate teams.

“Matt’s passion, experience, and record of accomplishments promise a strong program and an exciting year for Raiders Athletics,” says Joanne Merrill, Director of Athletics. “Under his leadership, I believe our students will grow as individuals, scholars, and athletes.”

Keating joins Rivier after serving as the NCAA Division III top Assistant Coach and Recruitment Coordinator for men’s ice hockey at Babson College (NEHC) and Tufts University (NESCAC). He helped lead Babson College to a third-place finish in the conference standings during his first season with the program in 2018-19. The following year a second-place finish in the NEHC brought Babson to the NCAA Tournament, and the team finished its 2021 campaign at 8-0 with top Division III rankings—#1 in scoring offense, #1 in scoring defense, #4 in power play percentage, and #5 in penalty kills.

Prior to Babson College, Keating spent five seasons at Tufts University, taking the team to the conference tournament in each of his final four years with two semifinal appearances. Before Babson, Keating served as a volunteer assistant coach and Supervisor of Athletic Facilities/Student Lead Coordinator at Bentley University, a head coach for the Greater Boston Junior Bruins, and as a coach and evaluator for the USA Hockey New England District.

“I’m honored and excited to build the ice hockey program at Rivier and coach a team of committed student-athletes to compete at the national level,” says Keating. “The program will support solid academic standards and strive for excellence on the ice and in the community.”

In addition to coaching, Keating served as a scout for the Madison Capitols (USHL). He was a Division I college athlete in ice hockey and baseball at Northeastern University, where he received numerous honors and awards. He was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the June 2000 Major League Baseball free agent draft and played minor league baseball for five years.

Keating is a resident of Arlington, Massachusetts. He holds two bachelor’s degrees—one in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University and another in Accounting from Bentley University—and a Master of Education in Athletic Administration from Endicott College.

“Matt is a powerhouse,” says Kurt Stimeling, Vice President for Student Affairs. “Rivier’s hockey recruits will benefit from his investment in their success on every level.”

Students interested in learning more about attending and playing ice hockey at Rivier University should contact Coach Keating at (603) 897-8258. Applications are being accepted for both the fall 2021 and fall 2022 semesters. Through Rivier’s Early Acceptance Program, students applying for the fall 2022 semester are able to receive on-the-spot acceptance and $2,500 in incentives when they apply, interview, and tour campus by November 25. Interviews and tour dates can be scheduled online at rivier.edu/admissions/visit.