McKendree University Athletics

Bryan O'Keefe was named as the director of bowling at McKendree University in June 2014. O'Keefe oversees the operations of the Bearcats' men's and women's programs.

O'Keefe has helped make an immediate impact on both teams since coming to the University. Since joining the Bearcats' staff, McKendree has produced a total of four bowling national championships -- two men's and two women's titles. The men's squad first won the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Intercollegiate Team Championships title in 2016, then added a second one in 2018. The McKendree women's program won both of its national championships in a one-week span. First, the Bearcats claimed the University's first NCAA championshiip by winning the 2017 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship event. Seven days later, McKendree captured the Intercollegiate Singles Championship crown, becoming just the second program in history to win both the NCAA and ITC titles in the same calendar year. 

Individually, McKendree has had a combined 13 bowlers earn All-America honors since O'Keefe's arrival. The women's squad has produced eight All-Americans during that time, including four-time honoree Breanna Clemmer and three-time recipient Taylor Bailey. On the men's side, the Bearcats have seen five All-America honorees during that same span -- a program-record three of which came in 2019-20. Bryan Hahlen (first team), Charlie Reid (second team) and Andrew Orf (honorable mention) all received the honor in 2019-20. 

The 2019-20 seasons were shaping up to be memorable ones for both McKendree programs. Both squads held the No. 1 ranking in their respective national polls when the year was prematurely cut short due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The men's team had four tournament titles under its belt, while the women's squad took first place in three events. 

In 2018-19, the Bearcats were among the top schools in the bowling ranks once again. On the men's side, McKendree collected five in-season tournament crowns before capping off the year with a third-place finish at the Intercollegiate Team Championships. In women's competition, the Bearcats claimed three regular-season tournament victories while winning its second straight Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association tltle. McKendree went on to finish second at the Intercollegiate Team Championships and fifth at the NCAA Championship.

McKendree was dominant once again on the lanes in 2017-18. The men's team closed out the year by winning its second Intercollegiate Team Championships national title in three years. The Bearcats took down Robert Morris University (Ill.) three games to one in the best-of-five finals to capture the crown. In women's competition, McKendree earned a runner-up finish in both national championships. The Bearcats came up just short of their second straight NCAA title, falling to Vanderbilt University in the seventh and deciding game of the championship match. A week later McKendree placed second at the Intercollegiate Team Championships. The men's team registered nine top-five finishes for the year, while the women's squad won four tournaments along with their first MIAA crown.

The 2016-17 seasons were certainly memorable for the McKendree bowling programs. The women's team started off by taking top honors at three in-season tournaments. After placing second at the inaugural MIAA Championships, the Bearcats grabbed an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament field. McKendree grabbed the No. 1 seed heading into bracket play thanks to its 6-1 record in the qualifying rounds. Two more victories put McKendree into the national championship match against the University of Nebraska. The Bearcats then rolled to a four-game sweep of the Huskers to claim the University's first NCAA national championship in any sport. 

A week later -- at the same facility as the NCAA event -- McKendree notched its second national championship of the year by taking the top spot at the Intercollegiate Team Championships. It marked just the second time a school won both the NCAA and ITC crowns in the same calendar year. 

The men's team registered a pair of tournament victories before embarking on another deep run at the Intercollegiate Team Championship. The Bearcats' bid for a second straight national title came up just short as the team was edged by Webber International in the finals, three games to two. 

The McKendree men's team left little doubt as to its championship aspirations in the 2015-16 season. The Bearcats totaled eight top-five finishes during the year -- including two tournament wins -- in marking itself one of the favorites entering the Intercollegiate Team Championships. McKendree then reached the finals of the ITC, where it faced William Paterson University in the title match.

After dropping the first two games in the best-of-five Baker match, McKendree began to rally. The Bearcats registered a pair of decisive victories in games three and four to set up a winner-take-all battle in game five. McKendree was able to fight its way to a 12-pin victory, enabling the program to win its first national championship.

It was also a breakthrough year on the women's side in 2015-16. McKendree earned its first-ever bid to the NCAA National Collegiate Women's Bowling Championship, where the Bearcats did not disappoint. McKendree rolled to a top-three finish to bring home the first NCAA hardware in program history. The Bearcats followed up a week later by placing third at the Intercollegiate Team Championship.

Both programs saw post-season success in 2014-15, which was O'Keefe's first year at McKendree. The men's team placed in the top five of all 13 its its tournaments, including three first-place finishes. The Bearcats rolled through the field at the xBowling Intercollegiate Sectional Qualifier in March to earn its fourth trip in five yesrs to the xBowling Intercollegiate Team Championships. On the national stage, McKendree was second after the qualifying rounds and closed the tournament with a fifth-place showing. 

On the women's side, McKendree made its way into the top 10 of the National Tenpin Coaches Association (NTCA) poll, which represents all levels of NCAA bowling. The Bearcats narrowly missed a trip to its first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships, but rebounded to win its xBowling Intercollegiate Sectional Qualifier and make its 11th consecutive trip to the xBowling national meet. McKendree was third following the qualifying rounds of the national tournament, then closed the year by finishing fifth overall. Senior Jodi Gawlik capped her standout career by earning third-team All-America honors from the NTCA for the second straight season. 

In 2017, O'Keefe was named the head coach for Junior Team USA. He has coached some of the top young talent from across the nation, including several members of the McKendree bowling programs. 

A well-respected coach at every level of the game, O’Keefe came to McKendree after serving as the assistant coach and facility manager for the International Training and Research Center for Team USA Bowling. He has coached men’s, women’s and youth teams in world competition during that time. Under O’Keefe’s tutelage, Team USA members have brought home more than 100 medals since 2010, including more than 20 gold medals.

Most recently, O’Keefe was awarded Gold-level coaching status through the USBC Coaching Certification program. He is one of just 28 active coaches throughout the world – and the second-youngest – to reach this certification level.

Prior to his experience with Team USA, O’Keefe spent nearly three years as a coaching specialist for the USBC based in Milwaukee, Wis. His coaching career began at the collegiate level, guiding the program at the Rochester Institute of Technology from 1997-99.

Collegiately, O’Keefe attended the University of Nebraska, where he helped lead the Huskers to the 1996 USBC Intercollegiate Team Championship. That capped a stellar season for O’Keefe, where he earned first-team All-America honors and was runner-up for national Bowling of the Year accolades.

Along with his vast coaching experience, O’Keefe has remained a competitive bowler, and teamed with his wife Shannon to win the PBA Luci Bonneau Doubles championship in 2012. Shannon O'Keefe was introduced as the head women's bowling coach at McKendree in June 2014.