McKeown leaves GW for Northwestern

EVANSTON -- Joe McKeown, the women's basketball coach who led George Washington to 17 NCAA tournament appearances in 19 seasons, is leaving for Northwestern, according to a newspaper report.

George Washington athletic director Jack Kvancz confirmed the move to The Washington Post in a story posted on its Web site Sunday.

"He's done a great job," Kvancz told the Post, adding the move surprised him. "I thought he would stay here a long, long time."

McKeown, 52, became the 34th head coach in Division I history to pass the 500-victory mark this season and finished the 2007-08 campaign with 509 career victories, a total which ranks 21st on the active Division I list.

The winningest coach in GW and Atlantic 10 women's basketball history, McKeown compiled a 441-154 record as head coach of the Colonials. He guided them to the regional finals in 1997, the round of 16 in 1995, 2007 and 2008 and the second round on nine occasions. Also playing in the WNIT in 1993 and 2002, McKeown has taken his teams to postseason play in all but three of his 22 seasons.

George Washington made its second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament round of 16 this March and finished with a 27-7 overall record in 2007-08, one victory shy of the program record. The No. 14 final ranking was the third highest in school history behind the No. 10 ranking from 1996-97 and a No. 11 final ranking in 2006-07.

McKeown, whose teenage son Joey is autistic, has in the past mulled taking what he would have considered to be lesser coaching jobs in other states so that the boy could attend a school more suited to his needs.

He's taking over a team that was 24-95 overall and 7-59 in Big Ten play in four seasons under former coach Beth Combs. She resigned May 7, after Northwestern went 5-26 overall while finishing last in the Big Ten at 1-17.