Keene State acting head men’s basketball coach David Hastings will not be considered in the program’s national search for a permanent head coach, the college said Thursday.
Hastings does not have a bachelor’s degree, which is required by University System of New Hampshire policy for the position.
“This decision is based not on performance but on minimum qualification thresholds for this position, and all Keene State head coaching roles, as specified by the University System of New Hampshire. ... These job qualifications are adhered to for consistency and competitiveness in the hiring process, among other reasons,” President Melinda Treadwell said in a statement Thursday.
This season Hastings led the team to a second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament.
“I want to thank the college and everybody involved for the opportunity to coach this program,” Hastings said. “I thought we were able to achieve some great things this season.”
Hastings served four years in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, rising to the rank of sergeant, and spent 34 years in law enforcement, retiring as the chief of police in Gill, Mass., in 2017.
“I am disappointed that my history of service to my country and to my community in law enforcement and my collective service isn’t viewed in a way that makes me eligible,” Hastings said.
“I think my background is pretty good,” Hastings added. “I don’t have a piece of paper that says I went to school. ... I was confident that I was going to be able to keep this job and that something would be figured out. It’s a shame.”
Hastings, 60, said he still intends to apply for the opening, which has not yet been posted to the USNH job board.
Keene State Athletic Director Marty Testo expressed his gratitude for Hastings’ time at Keene State.
“I really appreciate everything David has done as a head coach and a person in our department,” Testo said. “You couldn’t ask for more from an acting head coach. He is a great person and a well-respected person in the community.”
Hastings said he intends to carry out his head coaching responsibilities through the end of his contract in May.
Treadwell said Thursday that “This is not about David’s performance, but it is about disrupting structures across our system that are intentional and designed to recruit coaches in a way that is consistent and in the best interest of our respective institutions. David has been steadfast during his many years with the men’s basketball team at Keene State, and I am grateful and appreciative of his dedication and passion on and away from the court.”
Hastings was named acting head coach at Keene State in July 2023 after Ryan Cain accepted the head coaching job at Johns Hopkins University in June. Hastings was hired as an assistant coach under Cain at KSC in 2016 and served as the program’s associate head coach for the past five seasons.
In his first year as acting head coach, Hastings led the Owls to a 26-4 record that culminated in the program’s third consecutive Little East Conference title and its second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
In Hastings’ eight seasons at Keene State, the Owls have a 152-59 record and have appeared in five NCAA Tournaments.
Prior to coaching at Keene State, Hastings spent 15 years coaching at Pioneer Valley Regional High School in Northfield, Mass.
(1) comment
Sadly, Penny Hardaway can't coach at KSC. No college degree. Will have to stay at the University of Memphis.
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