Trojan News

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Former Trevecca volleyball player Alexa Robertson Keckler has moved her coaching whistle to Muhlenberg College, a NCAA Division III college in Pennsylvania. Keckler is married to former Trojan men's basketball player Darryl Keckler .

After five years of wearing the orange and blue of Gettysburg College, Keckler has been hired to lead the volleyball program at Centennial Conference rival Muhlenberg College. Also the coordinator of Gettysburg's successful Wellness Program for employees, she will serve in a similar capacity at Muhlenberg as the Assistant Director of Recreation and will teach fitness and wellness classes.

"I had a very rewarding and enjoyable time here at Gettysburg," said Keckler. "I will miss the players and my coworkers on campus. There were so many people here that made this job fun to come to everyday."
Already with a strong history of success, Gettysburg welcomed Keckler to the fold in 2005 and she upheld that program's standard by capturing the conference championship and leading the team to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Bullets have managed a record of 96-55 overall (.636 winning percentage) under her tutelage, including a 40-10 mark against Centennial competition. Gettysburg has finished as the conference tournament runner-up in each of the last two seasons and hosted the event in 2008.

In Keckler's five years as head coach, 19 Gettysburg players landed on the All-CC team, including six on the first team. Keckler inherits a Muhlenberg team that went 11-13 and earned its first CC playoff berth in eight years in 2009. Ironically, the Mules beat Keckler's Gettysburg squad in the final match of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs.

The move to Muhlenberg is more than just career driven for Keckler. Since the fall of 2008, her family has been divided with husband and former Gettysburg men's basketball assistant coach Darryl Keckler leading the men's basketball team at Drew University in Madison, N.J. Only 70 miles separate Allentown from Madison and Alexa and Darryl along with daughters Olivia (4) and Camryn (eight months) will take up residence in one of the communities in between.

"For one, my family will no longer live in two different states!" stated Keckler on what she was looking forward to most about the move. "Secondly, I am looking forward to working with and meeting new people, players and prospective student-athletes. I love volleyball and enjoy coaching and I know Muhlenberg will be a great new adventure with lots of excitement for the game!"

Before taking over at Gettysburg, Keckler piloted her alma mater of Smithsburg (Md.) High School to an 18-2 record in 2002 and guided Littlestown (Pa.) High School to an 18-5 mark and a district playoff appearance in 2004.

In between those assignments, she served as head coach of the Tri-State FCA Volleyball Club's 15-and-under girls team, leading that squad to a 49-25 record in 2003-04.

Keckler was an all-region most valuable player and junior college All-American at Hagerstown Community College where she earned an associates degree in 1998. In 2004 she was selected to the Hagerstown Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 2000 she graduated from Trevecca Nazarene University with a bachelor's degree in sports and exercise science in 2000. She was a two-year letterwinner with the TNU volleyball program, earning TranSouth Athletic Conference academic honors both seasons.

She acquired a master's degree in human performance from Frostburg State University in 2002 and also has CAP 2 coaching certification from USA Volleyball. In addition to her coaching duties, she has served as the director of the Mid-Maryland Volleyball Camp since 1996.