Completing his 17th season overall at the helm of the Huskies’ men’s soccer program (1992, 2005-2019, 2021), veteran head coach Mike Keller is the longest tenured head coach in program history. Keller’s 85 wins, the most by a USM men’s soccer coach, include the 2008 season’s 12-9-1 mark that included the Huskies’ first Little East Conference regular season championship. Keller was named the LEC Coach of the Year in 2008 for his efforts.
Since 2005, Keller has coached two LEC Offensive Players of the Year, one Defensive Player of the Year and two Rookies of the Year, and 28 times players have been recognized with All-Little East honors. Three of his former players, Sinisa Bajic '10, Greg Cox '09, Colin Reilly ‘09 have been inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame.
A three-time LEC pick at defense, Reilly helped USM to its program-first LEC regular season title. Named the 2008 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Reilly also earned a spot on the National Soccer Coaches Association (NSCAA) All-New England Region team.
One of the top midfielders in the Little East Conference during his career on the pitch at the University of Southern Maine, Cox finished his playing days as a three-time All-Little East Conference selection, earning second team All-LEC honors as a sophomore and first team honors as a junior and as a senior. Cox also earned National Soccer Coaches of America Association (NSCAA) All-New England Fourth team honors in 2007.
A two-time (2006, 2007) Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Sinisa Bajic was a prolific goal scorer and on-the-field presence for the Huskies’ men’s soccer team from 2005 through 2008. A four-time All-Little East Conference selection at forward, Bajic made an immediate impact for Southern Maine and was named the 2005 LEC Rookie of the Year. During Bajic’s playing career, Southern Maine advanced to the ECAC tournament twice (2007, 2008), and had a record of 15-11-2 in conference action, including a 6-1 record in 2008 when the Huskies were the LEC regular season champions.
During his tenure at MMA, Keller's team twice earned the North Athletic Conference Soccer Sportsmanship Award. He also served as head coach for various other athletic programs at that institution. While at Thomas, he led the Terriers to the Maine Athletic Conference title in 1995 and was named the MAC Coach of the Year in 1995.
Keller brings a wealth of experience and has well-developed contacts in the state coaching community. He is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association and has served as a representative for the NCAA New England Women's Soccer committee and the Maine Athletic Conference representative on the Northeast Regional Committee. He has also served as the State Director of Olympic Development for Maine Youth Soccer.
At Southern Maine, Keller teaches in the Sports Management program, and serves as advisor to the Huskies’ Student Athlete Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (SADIE) Committee. Keller is also the Athletic Department’s NCAA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Designee.
Keller holds a B.A. in mathematics from the University of Maine at Farmington and a graduate degree in physical education from the University of New Hampshire. Other previous coaching positions have included a year as head coach at UMaine Presque Isle and a graduate assistant post at UNH.
