Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Legend Dave Keilitz To Enter Hall Of Fame
5/13/2021 10:58:00 AM | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – One of the giants in Central Michigan Athletics history has been elected to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Dave Keilitz, a former student-athlete, coach, and athletics director at CMU, will be inducted into the hall of fame during a June 26 virtual ceremony. He was elected under contributor's section of the ballot.
It marks the seventh hall of fame membership for Keilitz, a Midland native who was a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American as a student-athlete at CMU from 1961-64, coached the program to unprecedented success for 14 seasons beginning in 1971, and then served for 10 years as the university's director of athletics.
"It's a wonderful honor," said Keilitz, who served as the executive director of the American Baseball Coaches Association from 1994-2004 and remains one of the most highly respected voices in the college game. "Each hall of fame that I've been fortunate enough to be included in is special and each one is a little bit different. I'm very humbled by it.
"None of these would be possible without the opportunities that I've had, most of which lead back to Central Michigan University. The players, the assistant coaches that I've had -- especially Dean Kriener -- and all the administrators at CMU, my work with all the coaches in the American Baseball Coaches Association, I've just been blessed to have had so many wonderful opportunities.
"No recognition like this, or any others that I've received, are possible without an awful lot of help and wonderful people along the way."
Keilitz was inducted, along with legendary New York Yankee and Kalamazoo native Derek Jeter, into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. Keilitz is also a member of the Central Michigan University Marcy Weston Athletics, American Baseball Coaches, the Mid-American Conference, the Midland County Sports, and the NAIA halls of fame.
"Dave Keilitz is extremely deserving of this recognition and we are so proud to have him receive this outstanding honor," Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan. "He has done so much for CMU and college baseball and the current success by both our program and the sport can be directly tied to him.
"Dave has become a great friend and counsel during my time here and he is still deeply committed to helping this department succeed. He will no doubt go down as one of the greatest CMU Chippewas in our history and we are so thankful to have him."
Keilitz became CMU's first baseball All-American during his senior year, 1964, as a standout first baseman. He coached the program to a 453-203-6 record from 1971-84, leading the Chippewas to four Mid-American Conference championships, and six NCAA Tournament appearances. Four times he earned the MAC Coach of the Year Award.
His uniform number (34) was retired in 2018 and the Chippewas' home -- Keilitz Family Field at Theunissen Stadium – now bears his name.
Dave Keilitz, a former student-athlete, coach, and athletics director at CMU, will be inducted into the hall of fame during a June 26 virtual ceremony. He was elected under contributor's section of the ballot.
It marks the seventh hall of fame membership for Keilitz, a Midland native who was a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American as a student-athlete at CMU from 1961-64, coached the program to unprecedented success for 14 seasons beginning in 1971, and then served for 10 years as the university's director of athletics.
"It's a wonderful honor," said Keilitz, who served as the executive director of the American Baseball Coaches Association from 1994-2004 and remains one of the most highly respected voices in the college game. "Each hall of fame that I've been fortunate enough to be included in is special and each one is a little bit different. I'm very humbled by it.
"None of these would be possible without the opportunities that I've had, most of which lead back to Central Michigan University. The players, the assistant coaches that I've had -- especially Dean Kriener -- and all the administrators at CMU, my work with all the coaches in the American Baseball Coaches Association, I've just been blessed to have had so many wonderful opportunities.
"No recognition like this, or any others that I've received, are possible without an awful lot of help and wonderful people along the way."
Keilitz was inducted, along with legendary New York Yankee and Kalamazoo native Derek Jeter, into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. Keilitz is also a member of the Central Michigan University Marcy Weston Athletics, American Baseball Coaches, the Mid-American Conference, the Midland County Sports, and the NAIA halls of fame.
"Dave Keilitz is extremely deserving of this recognition and we are so proud to have him receive this outstanding honor," Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan. "He has done so much for CMU and college baseball and the current success by both our program and the sport can be directly tied to him.
"Dave has become a great friend and counsel during my time here and he is still deeply committed to helping this department succeed. He will no doubt go down as one of the greatest CMU Chippewas in our history and we are so thankful to have him."
Keilitz became CMU's first baseball All-American during his senior year, 1964, as a standout first baseman. He coached the program to a 453-203-6 record from 1971-84, leading the Chippewas to four Mid-American Conference championships, and six NCAA Tournament appearances. Four times he earned the MAC Coach of the Year Award.
His uniform number (34) was retired in 2018 and the Chippewas' home -- Keilitz Family Field at Theunissen Stadium – now bears his name.
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