Coach Rob Colbert hopes his lucky 13th year at the helm of the Keene State College men’s basketball program will bring about a successful season that has his Owl team battling for the Little East championship and making a return trip to the NCAA tournament. 

All indications point to a veteran KSC team improving on last year’s 17-11 (8-6/4th LEC) record that included a berth in the ECAC New England tournament.  The Owls gave defending conference champ R.I. College all in could handle before falling 102-92 in double-overtime in the LEC semifinals, and Colbert knows his team must display that same grit and determination throughout the season if it hopes to make a run at the conference crown. 

Under the direction of Colbert, the Owls have enjoyed unprecedented success.   During his tenure, Keene State has not only made 10 post-season appearances, and claimed four conference regular season titles, but  captured a first-ever LEC championship and trip to the NCAA Elite-Eight in 2004 and advanced to the Sweet-16 in 2007.  During this time, KSC has posted a 220-114 overall record and an impressive 111-57 mark in the LEC.  In addition, the program has produced two All-Americans and three LEC Players of the Year, 19 All-LEC players, and seven 1,000-point scorers. Last season, Ryan Martin led Division III in free throw percentage (96.1%).

That Keene State has become a top program under Colbert should come as no surprise. The Warwick, R.I., native coached at every level of college competition, including a two-year stint (1995-97) as an Owls' assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, prior to taking over as Keene State's 11th head coach in 1999. Already working as a high school coach as an undergraduate, Colbert was hired as an assistant coach at Bard College (Annandale, N.Y.) after he graduated from Marist College in 1992. He served for two years as the head men's coach at Dutchess Community College (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), before coming to Keene State in the fall of 1995.        

During his initial stint on the KSC staff, Colbert had the opportunity to bring to the campus many of the players who helped the Owls make an immediate impact in the Little East. He then returned to his alma mater to further his coaching experience and came back to KSC two years later as the Keene State's head coach.             

Coach Colbert directs the KSC Boys Basketball Camp each summer and the High Intensity Basketball Camp with former Keene High coach Phil Hebert. Colbert and his wife, Michelle, and sons Andrew and Jack reside in Swanzey, N.H.

Kevin Justice begins his 10th overall campaign with the Keene State men's basketball program and season as his fourth season serving as associate head coach. Justice, who also serves as the school's admission counselor for multicultural recruitment, will once again be involved in all facets of the program.  His responsibilities will also include post player development, and player relations.
 
Originally from Boise Idaho, Justice came to Keene State from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., where he was a four-year member of the basketball team.

One of the most respected Owl players during his four-year career, Matt Adams returns to his alma mater as an associate coach with the Keene State men’s basketball team this season.

Adams, who served as a student assistant and assistant coach for the Owls following his playing career, returns to Keene State after coaching stints at Rutgers-Newark in New Jersey and Franklin Pierce University.“It’s exciting to get a chance to work with these guys again” said Adams, who will be reunited with several players he recruited to the program during his previous tenure.  “I think I’ve grown as a coach in my previous positions and now I’m looking forward to bringing quality student athlete into the Keene State program.” 

Adams, who served as a senior captain, will not only head up Keene State's recruiting efforts but also utilize his understanding of the game and leadership qualities as a practice and bench coach with the team.

Success goes hand-and-hand for Adams was a member of the 2003-04 Keene State team that advanced to the “Elite-Eight” of the NCAA tournament and the was captain of the 2006-07 squad that reach the “Sweet-16” of the tournament. During his coaching stint at Rutgers-Newark in 2009-10, the Scarlet Raiders earned an NCAA berth.

A prolific outside shooter and three-point specialist during his KSC career, Adams joined the Owls after playing at Keene High School where he was a team captain and offensive MVP as a senior.

Who said you can’t go home again?  A former Owl captain who served as student assistant coach while completing his degree, Alphonse Michalski returns to Keene State College’s men’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach this season.  

Michalski, a native of Northampton, Mass., has kept close tabs on the program since graduating in 2005. “Even when I wasn’t there, I still cared about the program and wanted to see it succeed,” said Michalski. “I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into the program when I played. Hopefully, I can bring some of that passion back.”

“Alphonse is going to be our utility infielder. We’ll plug him in where we need him,” said Head Coach Rob Colbert. “He’ll do some recruiting, but his main focus will be practice and game coaching.”

A four-year player for the Owls, Michalski (1999-00, 2001-04) was a member of highly successful Keene State basketball team that earned an NCAA tournament berth.  A 1,000-point career scorer who is second in assists (490) and fifth in steals (161) on Keene State’s all-time career list, Michalski played on the Owls’ 2003-2004 team that captured the Little East championship and advanced to the elite-eight of the NCAA tournament.