The SwampBats are pleased to announce that Shaun McKenna will be returning for his fifth season leading the team as head coach. He brings a long history with the ‘Bats, having served as the hitting instructor in both the 2004 and 2005 seasons before returning as the associate head coach for Gary Calhoun in the 2019 championship season. He was named the next head coach in 2020. Four years ago, McKenna directed a Northern Division regular season championship-winning team in his first year as head coach as Keene finished 26-15.
“There are few communities in the country that support their summer collegiate team as do the fans in Keene. It is an honor to take the field every night in front of such a knowledgeable and enthusiastic crowd.”
In 2025, McKenna’s staff will consist of third year assistant coach Casey O’Brien and first year pitching coach Stephen Bangs, both of whom will bring unique traits to the team.
“The SwampBats organization has always prided itself on the quality of its coaching staff,” said McKenna. “Once again we are bringing two highly qualified professionals to Keene to work with our team. Casey O’Brien and Stephen Bangs bring a level of expertise that I know our players will find well beyond their expectations.” Casey, who hails from Connecticut, has a 10-plus year resume of working with college talent. “I am looking forward to working with Coach O’Brien again.”
Our new pitching coach, Stephen Bangs, just graduated from Franklin Pierce University, where he played baseball for four years. Says McKenna, “Stephen Bangs brings a deep understanding of the craft of pitching. He is a product of the nationally renowned Cressey Sports Performance and will enhance our elite pitching staff’s mechanics. We are fortunate to have Stephen back with us this season as our Pitching Coach.”
McKenna has a long history of involvement with championship teams. As a player, he was part of a long run of Division III World Series teams for the University of Southern Maine, and a key member of their 1997 team that won the national championship with a 15-1 rout of the College of Wooster (Ohio) and finished 39-9.
As the associate head coach with the ‘Bats in 2019, he played a major role in assisting Coach Calhoun, who was also in his first year as the head man of Keene, to a 30-19 record and a third NECBL championship since 2011. In 2021, the franchise recorded its 600th victory with a 9-3 blowout of North Adams on July 21.
Shaun’s coaching resume is extensive and includes time at Marshall University before spending five seasons at his alma mater, the University of Southern Maine. He just finished his second season with the Keene State Owls as their assistant coach. Additionally, McKenna has coached at St. Anselm College, Castleton University, and Ranger Junior College in Texas.
“I am excited to continue being part of the Keene SwampBats, an organization that has become the gold standard for summer collegiate baseball,” said McKenna. “My staff and I are committed to working hard to bring a sixth championship to Keene and our fans.”
