Brian Keats joined the Vermont women's swimming & diving coaching staff prior to the 2015-16 season and enters his second season as assistant coach in 2020-21.
Keats helped lead the Catamounts to their first ever America East Championship. He helped to coach eight America East All-Conference Team members, while leading Vermont to a 7-4 record and 1-1 America East record. Vermont also earned victories at the NJIT Invite and Harold Anderson Invitational … At the 2024 America East Championships Vermont earned nine varsity records, seven first year records and four gold medals.
Keats helped lead the Catamounts to a third place finish at the 2023 America East Championship for the 11th straight season, highlighted by sophomore Jackie House setting a school record in the 100 freestyle with several other podium finishes. The combination of House, Hally Laney, Ella Church and Mina Poppas claimed All-Conference honors with a medal finish in the 800 freestyle relay.
Keats was integral in helping the Catamounts for the first time in program history earn Female Rookie Swimmer of the Meet (Natalie Schlemmer) and Most Outstanding Female Swimmer (House) of the meet at the 2023 America East Championship. Vermont earned six All-Conference honorees at the America East Championship. With House, Hally Laney and Mina Poppas the Catamounts earned three members on the America East All-Academic Team. The seven team wins were the most in the program since the 2014-15 season where they went 8-2.
The 2022-23 season saw the Catamounts place first in the Harold Anderson Invitational for the first time in program history. The Catamounts also set a program record earning first in the NJIT Invitational racking up 1348 points and finishing ahead of UMBC, NJIT and Saint Francis.
At the 2022 America East Championship the Catamounts finished third for the 10th straight season, where they swept the 200, 400 and 800 freestyle relays. In the 200 and 400 freestyle relays the combination of Kira Parker, Jackie House, Cailin Campbell and Mina Poppas earned All-Conference honors claiming gold. Campbell, Ella Church, House and Poppas combined in the 800 freestyle relay to take home first. House, Poppas, Parker and Church each earned All-Conference honors, medaling in nine individual events. Kara Campbell also earned All-Conference honors in the 200 IM. Church set a Vermont Varsity record claiming gold in the 1650 freestyle on her way to All-Conference honors.
In 2019-20, Keats helped the Catamounts finish third at the America East Championship for the eighth straight season. Junior diver Emily Murphy earned team Athlete of the Year awards after placing third on the three-meter board to earn All-Conference honors. Murphy earned America East diver of the week honors four times in 2019-20.
Most recently, Keats served as the head age group coach at the Etobicoke Swim Club in Etobicoke, Ontario since 2012. Before working at the club, he earned a masters in exercise physiology from the University of Texas and was an assistant coach at the Longhorn Swim Camp.
Keats was the head assistant swim coach at MIT from 2008-10 while also serving as aquatics director and head coach at Brookline Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts from 2009-10. He was also a volunteer assistant swim coach at Boston University during the 2008-09 season.
Keats was a Division I swimmer at the University of Denver from 1999-2002. He was selected as team MVP and named an NCAA Academic All-American in 2001 and 2002. He was also ranked at the national level in Canada leading up to the 2004 Olympic Trials.
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