JONESBORO, Ark. (10/24/11) – Arkansas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame member, former Newport High School head football coach and current Arkansas State football radio color analyst Bill Keedy has been selected as a part of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Class for 2012.

In the early 1970's he coached at Paragould High School before moving to Sylvan Hills High School in 1976 and then moved to his hometown of Newport at the start of the 1977 season. During his tenure as coach of the Greyhounds, Keedy reached the playoffs 19 times, was named district coach of the year 17 times and finished with a record of 175-48-3. He led Newport to state championships in 1981 and 1991 and finished with an overall coaching record of 175-48-3.

In all, Keedy led Newport to four state championship games and reached the semifinals eight times. He was selected as a member of the high school all-star coaching staff 10 times and was an AHSCA Lowell Manning Award recipient for Outstanding Coach of the Year.  He was named a conference Coach of the Year 17 times, the Newport Daily Independent's Man of the Year twice, the recipient of the Newport Kiwanis Club's Distinguished Service Award and the first recipient of the Jonesboro Sun's 'Best Under the Sun' Coach of the Year.  As a lasting tribute, the Newport High School athletic facility was named the Bill Keedy Athletic Training Facility.

Keedy, who earned his degree from Arkansas State in 1969 and is a Distinguished Alumni recipient, began working for the East Arkansas Broadcasters Sports Radio Network in 2000 as the color analyst for the ASU football radio broadcasts. He is now in his 11^th season and has been in booth for many of Arkansas State's biggest games, including the 2005 New Orleans Bowl and ASU's victory over Texas A&M in 2008.

Keedy has been featured as a guest speaker at various functions held by the ASU Athletic Department and served multiple terms as a Red Wolf Club board member.

“We are very excited that Coach Keedy has been selected for this highly prestigious and well-deserved honor,” said ASU Director of Athletics Dr. Dean Lee.  “His record as a high school coach was phenomenal, and he is a tremendous ambassador for Arkansas State University.  He is well recognized for the outstanding work he does as part of our football radio broadcast team.  He takes a great amount of pride in his alma mater, and that is highly evident by the time sacrifices he has made in multiple capacities for the betterment of the University and our athletic department.”

Keedy, who will be inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame with 10 others, will be honored on Feb. 3 when the Class of 2012 is inducted during the organization's annual induction banquet at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.