Northeastern State University Athletics

The 2019-20 season is Kennedy’s third with the RiverHawks men’s basketball program. 

Kennedy is no stranger to working for Mark Downey and he started his coaching career in 2010 at The University of Charleston where they made the 2012 NCAA Tournament, finishing No. 17 in the country.

After a brief stint at Southwest Baptist University serving as the Graduate Assistant coach for Jeff Guiot in 2012-13, Kennedy returned to Mark Downey’s staff this time at the University of West Alabama. In only one season at UWA, Downey and Kennedy were able to lead the Tigers to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1982. They also won a school record 14 games in Gulf South Conference and were Co-Champs of the Battle for Atlantis Mainland Classic defeating NCAA Division I opponents Abilene Christian and The Citadel.  

Kennedy then moved on to assist Danny Young at Division II national power University of Montevallo. Kennedy helped UM stay relevant by winning three straight Peach Belt West Conference Championships and one Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship in 2015. The Falcons made two NCAA tournaments appearances with their best being in 2015 reaching the regional finals. During his time at Montevallo, Kennedy helped graduate 11 senior athletes who exhausted their eligibility and coaching five All Conference selections including two All-Americans Troran Brown and Javonte Douglas.

In seven seasons of college coaching, Kennedy has been part of teams that have an overall record of 114-68, which includes two 20-win seasons, three conference championships, four NCAA tournament appearances, one sweet sixteen and one conference tournament championship. During that span he has coached fourteen all-conference players and three All-Americans.

Kennedy was an accomplished Division II player starting his career at West Liberty University under Jim Crutchfield before transferring to Salem International University. In his final season at SIU, Kennedy started at point guard every game and led the team in assists.

Kennedy graduated from Salem International University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Education degree in Physical Education. He also received a Masters of Arts in Teaching from the University of West Alabama in May 2015.