Gibbs Keeton - Women's Soccer Coach - Texas Tech Red Raiders

Gibbs Keeton

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
g.keeton@ttu.edu

Gibbs Keeton wrapped up his 14th season with the Texas Tech soccer program and his fourth in the role as an associate head coach in spectacular fashion in 2022. Keeton, working primarily with the goalkeepers and defensive front, saw defender Hannah Anderson and goalkeeper Madison White both receive honors from the Big 12.

Anderson was Tech’s lone All-Big 12 First Team selection after seeing significant minutes leading the Red Raider backline. White landed on the All-Big 12 Second Team after finishing the regular season with a league-leading nine shutouts and .632 goals against average.

Freshman defender Kylie Bahr also gained favor from the conference as she was dubbed a member of the Big 12 All-Freshman team.

Under the direction of Keeton, White was the only Big 12 keeper to shutout nationally ranked TCU during the 2022 campaign. She received back-to-back Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week distinctions after tallying shutouts against Baylor and TCU.

White broke out during the 2019 season after putting together one of the most decorated freshman seasons in program history. The Rockwall, Texas native became the program’s third Big 12 Freshman of the Year, was named to the 2019 First Team All-Midwest and earned All-Big 12 First Team and All-Freshman Team honors.

Keeton helped lead the Red Raiders to their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance after posting a 15-4-3 record in 2019.

In 2018, his Red Raider defense and goalkeeper unit posted a nation second-best 14 shutouts and a conference-best 0.53 GAA.

Keeton, a 2006 Texas Tech alumnus, served as the program's volunteer assistant coach from 2009-12 before his promotion to a full-time position prior to the 2013 season. He oversees the Red Raider goalkeepers and defense while also assisting with recruiting and all other aspects of the program.

In his first season as a full-time assistant, the Red Raiders snapped the school record for wins for the second-consecutive year after going 18-2-3 overall and advancing to the NCAA second round. Texas Tech also went 6-0-2 in Big 12 play en route to a second-place finish in the conference standings, the highest in school history.

The Texas Tech defense played a big part in its success in 2013 as the Red Raiders posted a school-record 17 shutouts. The strong play from the back line resulted in the Red Raiders closing the year with a .739 shutout percentage that ranked second nationally. Texas Tech also ranked among the top 10 teams in the country for goals against average (third) and save percentage (sixth).

Under Keeton's guidance, Victoria EssonClick here to hear it wrapped her illustrious career in scarlet and black as one of the nation's top goalkeepers. The New Zealand native allowed just nine goals as a senior for a .401 goals-against average that ranked fourth nationally. Her .875 save percentage also finished ninth in the country and tops in the Big 12.

Esson joined defenders Haley Haagsma and Jaelene HinkleClick here to hear it among the five Red Raiders selected to the All-Big 12 teams at the end of the regular season. Senior transfer Kansas BaylyClick here to hear it, another defensive standout, was also honored on the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team.

Hinkle, meanwhile, was recognized at the national level, earning NSCAA All-Region first team honors before eventually being named a third-team All-American by the organization. It marked just the second time in program history where a Red Raider had received All-America accolades. Hinkle added second-team All-America honors in 2014 as well.

Faced with Esson’s graduation, Keeton transformed Lauren Watson into one of the Big 12’s top goalkeepers in 2014 as the Red Raiders posted nine shutouts on the way to a 16-4-1 overall record and their first-ever trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Championship. Watson’s debut ranked the sophomore second all-time in Tech single-season history as her nine shutouts and 0.82 goals-against average trailed only Esson’s totals from 2013.

Her strong play earned Watson recognition on the All-Big 12 second team, marking the second-straight year where a Red Raider goalkeeper has been honored by the conference coaches. Watson played every minute in goal for the Red Raiders where she collected 69 saves and allowed just 19 goals.

In 2016, Watson was named to the All-Big 12 first team, while picking up NSCAA All-Central Region accolades for her performance in her final season in the scarlet & black. Watson totaled 86 saves for a .796 save percentage over 20 matches. Once again playing in every minute of every contest, Watson also added six clean sheets for a career total of 25.5, which is second all-time at Texas Tech. Her 254 career saves also put her in fourth in the Tech record books, moving her up three spots from where she began the year.

Keeton and the Red Raiders split time between two keepers for the majority of the 2017 season between junior Carissa Christensen and freshman Marissa Zucchetto. For the first 14 matches of the year, Christensen started the contest, with Zucchetto entering for second half action. Over the final five matches of the season, Zucchetto moved into the full-time role, starting and playing the entire duration of the game.

Christensen and Zucchetto combined for 65 saves and a 1.00 goals against average mark, giving up 20 goals while posting seven clean sheets in nine victories. Christensen finished the year with the sixth-best goals against average mark in school history at 0.99, with Zucchetto closely following with the seventh-best at 1.01. Zucchetto led the team in saves with 40 in 2017.

Zucchetto became the starter in net in 2018, and, under the teaching of Keeton, found herself tied for first in the country with 14 shutouts - just one shy of the Big 12 record of 15 held by Esson. Zucchetto was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week three times, which was more than any other player in the conference.

Keeton has been part of Tom Stone's staff for most of his tenure, assisting with daily training and match preparations. He has also been actively involved in the Texas Tech Academy, summer camps and developing the current Texas Tech soccer fitness program.

Within the Lubbock community, the El Paso native was instrumental in bringing local organizations together in order to form one major club in West Texas. He is currently serving as the Director of Coaching for the FC Dallas WTX soccer club and remains the coach for the '98 boys' team that plays in the Dallas Classic league.

Keeton, who holds a United States Soccer Federation 'B' license, earned his undergraduate degree in health, exercise and sports science from Texas Tech before receiving his master's degree in exercise physiology - also from Texas Tech. He spent most of his time as the volunteer assistant while also teaching in the ESS department following graduation.

Keeton played soccer collegiately at Grand Canyon University and was a member of the Arizona Sahuaros of the Professional Development League prior to enrolling at Texas Tech.

His coaching experience also extends into several collegiate camps including Texas A&M, Colorado, Santa Clara and Alma (Michigan) College.