Pacific University Athletics

Keith Buckley took over as Athletic Director effective July 1st, 2020 after serving as Head Coach of the Pacific football program for 10 years and was Assistant Athletic Director for two years. He leads student-athlete success initiatives and coordinates with University-wide student success and retention initiatives.
 
Charged with the relaunch of the football program in August 2009, Buckley helped restart the Boxers football program as they fielded a team in 2010 for the first time since 1991. Buckley ranks third all-time in career wins (40-54 record) among Pacific football head coaches behind Hall of Fame members, Paul Stagg and Frank Buckiewicz, Sr. Buckley in five of his 10 seasons won four or more Northwest Conference games and went 31-35 overall in Conference play. He coached 99 All-NWC selections (27 first-team, 35 second-team and 37 honorable mention), a NWC "Defensive Player of the Year" (Jack Perez - LB, 2016), a NWC "Freshman of the Year" (Kobe Williams - WR, 2016), while coaching five West All-Region players and the program's first ever first-team All-American, Jack Perez (LB - 2016, awarded by American Football Coaches Association). 

In 2014 Buckley lead the Boxers to NWC title as the team tied for first finishing 6-1 in Conference play after just five years of restarting the program. Pacific became one of only eight NCAA Division III teams since 1997 to win a Conference title that quickly upon restarting a program. Team won six-straight NWC games setting a school record for longest NWC win streak and total number of Conference victories. 

Year prior to the NWC title in 2014 the Boxers posted one of the best seasons in program history going 7-3 (2013). The team opened the season on a five-game win streak the best start since 1950 and there three losses were by a combined 11 points that season. Boxers efforts that season earned them a spot in the D3Football.com and American Football Coaches Association Division III Top-25 rankings. 

In 2015, at 6-4 on the year, the Boxers secured their third consecutive winning season; three of their four losses were to teams that qualified for the NCAA Division III post-season. To find the last time that the Pacific program had three or more consecutive winning campaigns, you have to go back to a run that the Pacific Badgers had from 1946-52. Boxers set ten offensive school records during the 2015 season.

In 2016, Pacific and Buckley became the first NCAA Division III football program to host a game in Hawaii. The Pacific roster had 24 players, who hailed from the 50^th state – many of who were able to take part in the 45-22 win over Occidental. Individually, freshman Kobe Williams set new single-game records in receptions and yards as well as single-season marks in receptions and touchdowns also in 2016 season. 

During his tenure as Head Coach for Pacific football the team accomplished several school records, awards and etc. The 2019 team posted the most total yards on offense (4,560) and touchdowns (70) in a season, while four members of that team were also named to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society, which is comprised of college football players from all divisions of play who each maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or better throughout their college careers. In 2018 wide receiver, Ty Haris set the school record for receptions in a season with 83 under coach Buckley, while during the 2017 season runningback, Brandon Boyd became the first Boxer to rush for 1,000 yards since 1984 (Mike Connor). 
   
In 2011, Buckley led the Boxers to their first victory since the program’s reinstatement as they wowed a sellout homecoming crowd with a 44-25 victory over Puget Sound. 
  
Buckley arrived at Pacific after a four-year stint at UC Davis, where he served as assistant head coach and coordinated recruiting efforts for the Aggies’ NCAA Division I-FCS program, in addition to coaching the safeties. Prior to being promoted, Buckley spent three seasons as the Aggies’ defensive backs coach. During his time at his alma mater, Buckley played an instrumental role in the team’s transition from Division II to Division I under Head Coach Bob Biggs. The Aggies succeeded in extending their string of 37 consecutive winning seasons in addition to pulling off an upset of Stanford in their third season of transition to Division I.  Buckley was also the primary position coach for UC Davis’ first Division I All-American, free safety J.J. Barsi (2006).
 
In addition to his coaching duties, Buckley created and coordinated the Aggies’ annual high school football skills camp and worked as a lecturer in the physical education program, teaching courses in elementary physical education, sport in society and activity courses.

He made the move to the Northwest in 1999 when he joined the coaching staff at the University of Idaho were he coached defensive backs and outside linebackers for two seasons. He worked for former Oakland Raiders head coach and current offensive line coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, Tom Cable and former Wyoming and Idaho head coach, Chris Tormey. Buckley's coaching experience also includes a one-year stint as defensive backs coach at Humboldt State in Arcata, CA in 2001, also one-year as a defensive assistant and two-years at associate director of football operations at Stanford under Buddy Teevens.
 
Buckley played for the Aggies as a defensive back. During his time on the Aggies advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs twice and the team compiled a 30-11-2 record. An injury forced Buckley to the sidelines in his junior season, but gave him a jump-start in his coaching career.  He spent the 1996 season as an undergraduate assistant coach before being named cornerbacks coach in 1997 and defensive backs coach in 1998.
   
He earned his degrees in Rhetoric and Communications and English from UC Davis and got his master's degree in Sports Science - Sports Philosophy from the University of Idaho. 

He was inducted to the Hall of Fame at his prep alma mater, Milpitas High School, in 2012. Buckley and his wife, Kara, are the proud parents of two daughters, Kristen and Kaitlyn.