Connor Keating

"I enjoy working with student-athletes to identify their personal roadblocks and figure out how to overcome them. It’s incredibly satisfying to be part of their growth and progress."

Building a Program. Making History.

Connor Keating ’09 enters his second season as head coach of Norwich University's women's wrestling program after guiding one of the most historic inaugural campaigns in University athletics.

When Norwich became the first Senior Military College and the first college in Vermont to sponsor NCAA varsity women's wrestling, Keating was entrusted with building the program from the ground up. In just one season, the Cadets established a competitive culture, celebrated numerous program firsts, and laid a foundation that continues to attract student-athletes eager to be part of one of collegiate athletics' fastest-growing sports.

A Historic First Season

The inaugural season produced milestones that will forever be part of Norwich Athletics history.

The Cadets earned the program's first victory, hosted the first collegiate women's wrestling dual meet in Vermont, celebrated their first home victories inside Plumley Armory, produced multiple regional place winners, and qualified the program's first national championship competitor.

Those accomplishments represented far more than individual achievements. They demonstrated the strength of the culture that Keating and the women’s wrestlers established from the very beginning.

Competing on the National Stage

First-year student Ay'Seante Ross became the first student-athlete in program history to qualify for the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships.

After battling through the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships, Ross secured a national berth with consecutive victories in the consolation bracket, becoming the first Cadet to represent Norwich on collegiate wrestling's national stage. Her achievement marked another historic first for a program competing in only its inaugural season.

Regional success extended beyond Ross.

Sophomore Abby Herdic joined Ross on the podium at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships as Norwich placed eight wrestlers at the regional tournament, demonstrating the program's growing competitiveness against established opponents.

Building More Than Wrestlers

For Keating, success is measured by more than wins and podium finishes.

His vision is to develop student-athletes who embrace challenge, compete with integrity, and grow as leaders throughout their Norwich experience. Every practice is built upon the fundamentals of wrestling while emphasizing discipline, accountability, resilience, and continual improvement.

That philosophy reflects the same lessons Keating learned as a Norwich student-athlete and now seeks to pass along to the next generation.

A Norwich Story

Keating understands the Norwich experience because he lived it.

A 2009 graduate, he concluded his collegiate career as team captain and Most Valuable Player while earning recognition as a two-time All-New England honoree, Scholar All-American, and finalist at the 2009 All-Academy Championships. His 44 career victories established a program record at the time and launched a competitive career that later included international success and recognition as a Senior All-American at the U.S. Open.

Since returning to Norwich as a coach, he has contributed to the success of the men's wrestling and women's rugby programs while helping numerous student-athletes earn regional and conference honors before assuming leadership of the inaugural women's wrestling team.

Investing in the Future

The launch of women's wrestling coincided with the opening of Norwich's expanded wrestling facility, providing both the men's and women's programs with a dedicated training environment designed for long-term growth.

More than twice the size of the previous space, the facility supports high-level training while demonstrating Norwich University's commitment to investing in the future of wrestling and the student-athletes who choose to compete on The Hill.

Coaching Philosophy

Keating believes wrestling is one of the greatest teachers of perseverance, confidence, and personal responsibility.

His coaching emphasizes mastering the fundamentals, embracing continual improvement, and finding joy in the daily process of becoming better. He challenges student-athletes to compete with courage while building the character and resilience that will serve them long after their competitive careers have ended.

Coach Highlights

• Inaugural head coach of Norwich women's wrestling.
• Led the first varsity women's wrestling season at a Senior Military College and the first collegiate women's wrestling program in Vermont.
• Guided the program to its first dual meet victory and first home victories.
• Coached Ay'Seante Ross to become the program's first NCAA national qualifier and national championship competitor.
• Guided multiple Cadets to podium finishes at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships.
• Helped establish the culture, traditions, and competitive foundation for one of NCAA athletics' fastest-growing sports.

Ready to embrace a thrilling challenge? Prepared to lay the cornerstone of a program from scratch? Then seize the opportunity to step on the mat with the Norwich University women’s wrestling team.

Q&A with Head Coach Keating

What brought you to becoming a coach for your sport?

I’ve been inspired by all the coaches I’ve had over the years and the impact their help and support had on my life. I want to be able to provide that same kind of guidance and encouragement to the next generation of athletes. Wrestling has shaped so much of who I am, and most of the good qualities I have, I owe to the sport. I feel like I have a lifelong debt to wrestling, and coaching is my way of giving back.

What excites you about this sport?

Wrestling excites me because there’s always more to learn and improve. I love how you can take techniques, make them your own, and execute them in a way that plays to your personal strengths. Wrestling has so few limitations. In some sports, you’re limited by how fast or strong you can become, but in wrestling, there’s no ceiling on how well you can refine your technique. There are always ways to highlight your strengths and hide your weaknesses.

What do you enjoy about working with student-athletes?

I love seeing the moment when something “clicks” for a student-athlete, and they’re able to execute a technique they’ve never been able to hit before. I enjoy working with student-athletes to identify their personal roadblocks and figure out how to overcome them. It’s incredibly satisfying to be part of their growth and progress.

What do you like about coaching at Norwich?

I enjoy coaching at Norwich because of the high standards our student-athletes are held to. They understand the importance of showing up on time and being ready to put in the work. They also have excellent communication skills and know how to advocate for themselves when needed, which makes coaching them a rewarding experience.

Why is Norwich a great place for student-athletes?

Norwich is an excellent place for student-athletes because there are very few outside distractions, and you’re surrounded by people who know what they want in life and are focused on their futures. When I was a young student-athlete at Norwich, I had no idea what I wanted in life or what my future would hold. My teammates were incredibly focused and driven, and their determination inspired me and pulled me along until I was able to figure things out for myself.

What is your approach to coaching?

You have to eat your meat and potatoes before you can have dessert. In wrestling, that means working on the fundamentals first. Once you’ve done that, you can start exploring your own style and approach — your ‘dessert.’ It’s also really important to me that my student-athletes enjoy their time wrestling and focus more on the process and joy of improving rather than just the outcomes.

What is Norwich’s approach to athletics, training, and being on a team?

We love athletes at Norwich. We challenge our student-athletes to strive for more while encouraging them to find balance in their lives. At Norwich, student-athletes have the opportunity to discover what’s most important to them and fully commit to pursuing it. Teammates here support one another and hold each other accountable to meet both team and university standards.