University of San Diego

Mike Keeler has done a remarkable job at USD in the development of San Diego's swimming and diving program since taking over as the Toreros head coach in the fall of 1998. Keeler's student-athletes have shattered virtually every school record. Under his guidance the Toreros won back-to-back team titles at the Pacific Collegiate Swimming Conference Championships (2000 & 2001) and made the school's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Championships (2003)- setting the table for San Diego's successful bid for membership in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2005. Keeler, a two-time PCSC Coach of the Year, has a track record of recruiting and developing outstanding student-athletes. In USD's six seasons in the PCSC under his direction, 10 different Toreros established conference records while 30 were recognized as all-conference performers. In 2003, USD placed 38th nationally at the NCAA Championships behind the efforts of then-freshman standout and All-America honorable mention Ashley Swart. Altogether, Keeler has coached 44 conference champions, 100 all-conference selections and 101 conference all-academic honorees during his tenure at USD. Prior to USD, Keeler served as assistant men's swim coach at Purdue University in Indiana for five seasons. Keeler held assistant swim coaching posts for the women's swimming program at Purdue (1993-94), similar men's and women's positions at the University of Miami (1991-93) and at Michigan State (1988). Through the 1989-91 seasons, Keeler was the assistant men's coach for Michigan State. Throughout his extended collegiate coaching career, Keeler has recruited and trained men and women who have scored as high as third at the NCAA Championships. At Purdue, Keeler assisted in coaching the Boilermakers to a 34th place finish at the 1998 NCAA Championships with five individuals being awarded All-American honors. At the 1997 NCAA Championships, the team placed 19th with four All-Americans and four championship finalists. At the conference level, in a four year span, Purdue produced 12 Big Ten Champions, 55 Academic All-Big Ten honorees and eight national academic All-American recipients. Besides his collegiate coaching experience, Keeler worked as camp director and guest speaker at the Elite Olympic Development Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs; Co-Camp Director at Michigan State (summer, 1993); head senior coach for Hurricane Aquatics (summer, 1992); and as head coach for the Spartan Swim Club (summer, 1989). A 1984 graduate of Central Michigan University, Mike earned his B.S. Degree in Physical Education. He went on to earn his M.S. degree in Physical Education, with an emphasis on Coaching and Athletic Administration, at Michigan State in 1992. He is currently a member of the United States Swimming, College Swim Coaches Association, and the American Swim Coaches Association. He was the lead-author of "Biomechanical Analysis: Stroke Frequency/Velocity Testing Protocol", an article that appeared in the United States Swimming Magazine "Coaches Quarterly." Mike and his wife Michele have three children, Matthew, Mitchell and Mayce.

Amy Alexander enters her sixth season as the diving coach with the Toreros during the 2023-24 season. Her coaching philosophy revolves around the idea that all wins, losses, successes, and setbacks are valuable learning opportunities for each athlete. Prior to coaching at San Diego, Alexander was the head swim and dive coach of Westview High School (2015-18), where she was named the CIF San Diego Girls Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year in 2015. Alexander served as a high school diving coach for Rancho Bernardo High School (2011-12, 2017-18), Westview High School (2005-10, 2013-18), and assisted various other local high schools with their diving programs. Alexander has coached Palomar League and CIF Section champions. Alexander is also the co-head coach of a local club diving team, where she coaches novice, Junior Olympic, and senior divers, focusing on character building and skill progressions. As a student-athlete, Alexander and her diving teammates contributed to her high school’s league victories (2002, 2003) and CIF Championship victory (2003). Alexander continues to participate in the sport through masters diving. She also has a background in competitive gymnastics, and was a national qualifier in tumbling and trampoline. Alexander received a bachelor’s degree in psychology in her hometown from San Diego State in 2008, a master’s of science in administration from Cal State Bakersfield in 2010, a master’s of art in zoology from Miami (Ohio) in 2015, and a master’s of art in psychology from American Public University in 2022.

Shawna Ghausi rejoined the USD swimming and diving staff in 2021 after a hiatus to raise her family. Shawna started her coaching career at USD, with head Coach Michael Keeler in 1999. After her first two years, she spent a season as the assistant swim coach at Rice University, and the next year at UC San Diego, as the women’s water polo assistant coach. In 2003, Shawna returned to USD, where she spent the next 5 years helping build the Torero program. After getting married and having a son, Shawna left USD in 2008 to raise her family. Shawna returned to coaching at local Steele Canyon High School in 2019. There, she was responsible for the girls and boys swim program, as well as the junior varsity girls water polo team. During the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Shawna provided an outlet for her athletes to be physically active, emotionally supported, and socially interactive. The 2021 accelerated season highlighted best times for every swimmer, both on the JV and Varsity teams. More importantly, that experience allowed for connection and movement during a very isolating time. Shawna has worked with some of the best swim coaches in the country. She spent a summer at Stanford University, working with the men’s swimming coach, Skip Kenney, as a camp coach. The next summer was spent at The University of Michigan coaching with Jon Urbanchek and Jim Richardson. The following summer she was the head counselor at UCI, working with head coach Charlie Schober. These experiences strengthened her coaching skills and taught her the importance of professionalism in elite level competitive swimming. Shawna was an accomplished dual athlete at nearby UC San Diego, where she played water polo and was a sprint freestyler on the swim team. As a starter her freshman year, she helped the Tritons win a National Championship in women’s water polo. By her senior year, Ghausi was one of the program's most decorated swimmers. She was a two-time All American, and broke five school records including the 50 and 100 freestyle, and placed 4th in both at NCAA’s that year. She was the top NCAA point scorer and Triton Swimmer of the Year in both ’97 and ’98. Her collegiate athletic experiences and deep love for the water are what led her down the path to coaching. She graduated from UCSD in 1998 with her BA in Philosophy. Shawna married her college sweetheart, Omar. They’ve been together for 27 years. They have one son, Aiden, who is 15. They also have their wonder pug, Trey and two laidback cats, Oreo and Gabby. In her free time, she loves to travel, bike ride, and listen to live music.