Coach Joe's 500th Win!

GW Women's basketball head coach Joe McKeown became the 34th Division I women's basketball coach all-time to reach 500 career victories while playing against Duquesne at Palumbo Center Saturday night.

McKeown, who won 68 games at New Mexico State from 1986-89, improves to 432-151 in his 19th season at GW.

Below is an except from WRGW Sports Director Frank Dale's blog.

"When I was a young reporter in my first season of covering GW basketball, I was sent on a Friday-Sunday road trip with the women's team at Duquesne and at St. Bonaventure. While it was exciting to head out on my first road assignments, the prospects of a seven-hour Greyhound ride (during which I was offered drugs twice) and visits to Pittsburgh, PA and Olean, NY in early February dampened the joy just a little bit.However, looking back on it now, it was the best decision I've made in my time at WRGW. For those of you who don't know, McKeown and the rest of the players and coaches on the women's squad treat us like members of the team when we're on the road with them. Whether it's coordinating travel or paying for the occasional meal, we have been spoiled by McKeown's crew over the last few years.Anyhow, it was a Saturday night in Olean when we were invited to watch the coaching staff break down some film of St. Bonaventure in preparation for the following day's contest. It was a pretty cool experience. Then, once all the coaches had left, McKeown sat with the two WRGW underclassmen, both of whom he barely knew, and talked about basketball and life for about two hours. As I have said in the past, most of it was off-the-record, but it was a conversation I'll never forget.

Including the time I spent reporting on high school sports for various publications in northern Massachusetts, this is my eighth year covering athletics. In all of that time, I have never encountered a coach like McKeown. He calls the team's beat reporters by name, answers the tough questions with class, and has never once disrespected a journalist. He's the type of coach, educator, and person you'd want your children to be around.

As a journalist, I've learned a lot from McKeown in my nearly four years here, and not all of it has to do with my profession. Whether it's the way he talks about and treats his family or the work he does with Autism awareness, there is a lot to commend. It has been an honor following McKeown's squad for the last few years and I look forward to hopefully continuing to do so deep into March. Congratulations, coach. 500 victories couldn't happen to a better person."