Connors State baseball coach Perry Keith led his team to a 12-11 win over Seminole State on Saturday. The win gave Keith career win number 1,804, tying him with former Seminole State coach Lloyd Simmons atop the National Junior College Athletic Association alltime wins list.

One of the most consistent coaches in NJCAA baseball history, Perry Keith has amassed an unbelievable record of 1,804 wins and just 491 losses in 36 years as head coach at Connors State College. He currently ranks first in wins among active NJCAA baseball coaches and is believed to be the youngest collegiate baseball coach to reach 1,000 wins when he accomplished the feat at the age of 42.

In April of 2016 the baseball field at Connors State College was renamed by the board of regents bearing Coach Keith’s name. It is now Biff Thompson Field at Perry Keith Park.

Keith has guided the Cowboys to 18 Bi-State East Conference championships, eight Region II titles, six NJCAA South Central District crowns and six appearances at the Division I JUCO World Series, their most recent being 5th place finish in 2013 . The Cowboys have also finished runner up in Region II fifteen times under Keith and have been ranked in the top 10 of the NJCAA Division I Baseball Poll every season since he took over the program in 1985.

For his efforts he has been awarded Bi-State Conference Coach of the Year 18 times, Region II Coach of the Year eight times, and South Central District Coach of the Year on six occasions.

In May of 2008 Perry Keith was awarded the ultimate honor being inducted into the NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame in Grand Junction, CO. Also in 2008 Keith’s jersey number 7 was retired.

Keith has coached 40 NJCAA All-Americans, 70 NJCAA Academic All-Americans, 1 Olympian and his program boasts a graduation percentage of 95 percent.

Keith has also had thirteen former players make it to the Major Leagues. Over 120 players have been drafted in the Major league draft since Keith took over in 1985.