A Legendary Career
Central Michigan University mourns the loss of longtime baseball stalwart Dave Keilitz, who died peacefully in North Carolina surrounded by his family.
Keilitz’s 66‑year association with the university began in 1960 when he arrived on campus as a student‑athlete, eventually lettering from 1961 to 1964 and earning All‑America honors in his senior season, the first player in program history to receive that distinction.
After graduation he returned to coach the Chippewas, taking the helm in 1971 and reshaping the program into a national contender; over his career he amassed more than 450 victories, captured four Mid‑American Conference titles and guided the team to six NCAA Tournament appearances, while mentoring seven future major leaguers.
His influence extended beyond the diamond; from 1984 to 1994 he served as director of athletics, steering the department through growth, and later led the American Baseball Coaches Association as executive director from 1994 to 2014, earning induction into the Marcy Weston CMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.
Community Impact and Legacy
In recognition of his contributions, the university renamed the field inside Theunissen Stadium ‘Keilitz Field’ in 2018, and the Keilitz family established several endowments, including the David B. and Susan K. Keilitz Family Fund and the Dave and Sue Keilitz Fund for Athletic Excellence.
Tributes highlighted his character and impact; CMU President Neil MacKinnon described the loss as ‘tremendous for the university and the Mount Pleasant community,’ while Vice President for Athletics Amy Folan called Keilitz ‘one of the most influential figures in the history of Central Michigan Athletics.’
He is survived by his wife Sue, son Craig, daughters‑in‑law Jane and Katie, and grandchildren Madeline, Abigail, Sofia and Benjamin, who will continue to honor his memory through the charitable causes they championed together.