Former Western Montana College (now Montana Western) basketball coach Casey Keltz will receive the Ron "Swede" Kenison Memorial Award as part of Casey Keltz night at Montana Western Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. The award will be presented prior to the Montana Western-Carroll College men's basketball game in Dillon, Mont.

"When you hear the name Casey Keltz sports fans automatically think of the Western Bulldogs and the Frontier Conference," commissioner Kent Paulson said. "Casey's contributions to the league are immeasurable.  He has touched many as their friend, coach and mentor.  Many people in the Frontier Conference and the NAIA have had the privilege to have played or coached either for or against Casey Keltz.  He has meant so much to so many people and I for one have had the good fortune to have known him as a player, coach and mentor but most of all as a very good friend."

Keltz retired in 1996 with 409 career wins in 28 years and a place in college basketball history. Keltz's career combined with the 36-year career of Bill Straugh gave the two Hall of Fame coaches the record for longevity by two coaches at the same school. Keltz would have even more wins if victories against junior colleges would have counted instead of listed as exhibitions.

Keltz is a member of the Montana Coaches' Hall of Fame, the NAIA Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Western Montana College (now Montana Western) Basketball Hall of Fame. His career at Western included six conference championships, two district championships and two trips to the national tournament. Several of his players received tryout invitations from professional teams.

The Keltz coached Bulldogs' last NAIA tournament appearance came in 1989 and what an appearance they made. The Bulldogs entered the the tourney unseeded and in their first game, knocked off the tournament's No. 1 seed and the defending national champion Grand Canyon University of Arizona 79-65. The Bulldogs then lost to College of Idaho 68-65 in the second round.

Keltz graduated from Western in 1957 and began his coaching career at Broadwater High School in Townsend, Montana. His basketball and track teams won four district, four divisional and one state track championship.

He returned to Dillon and Western in 1965 as the Bulldogs' head football coach. Two years later, Keltz coached his first conference championship team. In 1968, he took over Bulldog basketball when his mentor Bill Straugh retired. In addition to his basketball duties,

Keltz also coached track and his Bulldog teams won conference and district titles and yearly sent Bulldog track student-athletes to the national meet.

He is one the few coaches in the history of the Frontier to win Coach of the Year honors in more than one sport. In his later years at Western, he also served as athletic director.

In retirement, Casey worked tirelessly supporting Bulldog athletics and the Frontier Conference. His Lion's Den Supper Club continues to be a gathering place for Frontier Conference officials and fans visiting Dillon.