Keith Booth Joins Women's Staff at Loyola

Another champion has joined the MAAC.

Keith Booth, a former All-American at Maryland, has joined the coaching staff of the women's team at Loyola, and becomes one of just a select few on conference sidelines that can show off a championship ring.

Booth's is an NBA World Championship ring earned when he was a member of the 1997-97 Chicago Bulls' team that was led by Michael Jordan.

Booth joines second-year Manhattan assistant Scott Padgett as players with championship rings on MAAC sidelines. Padgett played at Kentucky where he was a member of the Wildcats' 1998 national championship team.

And, there's one conference coach with a national championship ring earned for his sideline work. Second-year Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro was an assistant on Villanova's staff when that program won the 1985 national championship. Buonaguro actually devised the scouting report Villanova used to upset Georgetown in that memorable championship ame.

Booth, though, is believed to be the only former NBA title winner currently on a MAAC sideline.

"We are ecstatic to have Keith Booth join our Loyola women's basketball program and excited that he is able to return home to Baltimore to continue his coaching career," said Joe Logan, head coach of the Greyhounds' women's program.

Booth, a Baltimore native, spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach with the men's basketball team at the University of Maryland under Head Coach Gary Williams, who retired after last season.

In his time at Maryland from 2004-2011, the Terrapins won no fewer than 19 games and reached the NCAA Tournament three times. Booth assisted with the daily operations of the men's basketball program, including recruiting, advance scouting, player development and game preparation.

"Keith brings with him a unique perspective, which I am looking forward to and I know our whole program will benefit from," Logan said.

As a player at the University of Maryland, Booth led the Terrapins to four NCAA Tournaments, including a pair of Sweet Sixteen appearances, and in 1994 began Maryland's streak of 11 consecutive NCAA berths that ran from 1994 to 2004.

Current Loyola head men's basketball coach, Jimmy Patsos, was an assistant coach at Maryland and helped in the recruiting of Booth.

In his senior season at Maryland, Booth led the Terps in scoring (19.5 ppg), rebounding (7.9 rpg) and steals (2.0 spg) and is still Maryland's all-time leader in free throws made (576). Booth finished his impressive career at Maryland among the Terps' all-time leaders in scoring (9th, 1,776 points), rebounding (6th, 916 points), steals (5th, 193) and is one of 15 players to have his jersey honored above the Terps' home court at Comcast Center.

In October 2008, Booth was inducted into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2010, Booth represented Maryland as one of the ACC Basketball Legends honored at the ACC Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.

After his career at Maryland, Booth was a first round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls in 1997, taken as the 28th selection overall. Booth was a member of the 1998 Chicago Bulls NBA World Championship team led by Michael Jordan.

"Keith's accomplishments speak for themselves," said Logan. "He has won at every level and we are looking forward to him developing our players into winners both on and off the court."