MJ Keys

Biography

Keys arrived on Rocky Top prior to the 2023-24 season, having spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach on head coach Kim Cupini’s SMU staff. "I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to help build an amazing program here at Tennessee with Kim and the entire staff,” Keys said. “With rowing facilities that are world class, and having the support from an already exceptionally successful athletic department, we are eager and ready to push this program to its full potential.” In her second season at Tennessee, Keys helped lead Tennessee to its second consecutive top five finish at the NCAA Championships. The fifth place finish for the Lady Vols in 2025 marked the most successful two year run in program history after Keys helped coach the squad to a third place finish in 2024. At the 2025 SEC Championships, Keys helped Tennessee to a second place finish. The Lady Vols won three championship events at the inaugural conference championship, while also earning a pair of silver medal performances. Keys coached four rowers to All-American honors during the 2025 campaign. That moved the Tennessee total to nine All-Americans across two years, the most in program history over a similar span. In her first season on Rocky Top, Keys helped lead Tennessee to its best season in program history. The Lady Vols ascended to No. 3 in the CRCA national rankings by season’s end, and placed third nationally—a program-best finish—at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Keys and t