Joe Kennedy is in his eighth season on the College of the Holy Cross men’s basketball coaching staff in 2022-2023, serving as an assistant coach. He is heavily involved in recruiting, on-court coaching, practice planning, opponent scouting, player development and game planning.
During each of the last two seasons, Kennedy has helped the Crusaders increase both their overall and Patriot League win totals. In addition, Holy Cross has had four All-Patriot League selections and three Patriot League All-Rookie team honorees over the last three years.
Kennedy also works directly with campus regarding admissions, academics and student life. He helped the Crusaders to their highest semester GPA in over a decade in the spring of 2020, with eight players being selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll (the most in program history).
In 2018-2019, Kennedy helped the Crusaders to a 9-4 record in non-conference play, their best mark against non-league foes since 2007-2008. Previously in 2017-2018, he assisted in guiding Holy Cross to the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament, while ranking second in the conference in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense and blocked shots. Kennedy also helped in the development of two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year Jehyve Floyd.
In 2016-2017, Kennedy aided Holy Cross in leading the Patriot League in scoring defense, steals, turnover margin and assist-to-turnover ratio. During the 2015-2016 campaign, Kennedy helped the Crusaders to their first NCAA Tournament victory since 1953 and their first Patriot League Tournament title since 2007. Holy Cross also won all four of its Patriot League Tournament games on the road, becoming the first team in conference history to accomplish that feat.
Kennedy joined the Crusaders after serving as a video coordinator for the Sacramento Kings during the 2014-2015 season. In 2013-2014, Kennedy was the director of player personnel at Oregon State. He previously spent three seasons as the director of men’s basketball operations at Northwestern from 2010-2013. While at Northwestern, Kennedy assisted in a variety of responsibilities with the program, including handling all travel arrangements and serving as the team’s academic liaison.
Kennedy is a 2007 graduate of Northwestern with a bachelor’s degree in education and social policy. He was a four-year letterman on the Wildcats’ basketball team, was named a team captain his senior season and received Academic All-Big Ten recognition three times. His father, Pat Kennedy, was a head coach for 33 years at Iona, Florida State, DePaul, Montana, Towson and Pace.
During the 2020 election cycle, Kennedy was a major force leading a new college coach-led grassroots initiative within the NCAA to expand student-athlete voter registration and participation. The #allvotenoplay initiative included new landmark NCAA legislation which ensures all student-athletes within all levels of the NCAA will receive a day off for election day in order to prioritize their civic duties. This civic engagement movement garnered national coverage from media outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports and the Sporting News
Prior to returning to Northwestern as director of basketball operations, Kennedy was a special assistant for the Office of Public Engagement at the White House from January 2009 to October 2010, where he served as a liaison to key national advocates and organizations that helped promote and implement the administration’s legislative priorities. It primarily focused on outreach to youth, students, amateur and professional sports organizations, including individual athletes and their representatives, sports agencies, teams and the commissioner’s offices.
He also built a coalition of sports organizations, including the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, PGA, USOC and the NCAA, to promote the First Lady’s “Let’s Move!” campaign against childhood obesity, and coordinated and executed championship visits and other sporting events at the White House.
From April 2007 to January 2009, Kennedy worked for the Obama for America and Obama Transition Team where he coordinated logistics and event planning for the Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Relations. He was the regional director in Polk County, Iowa, where he managed the daily operations of four campaign offices and a full-time staff of 16 people.
Kennedy also worked for the Hoop Group in Neptune, N.J., in 2008 as a special assistant to the president and coordinated logistics for Spring Jam Fests in Pittsburgh, Pa., Providence, R.I., and Charlottesville, Va.
Kennedy’s wife, Karlee, is a 2005 graduate of Sam Houston State University, where she was a four-year letterwinner on the volleyball team and holds the school record with 5,610 career assists. The couple has two children — a son (Emmett) and a daughter (Rowan).
