ABOUT ME

Hi! My name is Drake Keeler, and I am a sportswriter and storyteller.  

I'm currently a staff writer at Hail Varsity in Nebraska, covering Nebraska football, baseball and women's basketball. I graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2022.

Below, you'll see my work experience. On the other pages, you'll find some of my articles, awards I've won and how to contact me!

WORK EXPERIENCE

Hail Varsity

I am currently an staff writer at Hail Varsity, a sports publication and magazine in Nebraska. I was an editorial intern during my senior year of college, then was hired for a full-time role in the summer of 2022. 

In this position, I mainly cover Nebraska football, baseball and women's basketball. I write recaps, previews and features for our website, along with contributing to the publication's monthly magazine. I also had a weekly column for a time. 

Omaha World-Herald

I interned in the Omaha World-Herald's sports department over the summer of 2021. Here, I handled multiple responsibilities, from working shifts on the copy desk to writing event coverage, previews and feature stories.  

I had the chance to cover large events like the College World Series and Olympic Swim Trials in Omaha, along with writing features on racial justice movements by Nebraska athletes. 

Daily Nebraskan

I spent all four years of college at the Daily Nebraskan in some form. I held roles as a reporter, editor and diversity and inclusion board chair throughout my time at the student-run publication. 

In the 2020-21 school year, I led the sports section as the senior editor. I managed the section with two assistant editors and helped with football coverage. In this time, I also founded the publication's Diversity and Inclusion Board and served as the internal chair. Along with this, I led a multi-part project focused on the Black Lives Matter movement. That fall, my peers voted me for the Greatest Contribution award.

I stepped away from the editorial side of the Daily Nebraskan my senior year to work at Hail Varsity, but remained on the diversity and inclusion board as the external chair. 

UNLimited Sports

I interned with UNLimited Sports, a section of the university-run Nebraska News Service, over the summer of 2020. 

I wrote a number of profiles and features, including one on how UNL has never had a Black head coach in any sport. That story placed first in the Roper Sports Writing competition and ninth in the Hearst Sports Writing Competition.