Keystone College Athletics

Dennis Mishko is recognized for his contributions to the coaching arena as well as the classroom at Keystone.

An educator for 46 years, he began his coaching career at Keystone in 1972 and for 25 years mentored one of the most successful programs in the college’s history.  As head coach of the men’s basketball program he compiled a mark of 520-160 (.765), the highest win total of any coach of any sport at Keystone.

During his coaching tenure, the Giants captured two Region XIX basketball championships and earned two trips to the NJCAA National Championships (1986, 1989).  The two-time Region XIX Coach of the Year came within one victory of a national crown in 1986 when his Giants advanced to the national title game.

Under Mishko three men’s basketball players became 1,000 point career scorers, quite an accomplishment since Keystone was a two-year college at the time. He also coached the top five single season point leaders, as well as the top three single game point leaders. 

Other teams coached by Mishko also set many Keystone records, including single-game records for the most points, field goals, rebounds, and blocks. He led his teams to six of the eight winningest seasons in Keystone history, as well as the top six highest scoring teams in program history. 

He produced 24 NJCAA Region XIX All-Region selections and four NJCAA All-American basketball picks. 

In addition to serving as basketball coach, Mishko also led the men’s soccer program from 1972-1992. During that span, he compiled a mark of 122-114-15, making him the winningest soccer coach in Keystone history.  Many players benefited from his coaching tutelage as 28 student-athletes were selected as Region XIX All-Region selections, 11 were named as NJCAA National Soccer Coaches Association All-Americans and nine picked up NJCAA All-American recognition. 

Mishko also served the Keystone athletic department in an administrative capacity, serving as the director of athletics for six years.  More recently he served as the chairperson for Keystone’s faculty senate the last two years. 

 
Today, Mishko still serves as a professor at Keystone in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and as the head coach of the boy’s varsity soccer team at Abington Heights High School.  Currently in his tenth year at the helm of the Abington soccer team, Mishko has compiled a mark of 136-26-12, while capturing nine AAA titles in the Lackawanna League, eight Division I conference championships and three District 2 titles. His 1999 team was ranked No. 1 in the nation.