Steve McKee begins his eighth season and 10th overall in two stints at Florida Gulf Coast University. His primary responsibility is working with the pitchers.
In the 2024 season, McKee coached Davian Garcia, a First Team All-Atlantic Sun Conference pitcher and a sixth round pick of the Washington Nationals in the MLB Draft. Garcia was 4-0 in the regular season as FGCU's Friday night starter. In 16 total appearances, the junior started eight games – earning a 6-3 record, a 3.10 ERA and one save. In conference play, he held a league-leading 2.89 ERA. His batting average against (.234) was 10th-best all-time for a career in FGCU history, while Garcia's strikeouts per nine innings rate (10.77) was the seventh-best in a single FGCU season and the seventh-best for a career in program history.
The rest of the FGCU staff showed significant improvement as well in 2024. Against conference foes, FGCU posted a 4.91 ERA. Chase Kriebel worked a complete nine-inning game for the Eagles as well. ASUN batters hit just .260 against the Eagles.
McKee came back to FGCU in 2019 after serving as the team’s first-ever pitching coach and recruiting coordinator from 2002-04. During that span, the Green and Blue posted a 74-32-2 record as McKee coached one draft pick and four players who signed as free agents.
In his fourth season back with the FGCU pitching staff McKee helped guide the staff to the second most wins (42) in program history. Three pitchers moved on the professional ranks, Jason Woodward (4th round Milwaukee Brewers), Mason Miller (14th round Kansas City Royals), and L.J. McDonough (Free Agent Atlanta Braves). The staff also stuck out the most hitters since 2017 and second most in program history. L.J. McDonough had the third most strikeouts per 9 innings at (11.60) in a single season.
In his third season back McKee helped guide the staff to the most wins (35) since the 2017 season. The staff also stuck out the most hitters since 2017, walked the fewest since 2018, while tossing the most shutouts since 2014. Individually, Jason Woodward (15) made the second most starts in a season in school history. Tyler Shuck tossed the first complete game shutout since 2018. Najer Victor had the third lowest batting average against (.198), and the ninth-best strikeouts per 9 innings (10.61) in a single season.
In his second season back with the FGCU pitching staff, McKee worked closely with Second Team ASUN Conference pitcher Mason Studstill who led the Eagles in wins (seven), strikeouts (73), and ERA (3.02). He also helped to develop rookie pitcher Jason Woodward, who earned his way to becoming one of the Eagles' go-to arms down the stretch of the 2021 season. Woodward led all freshmen with 39 punchouts, a 3.65 ERA and 3-2 record with one save as well as increasing his velocity immensely in his first season of collegiate baseball.
In his first season back with the FGCU pitching staff, he helped to develop rookie pitcher Ronaldo Gallo, who earned his way to becoming one of the Eagles' top arms during the 2020 season. Gallo led all freshmen with 16 punchouts. Under McKee's guidance, the Green and Blue staff posted a 3.55 ERA and racked up 144 strikeouts in just 16 games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
McKee has over two decades of coaching experience and has worked with baseball players at all levels of the sport. Throughout his coaching career, McKee has had 38 players drafted, including six first-round picks. He has also had seven players sign as undrafted free agents. McKee has coached nine players to "The Show", including major-leaguers Billy Butler, Homer Bailey and Shane Robinson.
Prior to FGCU, McKee was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Florida Southwestern State College (2016-19). During McKee’s time, the Buccaneers captured the Suncoast Conference Championship (2019) and had two players drafted, as well as one player sign as an undrafted free agent. McKee also helped 26 players sign to D-I schools, six committed to D-II schools and two with NAIA programs.
McKee began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Boca Ciega High School, in 1995. After working with the Pirates for three years, McKee accepted a head coaching position at Clearwater High School. While McKee was at the helm, the Tornadoes had five players drafted and advanced to the state final four in (2001) and regional semi-finals in (2002).
A 1992 graduate from Florida State University, McKee earned a bachelor of science in marketing from the college of business. Prior to FSU, McKee was an infielder at Andrew College (1987-89) and led his team to a regional playoff appearance in 1989.
The St. Petersburg, Florida native and his wife, Lisa, have two sons, Zach (25) and Jake (23).
