Jason Kemp

Jason Kemp, who joined the Tribe as an assistant coach in April of 2019, enters his second season with the Green and Gold.

In his first season with the Green and Gold, W&M enjoyed a stellar campaign with a 21-11 record and a second-place finish in the CAA standings. The 21 wins marked the fourth most in school history and the most in the regular season for a Tribe team since 1950. The Tribe posted school record for conference (13) and road wins (10). Kemp also helped to mentor a pair of All-CAA big men in Nathan Knight (first team) and Andy Van Vliet (third team). Knight went on to take home a massive haul of awards, including the Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year, CAA Player of the Year, CAA Defensive Player of the Year and VaSID State Player of the Year.

Prior to coming to Williamsburg, Kemp amassed 12 years of Division I experience, including stops as an assistant coach at North Dakota State, Toledo and Ohio. Over his career as an assistant, Kemp has helped lead programs to an overall record of 236-172 with four post-season appearances, including an NCAA Tournament bid, and two regular-season conference championships. He has recruited and mentored four league players of the year and eight all-conference first-team selections.

Kemp spend five seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio University. The Bobcats compiled an 81-77 record during his tenure. Kemp helped to mentor eight players who earned All-MAC selections, including two first-teamers, five MAC All-Freshman Team picks, a MAC Player of the Year and a MAC Rookie of the Year (Ben Vander Plas in 2019). Kemp also aided in the development of two-time All-MAC selection Maurice Ndour, who signed with the Dallas Maverick and played in the NBA with the New York Knicks.

In just his second season in Athens, OU enjoyed the biggest turnaround in school history. The Bobcats also had one of the top improvements in the country, finishing with a 23-12 record and a 13-game improvement over the prior season. Ohio took part in the 2016 CBI and advanced to the semifinals. Kemp mentored MAC Player of the Year Antonio Campbell, who also earned Associated Press All-America honors. The 23 wins ranked sixth in Ohio history, and the CBI marked the program’s 22nd all-time post-season appearance.

Kemp spent one season at Toledo, helping the Rockets to a school-record 27 wins and a regular-season MAC Championship in 2013-14. Included in UT’s win total was a victory at Atlantic Coast Conference foe Boston College. The Rockets ended the season competing in the National Invitation Tournament and had a trio of players named to the All-MAC Team.

Kemp’s first Division I coaching stop came at North Dakota State, where he spent eight seasons, including the final six as an assistant coach. After getting his coaching start at Minnesota State University-Moorhead in 2004-05, Kemp moved to NDSU and served as a graduate manager in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

During its transition to the Division I level, Kemp was promoted to an assistant coach prior to the 2007-08 season. During his eight seasons in Fargo, the Bison finished with a 144-97 record, including a 108-77 mark during his six years as an assistant. He mentored 12 All-Summit League players, including six first-team selections.

NDSU joined the Summit League in Kemp’s first season as an assistant coach, and the Bison compiled a 63-43 league record. In the program’s first season of eligibility in 2009, Kemp helped the NDSU to the Summit League Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Bison finished the year with a 26-7 record and claimed the conference’s regular-season crown as well thanks to a 16-2 mark. Kemp helped to mentor Summit League Player of the Year Ben Woodside, who was an AP All-American and ended his career as NDSU’s career leading scorer.

During his final two seasons at NDSU, Kemp helped the program to post-season appearances in the CBI. In 2012-13, the Bison advanced to the Summit League Championship Game and ended the year at 24-10 overall and 12-4 in league play.

Along with Woodside, Kemp recruited and developed 2014 Summit League Player of the Year and AP All-American Taylor Braun. Also, during his tenure at NDSU, Lawrence Alexander, who went on to be named player of the year in 2015, was named the Summit League Rookie of the Year in 2012, while Mike Felt was selected as the league’s Sixth Man of the Year a season later.

NDSU enjoyed success academically during Kemp’s time in Fargo. The program achieved the top overall Academic Progress Rating in the Summer League during his tenure. A total of 37 Bison players were named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll from 2008-13, including seven distinguished scholars, and Brett Winkelman was twice named the Summit League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the 2008 and 2009.

During his time as a graduate manager under Tim Miles, the Bison compiled a 36-20 record. Included in NDSU’s wins were nationally-ranked victories over No. 13 Wisconsin in 2005-06 and No. 9 Marquette a season later. Kemp coordinated NDSU summer camps and video editing projects, while serving as the Director of NDSU Hardcourt Hustler ballboy program and the Director of NDSU Bison Buddies youth clinic.

A native of Madison, Wis., Kemp played four years at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise sport science in 2004. He also received a master’s degree in sports management from North Dakota State in 2007.