LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall Director of Athletics and Recreation Patricia S.W. Epps announced the hiring of Heather Kemp as head coach of the women's soccer program. Kemp, who will officially assume her role in the beginning of August, will be the 10th coach in the program's 35-year history.
"Coach Kemp has a proven track record of competing for and winning championships, as both a player and coach," said Epps. "I know that she will continue to foster the F&M tradition of excellence into the future and lead our talented student-athletes."
A 2008 graduate of Messiah College, Kemp spent the previous two seasons as head coach of the DeSales women's soccer program. The Bulldogs steadily improved during her time on the sidelines, finishing 2014 with a 10-7-4 overall record, good for the second most wins in program history and advancing to the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Title game after finishing the regular season with a 6-0-1 mark in the conference.
"It is an honor being selected as the next women's soccer coach at Franklin & Marshall," said Kemp. "I deeply identify with the College's mission to pursue excellence, develop intellect, and inspire young people to meaningfully contribute to their communities and the world. My hope is that each student-athlete aspires to achieve her fullest potential in the classroom and on the field, while representing her school and community with great strength of character."
Kemp was a two-year starter and four-year member of the Messiah women's soccer team from 2004-08, where she helped guide the Falcons to four straight Final Four appearances, including an NCAA Division III National Championship in 2005, and finishing as the National Runners-up in 2007. The Falcons also captured three Commonwealth Conference Championships in her four years on campus.
Following her graduation from Messiah, Kemp went on to coach the Donegal High School women's soccer team, leading the team to back-to-back PIAA AA State Championships in 2009 and 2010. She moved on from Donegal in 2011 to become an assistant coach at Messiah College, where the Falcons once again won the NCAA Division III National Championship, before spending the 2012 season as an assistant coach and strength and conditioning/operations assistant at Muhlenberg College.
Kemp earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sport & Exercise Science at Messiah and later graduated from Millersville University in 2012 with a Master's of Education degree in sports management with a concentration in athletic coaching.
Originally hailing from Allentown, Pa., she attended Emmaus High School and was a member of the women's soccer team that won a conference championship all four years she competed.