Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Announces Rowing Staff Reorganization
8/14/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Rowing
Savage named Director of Rowing; Roy promoted to Associate Head Coach/Head Lightweight Rowing Coach
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University's rowing program announced a leadership reorganization ahead of the 2026-27 season, with Head Rowing Coach Kemp Savage adding the title of Director of Rowing and Lucie Roy earning a promotion to Associate Head Coach and Head Lightweight Rowing Coach.
The new structure supports the addition of women's lightweight rowing, which launches in 2026-27 as Eastern Michigan's 20th varsity sport. The inaugural season also marks the 25th year of rowing at Eastern Michigan, which launched the women's rowing program in 2001-02.
"There is no better celebration of 25 years of women's rowing at EMU than adding another opportunity for women to compete at the Division I level," said Savage. "I am so honored by Scott Wetherbee and Gretchen Fox's belief in the vision of expansion of EMU Rowing, and their trust in the staff to guide this expansion."
Savage enters his 13th season as Eastern Michigan's head coach and his 20th year in collegiate coaching. As Director of Rowing, he will guide the overall direction of the Eagles' rowing programs while continuing to lead the varsity team.
Savage has guided Eastern Michigan to the highest conference finishes in program history, including three third-place finishes at the CAA Championships. In 2025, he worked with Eastern Michigan and Mid-American Conference leadership to establish rowing as a MAC championship sport and helped add women's lightweight rowing.
The Eagles hosted the inaugural MAC Women's Rowing Championship at the EMU Rowing Course at Ford Lake. The Eagles' Third Varsity Eight won silver in a school-record 6:58.8, while Abbi Lauth and Bryah Moriarty earned Second-Team All-MAC honors.
Named USRowing's Man of the Year in April 2026, Savage also coached the U.S. World University Women's Team at the 2025 World University Games in Duisburg, Germany. The U.S. eight won a bronze medal, giving Savage his third international coaching medal. He also became President of the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association in April 2025.
"I'm ecstatic about the prospect of opening up more avenues for girls to row at the collegiate level in Michigan," Roy added. "It's such a unique opportunity to build something from the ground up, and I'm beyond grateful to be part of it. Thank you to Kemp, Gretchen, and the rest of the administration for seeing the vision."
Roy enters her third season at Eastern Michigan and her first as Associate Head Coach and Head Lightweight Rowing Coach. She joined the Eagles in August 2024 after coaching the men's and women's programs at Adrian College for two seasons.
In 2024, Roy guided Adrian's men's Varsity 4+ to a fourth-place finish in the D Final at the IRA National Championship, the highest finish by a Division III school in the event. She also led Adrian's women's V4+ to its fourth consecutive MARC Conference Championship.
Before entering coaching, Roy competed for three seasons at Michigan State University. In 2022, she stroked the Spartans' First Varsity Four to a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. She earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and CRCA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2021 and 2022.
A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Roy attended Ann Arbor Pioneer High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Michigan State in 2022.
The new structure supports the addition of women's lightweight rowing, which launches in 2026-27 as Eastern Michigan's 20th varsity sport. The inaugural season also marks the 25th year of rowing at Eastern Michigan, which launched the women's rowing program in 2001-02.
"There is no better celebration of 25 years of women's rowing at EMU than adding another opportunity for women to compete at the Division I level," said Savage. "I am so honored by Scott Wetherbee and Gretchen Fox's belief in the vision of expansion of EMU Rowing, and their trust in the staff to guide this expansion."
Savage enters his 13th season as Eastern Michigan's head coach and his 20th year in collegiate coaching. As Director of Rowing, he will guide the overall direction of the Eagles' rowing programs while continuing to lead the varsity team.
Savage has guided Eastern Michigan to the highest conference finishes in program history, including three third-place finishes at the CAA Championships. In 2025, he worked with Eastern Michigan and Mid-American Conference leadership to establish rowing as a MAC championship sport and helped add women's lightweight rowing.
The Eagles hosted the inaugural MAC Women's Rowing Championship at the EMU Rowing Course at Ford Lake. The Eagles' Third Varsity Eight won silver in a school-record 6:58.8, while Abbi Lauth and Bryah Moriarty earned Second-Team All-MAC honors.
Named USRowing's Man of the Year in April 2026, Savage also coached the U.S. World University Women's Team at the 2025 World University Games in Duisburg, Germany. The U.S. eight won a bronze medal, giving Savage his third international coaching medal. He also became President of the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association in April 2025.
"I'm ecstatic about the prospect of opening up more avenues for girls to row at the collegiate level in Michigan," Roy added. "It's such a unique opportunity to build something from the ground up, and I'm beyond grateful to be part of it. Thank you to Kemp, Gretchen, and the rest of the administration for seeing the vision."
Roy enters her third season at Eastern Michigan and her first as Associate Head Coach and Head Lightweight Rowing Coach. She joined the Eagles in August 2024 after coaching the men's and women's programs at Adrian College for two seasons.
In 2024, Roy guided Adrian's men's Varsity 4+ to a fourth-place finish in the D Final at the IRA National Championship, the highest finish by a Division III school in the event. She also led Adrian's women's V4+ to its fourth consecutive MARC Conference Championship.
Before entering coaching, Roy competed for three seasons at Michigan State University. In 2022, she stroked the Spartans' First Varsity Four to a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. She earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and CRCA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2021 and 2022.
A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Roy attended Ann Arbor Pioneer High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Michigan State in 2022.
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