Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Rowing
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- ksavagei@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.6690
The 2024-25 season marks the 11th for Head Coach Kemp Savage after serving as an assistant coach for the six seasons prior. In his first eight years at the helm, he has guided EMU to three fourth-place finishes and three third-place finishes at the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championships.
Savage owns 17 years of experience of coaching and competing. The Chesapeake, Va. native arrived at EMU in 2008 following a stint at Old Dominion University. He has led the Eagles to the highest finishes in program history, finishing third at the CAA Championships in the 2016, 2018 and 2022 seasons.
The 2021-22 season saw Savage lead the Eagles to a third overall finish at the CAA Championships. Additionally, the team tallied 26 points, the most ever for EMU at the championships since the program joined the conference in 2012. Members of the Eagles First Varsity Eight squad, Emma Boersen and Chloe Hinojosa, were named to the 2022 All-CAA team. Seven Green and White boats took home first place finishes during the 2021-22 campaign, including three First Varsity Eight squads, two Second Varsity Eight teams and two First Varsity Four groups. Furthermore, under Savage’s guidance, 40 rowers earned spots on the 2022 CAA Commissioner's Honor Roll.
Even though the season was shortened to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eastern Michigan still found success. Savage’s boats recorded top times against Duquesne and Dayton on Ford Lake, in two of the three home regattas during the 2021 season. Against the Dukes, the Eagles posted first-place finishes in all three races with the First Varsity Eight crossing the finish line in 7:20.31. To close out the year, Eastern Michigan placed sixth at the CAA Championships with 17 points. The Eagles' best finish of the regatta came in the Second Varsity Eight race, where EMU finished in fourth place with a time of 7:00.122. Additionally, Boersen earned All-CAA Team honors.
Savage guided the Eagles to unparalleled success in 2019, despite being only able to compete in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the spring portion. Savage’s boats posted three race wins and four program-best finishes in the fall of 2019. At the Head of the Grand to start the season, the Green and White brought home wins in the First Varsity Four and Second Varsity Four races, along with defeating Michigan State in the Varsity Four race for the program’s first win over a Big Ten program since 2008. Earning an invitation to the prestigious Head of the Charles for the third consecutive season, the Eagles claimed fifth place out of 32 boats at the regatta. To close out the fall, Eastern claimed sixth place in the Varsity Eight race at the Head of the Hooch to mark the program’s best finish in the event at the regatta.
In 2018, Savage helped the Eagles take another leap forward. The Green and White claimed the titles in the Varsity Eight and Novice Eight races at the Cooper Invitational, followed by B Final-winning performances in the Second and Third Varsity Eight races and Varsity Four race at the Mason Invitational. Continuing a strong spring showing, Eastern grabbed the Second Varsity Eight Grand Final race title and the Varsity Eight J. Clarke Wray Cup at the MACRA Championships. To finish things off, the program earned its first-ever Dad Vail Regatta title, winning all three Novice Eight races over the course of two days to take the crown.
In the summer of 2018, Savage and his Eastern coaching staff led the United States squad that competed in the World University Championships in Shanghai, China. Savage lead the US V8+ to a bronze medal at the international event, while the V4+ earned a fifth-place finish. The lightweight-double sculls finished 11th overall in a stacked field.
In his first season at the helm in 2015, Savage helped the Eagles receive national recognition, as the team had seven student-athletes earn Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association National Scholar-Athlete accolades.
In 2013, Savage was an integral part in the training of KC Anderson who earned all-region honors after her performance in the 2012-13 season, while seven other Eagles were named CRCA National Scholar Athletes.
During Savage’s time with the EMU program, the Green and White has produced three-or-more CRCA National Scholar Athletes every eligible season and has found success in six races in the six-year span.
In all, Savage has had a hand in coaching two first team all-region nominees, one second team all-region student-athlete and 61 CRCA National Scholar Athletes. The Eagles boasted a team-best 15 National Scholar Athletes in the 2021-22 season, the most of any CAA program that year. The 2013-14 season also saw 10 rowers earn the national honor as Steph Schlosser was named to the 2014 CAA All-Academic team and Krista Burdick earned an All-CAA team honor for her efforts in the 2014 season.
Prior to joining the EMU rowing staff, Savage spent 2006-07 as the assistant coach for the Old Dominion University club rowing team before taking over as head coach for the 2007-08 season. Under Savage, the ODU men’s novice team placed first at the American Collegiate Rowing Association Nationals, while the women’s varsity team placed third.
A Level III certified US Rowing Coach, Savage was a four-year letterman in rowing at the University of Mary Washington and was a team captain from 2004-06 for the Eagles. While at UMW, the Eagles went to the finals at the ECAC Regatta in 2006 and at the Dad Vail Regatta in 2005.
Savage earned his bachelor’s degree from UMW in biology in 2006 and obtained his master’s degree in exercise physiology from Eastern Michigan University in 2013.
Savage became the fourth head coach in program’s history following in the footsteps of Charley Sullivan (2000-03), Pamela Besteman (2003-06) and Brad Holdren (2006-14).
Savage and his wife, Kellie, welcomed their son in May.
| THE KEMP SAVAGE FILE | ||
| Name: | Kemp E. Savage IV | |
| High School: | Great Bridge H.S. - Chesapeake, Va. | |
| College: | University of Mary Washington - Bachelor's degree in Biology - 2006 | |
| Eastern Michigan University - Master's degree in Exercise physiology - 2013 | ||
| COACHING EXPERIENCE | |||
| YEAR | SCHOOL | POSITION | CAA Finish (All-CAA Honorees) |
| 2023-24 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 7th (1) |
| 2022-23 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 7th (1) |
| 2021-22 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 3rd (2) |
| 2020-21 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 6th (1) |
| 2019-20 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | Canceled - COVID-19 |
| 2018-19 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 3rd (2) |
| 2017-18 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | T-4th (2) |
| 2016-17 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 5th (1) |
| 2015-16 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 3rd (2) |
| 2014-15 | Eastern Michigan University | Head Coach | 4th (2) |
| 2008-14 | Eastern Michigan University | Asst. Coach | |
| 2007-08 | Old Dominion | Head Coach | |
| 2006-07 | Old Dominion | Asst. Coach | |
