Kemp Savage enters the 2026-27 season in his 13th year as head rowing coach at Eastern Michigan University while adding the title of Director of Rowing. Savage brings 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to the position, including six seasons as an assistant coach at EMU before taking over as head coach in 2014-15.
Since arriving at Eastern Michigan in 2008, Savage has guided the Eagles through a sustained period of competitive growth while helping establish the program as a respected presence at the conference, national and international levels. Under his leadership, Eastern Michigan has recorded the highest conference finishes in program history, including third-place results at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in 2016, 2018 and 2022.
The 2026-27 season follows a historic 2025-26 campaign for Savage and the Eagles. Eastern Michigan hosted the inaugural Mid-American Conference Women’s Rowing Championship at the EMU Rowing Course at Ford Lake. Competing on their home course, the Eagles’ Third Varsity Eight captured the silver medal in a school-record time of 6:58.8, more than 15 seconds faster than the previous program best. The performance marked the highest finish for an Eastern Michigan boat at the inaugural championship. The Eagles also placed fourth in the Second Varsity Eight and fifth in both the First Varsity Eight and First Varsity Four.
Named USRowing's Man of the Year in April 2026, Savage also played a central role in bringing the MAC into collegiate rowing. In 2025, he worked closely with Eastern Michigan University and MAC leadership to finalize the addition of rowing as a conference sport. The expansion increased the number of NCAA automatic qualifying bids to 10 and established Eastern Michigan as the host site for the first three MAC Rowing Championships beginning in 2026. Savage also worked with university athletic administration to add women’s lightweight rowing as Eastern Michigan’s 20th varsity sport, creating additional opportunities for collegiate female rowers.
His leadership extends well beyond the Eastern Michigan program. In April 2025, Savage was elected President of the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association. During his tenure, he chaired the organization’s Executive Director Search Committee, leading the successful hiring of a new executive director in August 2025. He has also served as chair of the CRCA Sustainability Committee and as a member of the legislative committee, contributing to governance and bylaw restructuring efforts during a period of significant NCAA conference realignment.
Savage has been instrumental in the development and operation of the Ford Lake rowing course in Ypsilanti. He has served as a key logistical leader and liaison among Eastern Michigan, local stakeholders, USRowing and international rowing organizations, helping establish Ford Lake as a venue capable of hosting collegiate, national and international competition.
In the summer of 2025, Ford Lake hosted its first national and international events, including RowFest and the International Rowing Challenge. Savage served as the local organizing committee liaison, coordinating with USRowing and international officials during multiple days of competition. Eastern Michigan also hosted two USRowing National Team camps during the summer.
Savage’s international coaching resume includes three international coaching medals. In 2025, he served as head coach of the U.S. World University Women’s Team at the World University Games in Duisburg, Germany. His eight earned a bronze medal, adding to the bronze medal he previously earned as coach of the U.S. Varsity Eight at the 2018 World University Championships in Shanghai, China. At the 2018 event, the U.S. Varsity Four finished fifth and the lightweight double sculls placed 11th.
In addition to his international coaching responsibilities, Savage served as local organizing committee chair for the U19 Selection Development Camp hosted at Eastern Michigan in 2025. He oversaw site logistics, equipment and athlete support while simultaneously managing his responsibilities with the Eastern Michigan program, national-level events and the CRCA.
Savage’s Eastern Michigan tenure has been marked by consistent competitive and academic achievement. During the 2021-22 season, he led the Eagles to a third-place finish at the CAA Championships and a program-record 26 points at the conference championship. Eastern Michigan also produced seven first-place finishes during the season, including three First Varsity Eight, two Second Varsity Eight and two First Varsity Four victories. Forty rowers earned spots on the 2022 CAA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
The Eagles continued to establish program milestones under Savage in 2019. Eastern Michigan recorded three race victories and four program-best finishes during the fall portion of the season. The Eagles won the First Varsity Four and Second Varsity Four at the Head of the Grand and defeated Michigan State in the Varsity Four, giving the program its first victory over a Big Ten opponent since 2008. Eastern Michigan also earned a fifth-place finish among 32 boats at the prestigious Head of the Charles and placed sixth in the Varsity Eight at the Head of the Hooch, the program’s best finish at the event.
In 2018, Savage guided the Eagles to victories in the Varsity Eight and Novice Eight at the Cooper Invitational, followed by B Final victories in the Second and Third Varsity Eight and Varsity Four at the Mason Invitational. Eastern Michigan later captured the Second Varsity Eight Grand Final and Varsity Eight J. Clarke Wray Cup at the MACRA Championships before earning the program’s first Dad Vail Regatta title by winning all three Novice Eight races.
Academic achievement has been another consistent hallmark of Savage’s tenure. His student-athletes have earned national recognition throughout his time at Eastern Michigan. Eastern Michigan produced a program-best 15 National Scholar-Athletes during the 2021-22 season, the most of any CAA program that year. Savage has also coached two first-team all-region honorees and one second-team all-region honoree.
Before becoming head coach at Eastern Michigan, Savage spent the 2006-07 season as an assistant coach with the Old Dominion University club rowing program before becoming head coach in 2007-08. Under his leadership, the ODU men’s novice team won the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championship, while the women’s varsity team finished third nationally.
Savage began his own collegiate rowing career at the University of Mary Washington, where he was a four-year letterman and served as team captain from 2004-06. During his time at UMW, the Eagles advanced to the finals of the ECAC Regatta in 2006 and the Dad Vail Regatta in 2005.
A Level III certified USRowing coach, Savage earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Mary Washington in 2006 and a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Eastern Michigan University in 2013.
Savage and his wife, Kellie, have a son, KJ.
| 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 |
|
| Family: |
Wife: Kellie; Son: KJ |
|
| COACHING EXPERIENCE |
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
CAA Finish (All-CAA Honorees) |
| 2026-27 |
Eastern Michigan University |
Director of Rowing/Head Rowing Coach |
|
| 2025-26 |
Eastern Michigan University |
Head Coach |
|
| 2024-25 |
Eastern Michigan University |
Head Coach |
|
| 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 |
|
