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Kemp To Lead W&L Women’s Basketball
New Coach
Comes From
St. Mary’s
Washington and Lee University named Brittany Kemp as the new head coach of the women’s basketball team and assistant professor of physical education, W&L Michael F. Walsh Director of Athletics Jan Hathorn announced recently.
The sixth head coach in program history, Kemp joins W&L from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she revitalized the women’s basketball program over the past three seasons.
Starting her role in Lexington this week, Kemp will lead the Generals following an outstanding 2023-24 season, the most successful in W&L women’s basketball history. Under the direction of head coach Christine Kemp’s tenure at St. Mary’s was marked by significant achievements, including three consecutive seasons with double-digit wins. In her first season, she led the Seahawks to a 12-13 record, marking their first 10win season since 2012-13 and their first 10 conference wins since 200708, and played in the conference championship semifinals for the first time since 1999-2000.
In her second season, the Seahawks finished with a 17-8 record and tied for second in the United East Conference with a 13-3 record. This season included the team’s first 15-win season since 2007-08. In her final season, the team posted a 14-12 record and advanced to the conference semifinals for the third season in a row.
The 2022-23 United East Conference coach of the year’s impact extended beyond the court; she was recognized as a Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Thirty Under 30 honoree. In the degree in psychology from Union College in New York.
“I am pleased and excited to be welcoming Brittney and her family to W&L and to our campus community as the next head coach of the w o m e n ’ s basketbal l p r og r am,” said Hathorn. “Her demonstrated ability to lead and mentor young women, in the classroom, on the court, and beyond, will be an asset to the program, the department, and the university as a whole. I look forward to watching the team continue its tradition of success in the years to come.”
Clancy, who resigned in April after holding the position for 12 years to focus on her health and family, the Generals set records for wins (29) and winning percentage (.906), secured their second straight Old Dominion Athletic title, and hosted the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time. The Generals won their first NCAA tournament games, including a Round of 16 victory over then-undefeated No. 3 Rhode Island College, before ending their season with a 68-58 loss to No. 6 Wartburg in the quarterfinals.
“Throughout the process, it was clear that my values align closely with those of the program, the athletic department, and the university,” said Kemp. Coach Clancy and the [W&L] women’s basketball alumnae laid the foundation and built this program to an elite level. I am excited to continue raising that bar through a culture committed to the whole student-athlete experience, on and off the court.”
classroom, the Seahawks were recognized by WBCA and UEC each season and earned the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll Special Mention each of the last two seasons.
Prior to her role at St. Mary’s, Kemp was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts from 2016 to 2021, where she helped guide the team to become co-New England Women’s And Men’s Conference (NEWMAC) regular-season champions in 2018.
Kemp began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Trinity College in Connecticut from 2014 to 2016. A Branford, Conn., native, Kemp was a four-year letter winner, team captain, and a Liberty League standout at Union College in New York. She holds a master’s degree in American studies from Trinity College and a bachelor of science
