Dave Kemmy promoted to AD at RWU

Roger Williams University wrestling coach Dave Kemmy has been promoted from acting athletic director to Director of Athletics, Intramurals, and Recration. He will be stepping aside from his role as head wrestling coach, a job he has held since 1994. In March, he was inducted into the Division III wrestling Hall of Fame. RWU is beginning a search for a wrestling coach immediately. See the full release below.

Roger Williams University names Dave Kemmy as Director of Athletics

BRISTOL, R.I. – Roger Williams University named Dave Kemmy as Director of Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation this week, two academic years after his appointment as acting athletic director for the University.

“Dave Kemmy has provided strong leadership and direction for our athletic program over the past two years and is well respected on campus, within our conference and on a national level,” says Vice President for Student Affairs John J. King, Ed.D. “He brings an exceptional degree of wisdom, energy and commitment to the position and I am delighted that he will lead our entire athletics staff and our student-athletes into the future.”

Kemmy was first named Acting Athletic Director in June 2009 following the departure of George Kolb, who left RWU to take a position at Villanova University. Over the past two years, Kemmy has guided the Athletic Department through numerous successes and improvements, most notably the construction of the $2.3 million turf field completed this summer. During the 2010-11 academic year, the Roger Williams Hawks won nine Commonwealth Coast Conference Championships; the RWU Sailing team achieved a #1 national ranking for the first time in school history in April 2011 and won its first ICSA Team Racing National Championship just a month later.

“I am very excited to get more involved with all 500 of our student-athletes, our club sport athletes and our students who participate in intramurals and recreation,” Kemmy says. “We have a great staff and I am excited about the future of our programs as we strive to give all of our students the best experience possible.”

Prior to being named athletic director, Kemmy spent 15 years as Roger Williams University’s assistant athletic director for administration, where he coordinated all team schedules, travel and game officials, in addition to his oversight of athletic budgets. He joined RWU in 1990 as director of sports information, intramurals and recreation, and served as the first head coach of the women’s soccer program for five years before becoming head coach of the wrestling team in 1994. In March 2011, Kemmy was inducted to the National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Rhode Island Wrestling Hall of Fame and New England Wrestling Association Hall of Fame.