The praise continues for outgoing UNO associate athletic director Mike Kemp.
He was presented with the NCHC Distinguished Service Award on Monday night. Kemp, the Mavericks' first hockey coach, will retire in May after a 48-year career in college athletics as a coach and manager.
Kemp received the award at the league's annual meeting in Naples, Florida.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents recently voted unanimously to name the ice rink at Baxter Arena after him, with “Kemp Ice” emblazoned around the center faceoff circle.
“We are honored to present Mike with the Distinguished Service Award,” said NCHC Commissioner Heather Weems. “He helped put the Mavericks on the map and just continued to build the program as an administrator.”
One of Kemp's major league accomplishments was UNO's role as host of the NCHC pod held at Baxter during the pandemic in December 2020. Kemp oversaw a mission in which eight teams played 38 league games in 21 days.
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Kemp, who has been with UNO for 27 years, served on the NCAA Ice Hockey Championship Committee from 2017 to 2022. He served as chairman for the last two years.
“This is another honor that highlights Mike Kemp's impressive career,” said UNO Athletic Director Adrian Dewell. “We are extremely grateful to the NCHC for properly recognizing Mike’s decades-long contributions not only to UNO, but to the conference and college hockey.”
Kemp becomes the seventh recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, which honors individuals who support the league's goals and ideals. The most recent winner was Josh Fenton, who will retire as NCHC commissioner in 2022.
