Colorado University Athletics
Kempney Named Assistant Lacrosse Coach
August 05, 2015 | Lacrosse
BOULDER – University of Colorado head lacrosse coach Ann Elliott announced the hiring of Kailah Kempney as assistant coach on Thursday.
“I am excited to announce the addition of Kailah Kempney to our staff at Colorado,” said Elliott. “Kailah is an unbelievably talented lacrosse player, who has a great passion for playing and teaching the game. Coming from Syracuse, Kailah knows what it takes to compete for championships and has learned from one of the biggest names in lacrosse in [Syracuse head coach] Gary Gait. I am looking forward to the perspective and energy Kailah will bring to our program. She will be an incredible asset to all of our players on a daily basis.”
Kempney makes the move to Boulder after finishing a stellar four-year playing career at Syracuse this past May in which the Orange combined for an impressive 74-19 record. During her time as a student-athlete, she competed in a program-record four consecutive Final Fours and made two National Championship appearances.
“I am very thankful for this opportunity to begin my collegiate coaching career at Colorado,” said Kempney. “It's exciting to be joining Annie and the rest of the coaching staff to continue developing this young program and take it to the next level. I am looking forward to what this next year has in store and working hard with our student athletes to achieve our goals athletically and academically.”
An Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Second Team selection during her senior season and team captain, she proved to be a dominant force on the attack, breaking her own single-season school record with 186 draw controls and is Syracuse's all-time draw control leader with 253 for her career. A four-year starter, she helped guide the Orange to the NCAA Tournament's Final Four in each of her four seasons and two trips to the National Championship, once during her freshman campaign (2012) and again as a junior (2014).
Kempney earned a variety of other awards throughout her career as well. She was named an Academic All-American in 2014, selected to the All-Conference Tournament team, twice (Big East in 2013 and Atlantic Coast in 2015) and in 2015, earned a place on the All-ACC Second Team.
While playing for the Orange, she also served as a coach and counselor during team-hosted lacrosse camps, helping teach youth and young adults the fundamentals of the game. In addition, Kempney has been a head coach and manager for the Different Road Patriots club team since 2011, responsible for organizing and running all practices, games and team meetings.
Kempney, a Carthage, N.Y. native graduated from Syracuse with a degree in health and exercise sciences.
