After being a Graduate Assistant for a year, Dave Kempsell was promoted to Washington State Women’s Rowing Assistant Coach in 2018. He helped head coach Jane LaRiviere get the team to 14th overall at the NCAA Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Fla. Both the varsity eight and second varsity eight placed 14th in their races while the varsity four placed 11th.
Kempsell joins Washington State Women’s Rowing as Graduate Assistant after being a volunteer coach through fall 2017. Kempsell previously coached the WSU Women’s Club Rowing team during the 2016-17 season after moving to Pullman from Bedford, England where he had coached at Bedford Modern School.
At Bedford Modern, Kempsell coached his U16 Boys’ four with coxswain to a bronze medal at the 2016 Inter-Regional Regatta, and a fifth place finish at the National Schools’ Regatta. His crews also picked up medals at the Bedford Head, St Neots Head and British Indoor Rowing Championships.
Kempsell started rowing at Brunel University, West London before moving to Star Rowing Club in Bedford. At Star, Kempsell won the Britannia Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, and was a two time winner of the Jackson Trophy at the Head of the River Race. Kempsell also represented England on two occasions, winning the Open Four with Coxswain event at the 2012 Home International Regatta. Kempsell finished his rowing career in 2013 at Leander Club, winning a bronze medal at the 2013 British Championships in the Open Eight.
A 2009 graduate of the University of Bedfordshire with a degree in Sport & Exercise Science, he is currently studying for a master’s in sport management at WSU.
