Nov 3, 2026 | General, Hockey
Mike Kemp was comfortable with his coaching career, having been an assistant for one of the nation's top programs for nearly two decades. Then Kemp decided to step out of his comfort zone by accepting the head coaching job at Omaha. This, though, was no ordinary coaching position. He would be the leader of a program that was starting from scratch.
"Every brush stroke, from the design of the jersey to the first schedule we ever had here to recruiting the first recruits, no one else has that experience," Kemp said of those early days for the program. "That's what makes this program so special. Having your finger on it from day one is so unique."
Kemp was hired in 1996 and was Omaha's coach for its first 12 seasons. He's been a part of the school's athletic administration ever since retiring as coach. And on Nov. 6, Kemp, with his long association with Omaha, will be inducted into the Omaha Athletics Hall of Fame.
"It's very special because I think of everything that has happened since 1996, back when Don Leahy and Del Weber gave me the opportunity to start the program and stood by me as we developed the program," Kemp said. "So many people have helped me along the way. To be recognized in this fashion is very important to me. This place is not just another school or just another hockey program, it's one I put my heart and soul into."
Omaha originally played its home games at the Civic Auditorium and Kemp remembers the team's first practice. He wondered if they would ever win a game, but it didn't take long for the Mavericks to find success.The Mavericks won at least 20 games in 2002 and 2003 and made the NCAA tournament during the 2005-06 season.
Current Omaha coach Mike Gabinet was a player for the Mavericks and Kemp during the early 2000s.
"My dad was a high school coach. A lot of the same characteristics I saw from Kemper I also saw in my dad," Gabinet said.
Kemp spent 33 years as a hockey coach before stepping down in 2009, but his association with Omaha athletics was far from over. He became associate athletics director and oversaw facilities during a time of transition. That included Caniglia Field becoming a soccer pitch and the opening of Baxter Arena. In 2021, he served as interim athletics director before Adrian Dowell was hired that winter.
"It really put a cherry on top of my career," Kemp said.
He currently serves as special advisor to the athletics director. This is the 51st year Kamp has worked in college athletics as he remains closely tied to the hockey program.
"It's invaluable to have someone with his experience. He's not only a program ambassador but he's also a hockey coach," Gabinet said. "It's nice having someone you can talk to who has been through the ups and downs of being a coach."
And when Omaha plays home games, it does so on Kemp Ice, a surface named in his family's honor.
Kemp said his wife played an instrumental role when they decided to undergo the task of taking the job in Omaha and building a program from the ground up.
"It's a family situation that made this possible," Kemp said.
"Every brush stroke, from the design of the jersey to the first schedule we ever had here to recruiting the first recruits, no one else has that experience," Kemp said of those early days for the program. "That's what makes this program so special. Having your finger on it from day one is so unique."
Kemp was hired in 1996 and was Omaha's coach for its first 12 seasons. He's been a part of the school's athletic administration ever since retiring as coach. And on Nov. 6, Kemp, with his long association with Omaha, will be inducted into the Omaha Athletics Hall of Fame.
"It's very special because I think of everything that has happened since 1996, back when Don Leahy and Del Weber gave me the opportunity to start the program and stood by me as we developed the program," Kemp said. "So many people have helped me along the way. To be recognized in this fashion is very important to me. This place is not just another school or just another hockey program, it's one I put my heart and soul into."
Omaha originally played its home games at the Civic Auditorium and Kemp remembers the team's first practice. He wondered if they would ever win a game, but it didn't take long for the Mavericks to find success.The Mavericks won at least 20 games in 2002 and 2003 and made the NCAA tournament during the 2005-06 season.
Current Omaha coach Mike Gabinet was a player for the Mavericks and Kemp during the early 2000s.
"My dad was a high school coach. A lot of the same characteristics I saw from Kemper I also saw in my dad," Gabinet said.
Kemp spent 33 years as a hockey coach before stepping down in 2009, but his association with Omaha athletics was far from over. He became associate athletics director and oversaw facilities during a time of transition. That included Caniglia Field becoming a soccer pitch and the opening of Baxter Arena. In 2021, he served as interim athletics director before Adrian Dowell was hired that winter.
"It really put a cherry on top of my career," Kemp said.
He currently serves as special advisor to the athletics director. This is the 51st year Kamp has worked in college athletics as he remains closely tied to the hockey program.
"It's invaluable to have someone with his experience. He's not only a program ambassador but he's also a hockey coach," Gabinet said. "It's nice having someone you can talk to who has been through the ups and downs of being a coach."
And when Omaha plays home games, it does so on Kemp Ice, a surface named in his family's honor.
Kemp said his wife played an instrumental role when they decided to undergo the task of taking the job in Omaha and building a program from the ground up.
"It's a family situation that made this possible," Kemp said.
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