Wesleyan University

Christine Kemp enters her eighth season as the head coach of Wesleyan field hockey in 2026. Kemp also holds the title of assistant strength and conditioning coach for Wesleyan, a position she has held for the University since her arrival in 2019.

The Cardinals are one of the fastest-rising programs in recent years under Kemp, having recorded three of the best single-season in program history consecutively, peaking in 2025 with a record-setting year. Over the past three years, Wesleyan won nine games in 2023, then recorded a 12-win season in 2024 before a program record 16-win campaign in 2025 that featured the team's first NESCAC Runner-Up finish and a first-ever trip to the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Wesleyan is 37-18 in the past three years under Kemp, armed with a 18-12 regular season league record in the ultra competitive NESCAC. The 2025 squad made history all throughout the season including wins over Amherst and Williams to capture the Cardinals' fourth Little Three title in program history and first since 2003. Wesleyan defeated perennial power Middlebury on the road, 2-1 in double overtime, to secure the team's first-ever road win over the Panthers and first win over Midd since 2000. Wesleyan won 10 straight games throughout the regular season into the postseason, matching a team record, including a 2-0 upset win at top-seeded Tufts in the NESCAC Semifinal round to advance to the NESCAC Final for the first time in team history. Wesleyan then qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and recorded wins over Marywood and Hamilton to reach the Quarterfinals for the first time. 

The 2024 season saw Wesleyan go 12-6, recording the team's first double-digit win season since 2010 and most wins in a year since 2000. Wesleyan hosted it's first NESCAC Tournament home playoff game since 2005 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in team history. The Cardinals defeated Ithaca 2-0 at home in the First Round for the team's first NCAA Tournament win. Wesleyan was ranked Top 10 nationally for the first time in team history.

In her fifth season at Wes, the 2023 campaign saw the Cardinals complete its most-successful season in well over a decade. The Cardinals were ranked as high as No. 16 nationally, garnering a national ranking for the first time since 2010. Wesleyan defeated No. 5 ranked Tufts, 2-1 in overtime in Medford, signaling the first time the Cardinals defeated a Top 5 ranked team on the road in team history. Wesleyan earned a spot in the NESCAC Tournament for the first time since 2013 and had a single-season team record three First Team All-NESCAC selections.

Dating back to her first year with the Cardinals, Kemp's teams achieved success right away as she led Wesleyan to five wins in her first season at the helm in 2019. Those five wins were the most for Wesleyan in a single-season since 2013 and among those five wins included a 1-0 upset of No. 5 ranked Tufts at home. 

Kemp came to Wesleyan from Castleton, where she spent the 2018 season as the field hockey head coach and led the Spartans to a regular-season record of 15-5 overall and 11-1 in the Little East Conference (LEC). In her first season as a collegiate head coach, Kemp's Castleton squad won the LEC regular-season championship as she was named the LEC Coach of the Year. She guided the team to a program-record 11-game winning streak while coaching three First Team All-LEC selections. Castleton was just 23-48 (.324) in the four seasons prior to Kemp's arrival, while the 15 wins in 2018 were the program's most in six years.

Before her stint at Castleton, Kemp spent five seasons at her alma mater, Skidmore College. While there, she helped lead the Thoroughbreds to an 80-27 (.748) record with three Liberty League Championships, two quarterfinal appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament (2014, '16), and one national semifinal appearance (2013).

Her college coaching career began at Bridgewater State University, where she served as an assistant coach form 2011-13 while pursuing her master's degree. During that time, the Bears compiled a 31-11 (.738) record and won back-to-back MASCAC Championships, while qualifying for the ECAC Division III Tournament both years, reaching the semifinals in 2011 and the finals in 2012.

Kemp earned her bachelor's degree from Skidmore in 2011 following a decorated four-year playing career. She was a two-sport athlete who excelled in field hockey, while also serving as a captain of the basketball team her senior year. In field hockey, Kemp was named a three-time NFHCA All-American, three-time Liberty League Player of the Year, and two-time NFHCA North Atlantic Player of the Year. She holds the school records for most assists in a single season (22) and most career assists (62). As a senior, she led the team to its first-ever 20-win season and a trip to the NCAA Division III Final Four. She also ranked second in the country in assists per game in 2009 and 2010, and was fourth in points and sixth in goals in 2010. In 2011, Kemp received the Skidmore Senior Athlete Award and seven years later, she was inducted into Skidmore's Athletics Hall of Fame.

Aside from her collegiate coaching experience, Kemp also served as the futures head coach and site director for USA Field Hockey in 2018, where she developed individual skills, team game and offensive and defensive strategies in a training-only environment for U19 players. She also assisted in the start-up of the Thoroughbreds Club in March 2017, which is Saratoga County-based club program for interested field hockey players ranging in age from 7-18 years old.

Kemp is married to Keith Simons, the current head women's soccer coach at Connecticut College.