Although the Youngstown State University Athletic Department does not sponsor men's swimming, the accomplishments of former YSU swimming great Joe Kemper have not been forgotten.
During his outstanding four-year career with the Penguins, Kemper was a four-time letter winner, two-time co-captain (1976-77), was named Most Valuable Player in 1977 and guided the team to 30 victories. He was the only Division I qualifier YSU ever had to come out of the Division II National Swimming and Diving Championships.
In 1977, Kemper was an All-American in the one-meter and three-meter diving events, and also earned All-American accolades in the one-meter dive in 1976.
Kemper still holds the school record for one-meter diving. The graceful and extremely athletic diver was a five-time Penn-Ohio Conference runner-up in the one-meter dive in 1974,1975 and 1977, and the three-meter dive in 1975-76.
Kemper was named head coach of the YSU men's and women's swimming team in 1981. As head coach, his teams set 28 school records (six by the men and 22 by the women) in four seasons. In 1983-84, Kemper saw two of his women place in the top 15 at the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships.
During his tenure, he coached five NCAA Division II All-Americans, had 24 All-America performances, one NCAA champion and one NCAA record holder.
Kemper, who now resides in Naples, Fla., received his bachelor's degree in elementary education. He retired from the Collier County School District in 2017 after a 33-year career as a math teacher, swimming and basketball coach, high school athletic director, and school district administrator
Kemper was also the head boys and girls swimming and diving coach at Barron Collier High School. During this time, he led his squads to a 146-31-1 meet record in 13 seasons. Kemper guided his team to three District Championships, four top five finishes at the Florida State High Championships, three Florida State Relay Championships and coached nine Florida state champion swimmers.
