Kempainen enters her second season as an assistant coach with the Augustana women's soccer program, bringing extensive Division I coaching experience and a strong background in player development at the collegiate, club and high school levels.Â
Kempainen joined the Vikings in 2025 following a coaching career that includes stops at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), the University of St. Thomas and Alabama State University. Throughout her career, she has been part of championship teams, NCAA Tournament programs and Division I transitions while emphasizing player development, competitive growth and building strong team environments.
During her first season at FGCU, Kempainen helped the Eagles to a 12-5-5 overall record and a 7-1-3 mark in ASUN play. FGCU earned the No. 3 seed in the ASUN Tournament and captured the conference championship following a dramatic comeback against North Alabama. Trailing by three goals, the Eagles rallied behind a hat trick from sophomore Erika Zschuppe before advancing 3-2 on penalty kicks to earn the program's eighth NCAA Tournament appearance. FGCU then faced second-seeded Texas Tech in the NCAA First Round, holding the Red Raiders scoreless for nearly 80 minutes before falling 1-0. Kempainen was also part of a historic season for the Eagles that featured several individual accomplishments along with the Eagles landing on SportsCenter Top 10 not once but three times in 2023. During the season, head coach Jim Blankenship also recorded his 200th victory at FGCU.
Prior to FGCU, Kempainen spent time at the University of St. Thomas, helping the Tommies navigate their transition from Division III to Division I competition. In her first season with St. Thomas, the Tommies opened the campaign with a 6-2-3 record and earned the first road Summit League victory in program history with a win at North Dakota State.Â
Kempainen previously served as an assistant coach at Alabama State University, where she helped guide the Lady Hornets through the unique spring 2021 season. Alabama State captured its third conference championship in five years while completing an undefeated run through the conference regular season and tournament. The Lady Hornets posted four shutouts during conference play and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, where they faced nationally ranked Penn State in the opening round.
In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Kempainen has an extensive background in club and high school soccer. She has coached and worked with players throughout Florida, Alabama and Minnesota and has served as a coach and camp leader at numerous soccer camps across the country. Her experience working with players at a variety of ages and competitive levels has helped shape her approach to individual development and team success.
Kempainen began her collegiate playing career at the University of Minnesota, where she was a four-year player and an integral part of the program's rebuilding process. She earned her bachelor's degree in communication from Minnesota.
Throughout her coaching career, Kempainen has been committed to developing confident, competitive student-athletes and creating environments centered on hard work, purpose, belief and enjoyment of the game. She brings that philosophy and experience to Augustana as the Vikings continue to build a culture of competitive excellence on and off the field.
