Full-Court Circle: Jason Kemp returns home to lead the Dragons

Twenty years ago, a young coach stepped into Moorhead’s Nemzek Hall with big dreams and little experience. Today, he’s back—with a game plan and a heart full of Dragon pride.

Jason Kemp wasn’t born in Moorhead or Minnesota, but the 56560 zip code left a lasting mark on him. It’s where his coaching journey began, launching a career that’s spanned two decades and several top-tier programs. Now, the Madison, Wis., native is returning to where it all started: Minnesota State Moorhead.

In 2004, Kemp arrived in Moorhead as a graduate assistant, brought on by then-head coach Stu Engen, who had also coached him at UW-La Crosse. He quickly found his footing on the sidelines, growing into the role and forming connections that would shape his coaching philosophy. That formative experience laid the foundation for a full-circle moment: on May 1, Kemp was named head coach of Dragon men’s basketball—his first head coaching role and a homecoming rich with meaning.

“As I traveled the country on my coaching journey, I always paid attention to the growth of this program,” Kemp said. “Excitement for athletics, and growth of the campus community is at an all-time high. I am fortunate to be a part of it, and excited to once again live in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Kemp says he has a strong sense of accountability to take this program to the next level.

“My junior year at UW-La Crosse, Coach Stu Engen took the job here and promised he would help me get my start in coaching if I desired. He made good on that promise,” Kemp said. “At the time, the program was operating with limited resources, and he did a great job with what he had. The program is in a much different place today, and I owe it to him and the other great coaches and players to continue to build on the momentum that’s been created here.”

Kemp has quickly implemented a common thread within his program: connectivity. It is a term and quality that is shared across campus, and it stretches long beyond the university’s walls. Kemp has used the tagline ‘One Heartbeat’ when describing his approach to culture and success.

“The foundation of any successful entity is connectivity. I want our team to understand the importance of operating with one heartbeat. We will talk a ton about having five guys connected on the court at all times,” he said. “It also is an acronym for our core values of hard work, energy, attitude, resiliency, and toughness. We will strive to be all these things every day.”

That connectivity has already begun as Kemp builds the Dragon roster. Upon Kemp’s hiring, the Dragons had only six rostered players ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. Since joining Moorhead, he has signed seven new players with more potentially on the way. In the current era of college athletics, Kemp has balanced his roster with incoming freshmen as well as several transfers from other NCAA institutions.

“My ideal Dragon student-athlete will be willing to work, able to win, and committed to excellence,” said Kemp when asked about the type of players he recruits.

With the first big hurdle out of the way, Kemp looks to continue Moorhead’s incredible success on the hardwood. The Dragons have won three of the last four NSIC Tournament championships and have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the last six seasons. Moorhead reached the NCAA Central Region Championship game in 2024-25, and Kemp believes similar success is on the horizon.

“The simple answer is that they should expect more of the same. I am fortunate to be taking over a program with a great culture and a winning tradition,” Kemp said when speaking directly to Dragon fans. “I intend to be myself and be authentic, while also tapping into the same winning formulas that Dragon men’s basketball has utilized the past few years.”

Over 20 years after starting his coaching career, Jason Kemp has returned to Moorhead. Now, he has the opportunity to help build and sustain a program that has meant so much to him and his career. It provides Kemp the extra jolt of motivation needed to usher in a new era of Dragon men’s basketball.