University of Delaware Athletics
HALL OF FAME COUNTDOWN: Ted Kempski (Football)
9/29/2015 9:50:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, Del. - The University of Delaware will induct its 19th Athletics Hall of Fame Class in a ceremony next Friday, Oct. 2, at the Embassy Suites and follow with a special on-field halftime recognition on Saturday, Oct. 3, when the Blue Hens host William & Mary in football at Delaware Stadium.
Today we continue the 10-day countdown to the event and will recognize one of the inductees each day until the ceremony.
DAY 4 (Sept. 29)
TED KEMPSKI (Football)
A standout quarterback at UD in the early 1960's, Ted Kempski went on to become the team's longest serving assistant coach in school history and helped mold the Wing-T offense that led to unprecedented success for the Blue Hens under Hall of Fame head coach Tubby Raymond.
A native of Wilmington, Del. and a star at Salesianum School, Ted has served the University of Delaware for more than a half-century and still remains close to the program.
A two-year starter in 1961-62, he led the team to the Middle Atlantic Conference title in 1962 for Hall 
of Fame head coach Dave Nelson. He returned to Newark as an assistant coach in 1968 and served for 34 seasons before retiring as offensive coordinator following the 2001 season.
During his tenure, he helped guide record-setting UD offenses that annually ranked among the national leaders in rushing and scoring and resulted in national championships in 1971, 1972, and 1979, four national runner-up finishes, 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, and eight conference titles. Thirteen current UD Athletics Hall of Fame members played offense for Ted.
He wrote five books on the Wing-T, became one of the nation's leading football clinic speakers, and in 2008 received the American Football Coaches Association Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the sport.
After retiring from coaching, he served for several years as special assistant to former UD Athletic Director Edgar Johnson.
Ted earned bachelor's (1963) and master's (1965) degrees from Delaware and earned an honorary degree from University of Nuevo Leon in Monterey, Mexico in 1988. He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 2010.
He and his wife, Cathy, reside in Elkton, Md. They have four children and five grandchildren, several who attended or now attend UD.
"Being inducted into the UD Athletics Hall of Fame is the most cherished award I could possibly receive," said Kempski. "I say this because my career at UD was more than an education and a job. It was my life. I consider UD football as part of my family. I play a little golf for relaxation but don't have time for any other hobbies. Because I was given the opportunity to be a volunteer observer of Delaware Football since I retired I take full advantage of the situation.
"I have two chapters in my UD experience: Playing quarterback and coaching," he said. "As a Coach for 34 years I have too many memories to list. I enjoyed all the Lambert Cups we collected and all the great people I was associated with, players, coaches and staff, many of whom became lifelong friends.”
Day 10 (Sept. 23): Stephanie Barry (Volleyball)
Day 9 (Sept. 24): Omar Cuff (Football)
Day 8 (Sept. 25): Ken Dill (Men's Basketball & Tennis)
Day 7 (Sept. 26): Bruce Fad (Baseball & Football)
Day 6 (Sept. 27): Sarah Gause (Women's Basketball & Track & Field)
Day 5 (Sept. 28): Leah Geib (Field Hockey)
Day 4 (Sept. 29): Ted Kempski (Football)
Day 3 (Sept. 30): Joe Lank (Football, Baseball, Track & Field)
Day 2 (Oct. 1): George Schmitt (Football)
Day 1 (Oct. 2): Steve Shaw (Men's Lacrosse)
