Jon Kempin
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Jonathan Kempin (born April 8, 1993) is an American former professional
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
player who played as a
goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
. He previously appeared for
Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The ad ...
(SKC),
LA Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Gal ...
,
Columbus Crew SC The Columbus Crew are an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team began play in 1996 as one of the 10 charter clubs of the league. ...
, and
D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
and spent time on loan with Orlando City,
OKC Energy Oklahoma City Energy Football Club, or simply Energy FC, is an American professional soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The club is a member of the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer league system. Although ...
,
San Antonio Scorpions The San Antonio Scorpions were an American professional soccer team based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 2010, the team made its debut in the North American Soccer League in 2012. The Scorpions played at Toyota Field, a soccer specific stadi ...
,
Swope Park Rangers Sporting Kansas City II is a MLS Next Pro club affiliated with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer. For the 2022 season they will play their home games at Kansas Jayhawks, Rock Chalk Park at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, ...
,
LA Galaxy II Ventura County FC is an American professional soccer team based in the Greater Los Angeles area town of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County, California, United States that plays in MLS Next Pro, the third tier of the United States soccer league sy ...
,
Hartford Athletic Hartford Athletic is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The club was founded in 2018 and started play in the USL Championship in 2019. It is the only pro soccer team in Connecticut (thoug ...
, San Diego Loyal, and
Loudoun United Loudoun United FC is an American professional soccer team based in Leesburg, Virginia. The team was founded in 2018 as the reserve team of D.C. United and made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019. After ownership changes, it ceased being t ...
. Kempin was born in
Leawood, Kansas Leawood () is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 33,902. History 19th century After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the are ...
and attended
Blue Valley North High School Blue Valley North High School is a public high school located in Overland Park, Kansas, United States, serving students in grades 9–12. The school is one of the five high schools operated by Blue Valley USD 229 school district. The school col ...
, winning a state title as a freshman and being inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. He played club soccer in the
Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The administrative offices are located in downtown K ...
system, climbing through the club's academy setup before signing for the first team as a homegrown player in August 2010. Kempin made his debut for the renamed Sporting Kansas City in May 2012, going on to appear 12 times for the team in seven seasons. Kempin spent four spells on loan while with SKC, winning a
USL Pro The USL Championship (USLC) is a men's professional soccer league in the second tier of the United States league system. It is organized by the United Soccer League (USL) as its premier league for men above USL League One. Operating under a f ...
championship with Orlando City and also spending time with OKC Energy, San Antonio Scorpions, and Swope Park Rangers. After being released by Sporting KC, he spent a year in the LA Galaxy organization before joining Columbus Crew SC ahead of the 2018 season. Kempin represented the United States from under-14 to under-23 level. He was a part of the under-17 residency program at the
IMG Soccer Academy IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. The organization is set across over 600 acres (243 ha) and features programs consisting of sport camps for young athletes, adult ...
while in high school and represented the under-18, under-20, and under-23 teams in competitive matches. Kempin earned his only senior call-up in January 2015.


Early life

Born in
Leawood, Kansas Leawood () is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 33,902. History 19th century After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, the are ...
, Kempin played club soccer for the KC Legends, Blue Valley Stars, and KCFC Alliance youth teams. He attended
Blue Valley North High School Blue Valley North High School is a public high school located in Overland Park, Kansas, United States, serving students in grades 9–12. The school is one of the five high schools operated by Blue Valley USD 229 school district. The school col ...
in
Overland Park Overland Park ( ) is the largest city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and the second-most populous city in the state of Kansas. It is one of four principal cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the pop ...
, winning a state title and allowing just two goals as a freshman. He was selected to take part in the United States U17 residency program at the
IMG Soccer Academy IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. The organization is set across over 600 acres (243 ha) and features programs consisting of sport camps for young athletes, adult ...
, where he spent his sophomore year. After one season in the residency program, Kempin returned to Kansas and joined the
Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The administrative offices are located in downtown K ...
Academy in the
U.S. Soccer Development Academy The U.S. Soccer Development Academy (DA) was an American soccer league. Formed in 2007, the league featured youth academies and youth clubs from various organizations, including Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League. The DA's mission ...
. As a junior at Blue Valley North, he was named as the Kansas State Player of the Year and as a
Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...
All-American. In 2017, Kempin was inducted into the Blue Valley North Athletic Hall of Fame and the Kansas Soccer Hall of Fame.


Club career


Sporting Kansas City

On August 31, 2010, Kempin signed with the
Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The administrative offices are located in downtown K ...
as the first homegrown player in club history. At 17 years old, he was the youngest player ever signed by the Wizards. Kempin did not make an appearance in his first professional season, although he was named to the bench for the club's season finale against
San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional association football, soccer club based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Origin ...
. In
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
, Kempin again did not play for the Sporting Kansas City first team. He did become the club's primary goalkeeper in the
MLS Reserve League The MLS Reserve League was a association football, soccer league for the reserve teams of Major League Soccer with teams in both the United States and Canada. It was inaugurated on April 9, 2005, with the first official reserve game being a 2 ...
, appearing several times in that competition, and was named to the substitutes' bench three times in
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
play. In his third professional season, Kempin finally made his debut for SKC. On May 29, 2012, he started against Orlando City in the
U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States. It is the country's oldest ongoing national soccer competition. The competition was first held duri ...
, making six saves and helping Sporting KC claim a 3–2 victory. He was named to the bench 13 times in league play, all due to an injury to normal backup goalkeeper
Eric Kronberg Eric Kronberg (; born June 7, 1983) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. Career Kronberg was drafted in the fourth round (40th overall) of the 2006 MLS Superdraft by the Kansas City Wizards. Kronberg made ...
, but did not play outside of his lone cup appearance.


2013: loan to Orlando

On March 14, 2013, Kempin was loaned to Orlando City, Sporting KC's
USL Pro The USL Championship (USLC) is a men's professional soccer league in the second tier of the United States league system. It is organized by the United Soccer League (USL) as its premier league for men above USL League One. Operating under a f ...
affiliate, in a bid to find regular playing time. The loan was for the duration of the 2013 season, with the club able to recall him at any time. Kempin made his Orlando debut on April 7, starting a 3–1 victory against
Phoenix FC Phoenix FC was an American professional soccer team based in Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix. The team was a member of the USL Pro, USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team's colors were red and white. History ...
. He appeared nine times for the Lions on the year, playing for the last time in a scoreless draw with
Pittsburgh Riverhounds Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1998 and beginning play in 1999, the club plays in the Eastern Conference of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American ...
on July 17. He did not appear in the club's playoff run, with Miguel Gallardo starting in net as Orlando claimed the USL Pro title for the second time in club history. Kempin returned to Sporting Kansas City with six games remaining in the regular season, but was unable to beat out
Jimmy Nielsen Jimmy Nielsen (born 6 August 1977) is a Danish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Until June 2007, he played 398 games for Danish team AaB Fodbold. Playing every league match for AaB since 1997, Nielsen won the 1999 Danish Superliga ...
or Kronberg to make a matchday squad. He watched on during the club's playoff run as SKC defeated
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake (RSL) is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Fou ...
on penalties to win
MLS Cup 2013 MLS Cup 2013, the 18th edition of Major League Soccer's MLS Cup, championship match, was a Association football, soccer match which took place on Saturday, December 7, 2013, between Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake at Sporting Park in Kan ...
, the second league championship in club history.


2014: loan to OKC

On March 17, 2014, Kempin was loaned to
OKC Energy FC Oklahoma City Energy Football Club, or simply Energy FC, is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The club is a member of the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer lea ...
for the duration of the 2014 season. The Energy, playing their debut season in the USL Pro, were coached by Kempin's former teammate in Kansas City, Jimmy Nielsen. Although he was initially recalled by SKC before playing a game, Kempin returned to make his Energy debut on April 7, starting in a 4–2 defeat against
LA Galaxy II Ventura County FC is an American professional soccer team based in the Greater Los Angeles area town of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County, California, United States that plays in MLS Next Pro, the third tier of the United States soccer league sy ...
. He appeared 13 times through the front half of the season, with that run of matches including a six-game losing streak and a six-game unbeaten run. Kempin was recalled by Sporting KC on July 9, 2014, after Eric Kronberg fractured a bone in his left hand. He immediately stepped into the backup role behind Andy Gruenebaum, sitting on the bench in SKC's next five matches. Kempin was selected to take part in the inaugural
MLS Homegrown Game The MLS Next All-Star Game, formerly known as the MLS Homegrown Game, is an exhibition match between selected players in MLS Next Pro. Similar to events such as Major League Baseball's All-Star Futures Game, the National Hockey League's NHL Al ...
, where he played the second half against
Portland Timbers U23s Capital FC is an American soccer team based in Salem, Oregon, United States. Although founded in 2008 as part of the development system for the Portland Timbers USSF D2 organization, beginning in 2011 they were part of the development system fo ...
and was named as the game's Most Valuable Player. Just five days after the Homegrown Game, Kempin stepped in to make his Major League Soccer debut; Gruenebaum went out injured against
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional Association football, soccer club based in Vancouver. The Whitecaps compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The MLS ite ...
on August 10, leaving Kempin to take over at halftime. He saved a penalty from
Darren Mattocks Darren Dimitri Mattocks (born 2 September 1990) is a Jamaican professional footballer who last played as a forward for Phoenix Rising FC and the Jamaica national football team. College career Mattocks played for the University of Akron where he ...
in the 85th minute, but Sporting KC fell by a 2–0 scoreline. Kempin went on to appear in SKC's next four games, including a match against
Real Estelí Real may refer to: Currencies * Argentine real * Brazilian real (R$) * Central American Republic real * Mexican real * Portuguese real * Spanish real * Spanish colonial real Nature and science * Reality, the state of things as they exist, rath ...
in
CONCACAF Champions League The CONCACAF Champions Cup, formerly known as CONCACAF Champions League (2008–2023), is an international association football competition organized by CONCACAF as its top continental tournament for clubs from North America, Central America, ...
play on August 20. Although he returned to the bench following Gruenebaum's return to health, Kempin finished the season with five appearances for Sporting Kansas City.


2015: loan to San Antonio

On March 20, 2015, Kempin was again sent on loan, this time joining
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the ...
club
San Antonio Scorpions The San Antonio Scorpions were an American professional soccer team based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 2010, the team made its debut in the North American Soccer League in 2012. The Scorpions played at Toyota Field, a soccer specific stadi ...
for the duration of the 2015 season. SKC manager
Peter Vermes Peter Joseph Vermes (; born November 21, 1966) is an American professional soccer coach and former player. From 2009 to 2025, he was the manager of Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer. Entering the 2025 MLS season, Vermes was the lon ...
said that Kempin was headed to San Antonio, instead of affiliate club OKC Energy, because " ehas the ability to go in and be the number one right away in San Antonio." He started each of the Scorpions' first two matches on the year, conceding five total goals in defeats against
Tampa Bay Rowdies The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tie ...
on April 4 and
Indy Eleven Indy Eleven is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2013, the team made its debut in the North American Soccer League (2011–2017), North American Soccer League (NASL) in 2014, b ...
on April 18. After Luis Marín terminated his contract with the club, Kempin was recalled to Sporting Kansas City on May 27, 2015. He spent the majority of the season backing up
Tim Melia Timothy Melia (; born May 15, 1986) is an American former professional soccer player. He spent the majority of his career as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City. Early career Melia was born in Great River, New York. M ...
, but did appear three times in a four-match stretch in August. Kempin's only other appearance on the year came in the knockout round of the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, in a match that would become known as the "Double Post" game. Against eventual champions
Portland Timbers The Portland Timbers are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Portland, Oregon. The Timbers compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Timbers have p ...
, Melia suffered a head injury and had to exit the match in the 84th minute. Kempin did not concede a goal through extra time, and made three saves in the ensuing penalty shootout, but saw his kick in the 11th round saved as Portland advanced by a 7–6 scoreline. Although his contract expired at the end of the season, Kempin re-signed with Sporting KC on December 9.


2016: loan to Swope Park

Although Kempin had been considered to be SKC's goalkeeper of the future for six years, his future with the club was thrown into doubt following the
2016 MLS SuperDraft The 2016 MLS SuperDraft was the seventeenth SuperDraft conducted by Major League Soccer. The SuperDraft is held each year in conjunction with the annual National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention. The 2016 convention was held in ...
; both Vermes and co-owner Robb Heineman said that the club wanted to draft Andrew Tarbell, and that they had viewed Tarbell as a "ten-year goalkeeper" for the club. That revelation, coupled with the selection of
Alec Kann Alec Kann (born August 8, 1990) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati. Career Youth and college Kann attended Lakeside High School (DeKalb County, Georgia), where he was a ...
in the 2015 MLS Re-Entry Draft, meant that Kempin was again the club's number three goalkeeper. He was sent on loan to SKC's
United Soccer League The United Soccer League (USL) is an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system. It currently organizes its Championship, League One, and League Two for men, its Super League and W Leag ...
affiliate,
Swope Park Rangers Sporting Kansas City II is a MLS Next Pro club affiliated with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer. For the 2022 season they will play their home games at Kansas Jayhawks, Rock Chalk Park at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, ...
, on March 25, 2016. Kempin started the inaugural game in Swope Park history, making two saves in a 2–1 victory against
Portland Timbers 2 Portland Timbers 2 is an American professional soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. The team, often referred to as "T2", serves as the reserve squad for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer (MLS). The team was a member of the USL Champ ...
on March 26. After mostly staying with the Rangers for the first half of the season, he spent the early part of August moving between Sporting KC and Swope Park, playing in the league while on loan and appearing on the bench for SKC. He played twice in the
2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League The 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League (officially the 2016–17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons) was the 9th edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current name, and overall the 52nd edition of the prem ...
, with a start against
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional Association football, soccer club based in Vancouver. The Whitecaps compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The MLS ite ...
on August 23 eventually marking his 12th and final appearance with Sporting KC. Kempin had his contract option declined by the club on November 23, ending his ten-year association with the Sporting Kansas City organization. He went unselected in the
2016 MLS Re-Entry Draft The two-stage 2016 MLS Re-Entry Draft took place on December 16, 2016 (Stage 1) and December 22, 2016 (Stage 2). All 22 Major League Soccer clubs were eligible to participate. The priority order for the Re-Entry Draft was reverse order of finish ...
.


LA Galaxy and loan to Galaxy II

After training with the club during preseason, Kempin signed with
LA Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Gal ...
on March 3, 2017. He was intended to serve as the club's number three goalkeeper, behind
Brian Rowe Brian Michael Rowe (born November 16, 1988) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. Youth soccer Rowe went to South Eugene High School, where he was voted best defensive player in 2005 and MVP in 2006. He ...
and Clément Diop. In a bid to find playing time, Kempin was loaned to
LA Galaxy II Ventura County FC is an American professional soccer team based in the Greater Los Angeles area town of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County, California, United States that plays in MLS Next Pro, the third tier of the United States soccer league sy ...
, the Galaxy's reserve team in the
United Soccer League The United Soccer League (USL) is an organizer of various professional and amateur soccer leagues in the United States league system. It currently organizes its Championship, League One, and League Two for men, its Super League and W Leag ...
. He made his debut for Los Dos on March 25, keeping a shutout in a 2–0 victory over
Whitecaps FC 2 Whitecaps FC 2 is a professional association football, soccer team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada that serves as the reserve team of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer. History Prior to the MLS Next Pro iteratio ...
. However, with Rowe injured and Diop on international duty, Kempin made his MLS debut for the Galaxy on June 3, tallying six saves in a scoreless draw with
D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
. Kempin appeared for Galaxy II sporadically throughout the 2017 season, playing his last of six games while on loan on August 2 against
Orange County SC Orange County Soccer Club is an American soccer team based in the Orange County, California city of Irvine. Founded in 2010 as the Los Angeles Blues, the team currently plays in the Western Conference of the USL Championship, the second tier ...
. On August 23, in his second start of the year for the Galaxy, he tied an MLS record by saving two penalty kicks in a match, although the Galaxy were defeated 2–0 by
Columbus Crew SC The Columbus Crew are an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team began play in 1996 as one of the 10 charter clubs of the league. ...
. Kempin appeared in 15 games between the two teams, but the Galaxy declined his contract option on November 27.


Columbus Crew SC

On December 13, 2017, Kempin was traded to Columbus Crew SC in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the
2018 MLS SuperDraft The 2018 MLS SuperDraft was the nineteenth SuperDraft conducted by Major League Soccer. As customary, the SuperDraft was held in conjunction with the annual United Soccer Coaches convention. The 2018 UCS was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania b ...
. He stepped straight into the backup role behind
Zack Steffen Zackary Thomas Steffen (born April 2, 1995) is an American professional Association football, soccer player who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids and the United States men's nat ...
, appearing on the bench in each of Crew SC's first three matches. With Steffen away on international duty, Kempin made his debut for the club on March 24, 2018, starting against
D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
. He made one save, helping Columbus to a 3–1 victory. He went on to appear four more times, finishing his first season in Columbus with five appearances; he was named to the bench an additional 31 times in all competitions. On December 9, Kempin had his contract option picked up by the club.


2019: loan to Hartford

After not making a single appearance through the first two months of the
2019 season Nineteen or 19 may refer to: * 19 (number) * One of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019 Films * ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film * ''Nineteen'' (1987 film), a 1987 science fiction film * '' 19-Nineteen'', a 2009 South Korean film * '' Dici ...
, Kempin was sent on loan to
USL Championship The USL Championship (USLC) is a men's professional association football, soccer league in the second tier of the United States soccer league system#Men's leagues, United States league system. It is organized by the United Soccer League (USL) a ...
club
Hartford Athletic Hartford Athletic is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Hartford, Connecticut. The club was founded in 2018 and started play in the USL Championship in 2019. It is the only pro soccer team in Connecticut (thoug ...
on April 11. He made his debut for the club two days later, starting a 3–1 defeat against
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is an American professional association football, soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1998 and beginning play in 1999, the club plays in the Eastern Conference (USL), Eastern Conferenc ...
. After appearing once more for Hartford, Kempin was recalled by the Crew on April 23. He played five times in Columbus during the remainder of the season, including both of the Crew's matches in the
U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States. It is the country's oldest ongoing national soccer competition. The competition was first held duri ...
. At the end of the season, Kempin was named as the winner of the club's Kirk Urso Heart Award as the player that "best exemplified the qualities of a teammate and became 'the heart' of the Black & Gold’s locker room." Although his contract expired following the season, on October 21 it was announced that Kempin had signed a new contract with Columbus and would return to the Crew in
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
.


2020: loan to San Diego

The Crew acquired two goalkeepers ahead of the 2020 season, and in a bid for playing time Kempin was subsequently loaned out, joining
USL Championship The USL Championship (USLC) is a men's professional association football, soccer league in the second tier of the United States soccer league system#Men's leagues, United States league system. It is organized by the United Soccer League (USL) a ...
expansion side San Diego Loyal on March 6. Kempin made his San Diego debut on March 11 in a 2–1 victory against
Tacoma Defiance The Tacoma Defiance, formerly Seattle Sounders FC 2, are an American professional soccer team based in the Puget Sound region in Tukwila, Washington, United States. The team competes in MLS Next Pro, a league in the third tier of the United Sta ...
. He kept his place in the team after the season was paused due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, starting the first four games for the Loyal after the resumption. Kempin missed time in both August and September due to injuries but finished the shortened season with 11 appearances in San Diego. Heading into the season finale against Phoenix Rising, he was leading the way for the league's Golden Glove, but lost out on the award to Danny Vitiello: the Loyal walked off the field and forfeited after Collin Martin received
homophobic abuse Gay bashing is an attack, abuse, or assault committed against a person who is perceived by the aggressor to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ+). It includes both violence against LGBTQ people and LGBTQ bullying. The term ...
from a Phoenix player. Kempin was credited with three goals allowed for the 3–0 forfeit. After returning to Columbus, Kempin did not make an appearance as the Crew won
MLS Cup 2020 MLS Cup 2020 was the 25th edition of the MLS Cup, the championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), and was played at Historic Crew Stadium, Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio. The match was originally set to take place on Nov ...
.
Eloy Room Eloy Victor Room (born 6 February 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Belgian Pro League club Cercle Brugge. Born in the Netherlands, he plays for the Curaçao national team. Club career Vitesse Room joined Vites ...
and Andrew Tarbell shared the starting job during the club's playoff run, and Kempin also missed the Eastern Conference final after reportedly testing positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
.


D.C. United

On January 8, 2021, Kempin was traded to
D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Domestically, the club has won four MLS Cups (league championships), four Supp ...
in exchange for a third round pick in the
2021 MLS SuperDraft The 2021 MLS SuperDraft was the 22nd edition of the SuperDraft conducted by Major League Soccer. The SuperDraft is held every January prior to the start of the MLS season. The 2020 SuperDraft was the first held exclusively via conference call a ...
. He appeared to be the third goalkeeper on the depth chart at the beginning of the season, behind starter
Bill Hamid Abdul Bilal "Bill" Hamid ( ; born November 25, 1990) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for USL Championship club Miami FC. Born in Annandale, Virginia, Hamid was the first D.C. United Academy player to sign fo ...
and
Chris Seitz Christopher Seitz (born March 12, 1987) is an American former soccer player. He played as a goalkeeper in Major League Soccer from 2007 until his retirement in 2021. Youth and college Chris Seitz was awarded Gatorade's California High School So ...
. However, after an injury to Hamid and three straight losses with Seitz in net, Kempin made his club debut on May 13 and made three saves in a 1–0 victory over Chicago Fire. His longest run in the starting lineup arrived after Hamid was injured midway through a game against Columbus in August: Kempin replaced Hamid in that game and then started the next six for D.C. He finished with 10 appearances, his personal-best mark in an MLS season. At the end of the year, Kempin had his contract option declined by the club, but United confirmed that the sides remained in discussions on a new contract. He officially re-signed with D.C. on February 4, 2022. Following the 2022 season, his contract option was declined by D.C. United. On February 26, 2023, Kempin announced his retirement from professional soccer on his personal Twitter account.


International career

Before signing his first professional contract, Kempin had participated in training camps with the United States under-15 and under-18 national teams, as well as a stint in the under-17 residency program at the
IMG Soccer Academy IMG Academy is a preparatory boarding school and sports training destination in Bradenton, Florida, United States. The organization is set across over 600 acres (243 ha) and features programs consisting of sport camps for young athletes, adult ...
. His first competitive youth national team appearances, though, arrived at the under-20 level. In the winter of 2010, Kempin was included in the American squad for the Torneo de las Americas, playing in two matches, and the Traditional Winter Tournament in Israel, where he played twice more. He returned to the under-18 setup in 2011, representing the U.S. at the Lisbon International Tournament and the
Milk Cup SuperCupNI, formerly called the Northern Ireland Youth Soccer Tournament and the Dale Farm Milk Cup, is an international youth football tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. The cup matches are mainly played in the North Coast area of ...
. Kempin also earned his first call-up to the under-23 national team that year, sitting on the bench for a friendly against
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
in November. After more than a year out of the youth national teams, Kempin returned to the under-20s in January 2013. In a friendly against
Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...
, he replaced
Kendall McIntosh Kendall Isaiah McIntosh (born January 24, 1994) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for USL Championship club Oakland Roots SC. Career Youth, college and amateur McIntosh was a member of the San Jose Earthquakes ...
at halftime and conceded both goals in a 2–1 defeat. He again earned just one call-up in 2014, taking part in the first-ever training camp for the under-21 national team. In January 2015, Kempin earned his first call-up to the United States senior national team, with head coach
Jürgen Klinsmann Jürgen Klinsmann (; born 30 July 1964) is a German professional Association football, football manager and former player. He played for several prominent clubs in Europe including VfB Stuttgart, Inter Milan, AS Monaco FC, Monaco, Tottenham Hot ...
including the then-21-year-old as one of four goalkeepers in the squad for a pair of friendlies. However, Kempin did not appear in either match during the camp, with
Nick Rimando Nicholas Paul Rimando (born June 17, 1979) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake and the United States national team. He holds the Major League Soccer record ...
and Sean Johnson splitting the minutes. That November, Kempin made his under-23 debut and earned his final youth national team cap in a friendly against
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. He replaced Charlie Horton and played 45 minutes in a 2–1 defeat.


Personal life

Kempin is one of three children to his parents, Julie and Vance. He played baseball and basketball as well as soccer while growing up, with his father coaching him in baseball. After signing with Sporting Kansas City, Kempin took college classes at
Johnson County Community College Johnson County Community College (JCCC) is a public community college in Overland Park, Kansas, which is in Johnson County. History In 1963, Johnson County Commissioners, recognizing the emerging community college movement and seeking to acc ...
. He later earned his
Bachelor A bachelor is a man who is not and never has been married.Bachelors are, in Pitt & al.'s phrasing, "men who live independently, outside of their parents' home and other institutional settings, who are neither married nor cohabitating". (). Etymo ...
and
Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...
degrees from
Southern New Hampshire University Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private university between Manchester, New Hampshire, Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire, United States. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, along with ...
, part of a program between the university and Major League Soccer to help players complete their degrees while playing. Outside of soccer, Kempin is a licensed
real estate agent Real estate agents and real estate brokers are people who represent sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and age ...
at ReeceNichols, following his mother and grandmother in the profession. Kempin joined the Sporting KC radio broadcast team as an analyst for the 2024 season.


Career statistics


Honors

;Sporting Kansas City *
MLS Cup MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Confere ...
:
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
*
U.S. Open Cup The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a knockout cup competition in men's soccer in the United States. It is the country's oldest ongoing national soccer competition. The competition was first held duri ...
:
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
,
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
;Orlando City *
USL Cup The USL Cup is an annual soccer competition in men's domestic American soccer. The USL Cup is currently known as the USL Jägermeister Cup after its title sponsor, Jägermeister. The competition is open to all clubs in USL Championship and US ...
:
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
;Columbus Crew SC * MLS Cup:
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
;Individual * Kansas State Player of the Year: 2009 *
Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...
Boys' Soccer High School All-American: 2009 *
MLS Homegrown Game The MLS Next All-Star Game, formerly known as the MLS Homegrown Game, is an exhibition match between selected players in MLS Next Pro. Similar to events such as Major League Baseball's All-Star Futures Game, the National Hockey League's NHL Al ...
Most Valuable Player: 2014 *
Blue Valley North High School Blue Valley North High School is a public high school located in Overland Park, Kansas, United States, serving students in grades 9–12. The school is one of the five high schools operated by Blue Valley USD 229 school district. The school col ...
Athletic Hall of Fame: 2017 * Kansas Soccer Hall of Fame: 2017 * Kirk Urso Heart Award: 2019


See also

* All-time Columbus Crew roster * All-time D.C. United roster * All-time Orlando City SC (2010–2014) roster *
All-time Sporting Kansas City roster This list comprises all players who have participated in at least one league match for Sporting Kansas City (formerly known as Kansas City Wiz and Kansas City Wizards) since the team's first Major League Soccer season in 1996. Players who were on t ...
*
List of people from Leawood, Kansas A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...


References


External links

*
Jon Kempin
at
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the ...
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kempin, Jon 1993 births Living people American men's soccer players People from Leawood, Kansas Soccer players from Johnson County, Kansas Men's association football goalkeepers Sporting Kansas City players Orlando City SC (2010–2014) players OKC Energy FC players San Antonio Scorpions players Sporting Kansas City II players LA Galaxy players Ventura County FC players Columbus Crew players Hartford Athletic players San Diego Loyal SC players D.C. United players Loudoun United FC players Major League Soccer players USL Championship players North American Soccer League (2011–2017) players United States men's youth international soccer players United States men's under-20 international soccer players United States men's under-23 international soccer players Parade High School All-Americans (boys' soccer) Homegrown Players (MLS) 21st-century American sportsmen