Swarthmore College Athletics

Gil Kemp '72 held the College record in the mile for 45 years and captained two cross country squads that won Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) titles. In 1969, Kemp was Swarthmore's first or second finisher at every meet as the Garnet placed second at the MAC Championships. That spring, he won the mile at six meets and etched his name in the record books with the fastest time in program history, a mark of 4:15.5 that stood until 2015. With Kemp leading the way, Swarthmore captured the MAC cross country title in 1970 and 1971 with a perfect 8-0 mark in each season. Currently, Kemp remains the program record-holder in the three-mile run and ranks second all-time in the two-mile event. In 1990, he founded Home Decorators Collection, which was later acquired by The Home Depot, and has supported the College through his continued philanthropy and generosity. Kemp currently serves on Swarthmore's Board of Managers, which he chaired from 2012 to 2015.