LINCOLN UNIVERSITY 2021 SOFTBALL MEDIA GUIDE
A long-time Blue Tiger, Betty Kemna begins her sixth season as Lincoln University’s Senior Women’s Administrator in 2020-21. Lincoln’s Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance, Kemna handles all of the NCAA compliance matters for each of LU’s 11 Division II programs and is also the advisor for Lincoln’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Kemna spent the previous six years as Lincoln’s athletic director. During that span, Kemna implemented many internal changes within the program, including adding a corporate sponsorship program, beginning a department Hall of Fame and creating several new staff positions to improve the overall gameday experience. Kemna became Lincoln’s athletic director on July 1, 2009, after serving as assistant athletic director for compliance for the previous four years. Kemna was no stranger to Lincoln before then, however, as she was a softball player for the Blue Tigers prior to becoming LU’s head softball coach/concession coordinator in 1997.
Betty Kemna
Asst. Athletic Director for Compliance/SWA
In 1999, Kemna took on additional duties as the department’s Senior Women’s Administrator, and was named the compliance coordinator in 2003. Kemna completely turned around the compliance department, leading the institution through a five-year probation period that was a result of violations prior to her appointment. In 2005, she was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance. During the 2007-2008 academic year she served as Interim Athletic Director while still conducting her duties as Assistant AD for Compliance. Kemna also oversaw many improvements to the athletic program, including the institution of live internet streaming of Lincoln sporting events and improving the facilities. Kemna also worked with the Blue Tiger Quarterback Club to add a state-of-the-art weight room, giving Lincoln’s athletes two such facilities on campus. A 1996 graduate of Lincoln University, Kemna has a Bachelor of Science in Education. She also earned a master’s in education in athletic administration from William Woods University in 2006.
Tim Abney, who entered the Lincoln University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017, is a true Blue Tiger in every sense of the word. Entering his fifth year as the Assistant Athletic Director for Administration, Abney graduated from LU with a business degree in 1978 and has spent most of his professional career as a coach or administrator at Lincoln University. As the coach of Lincoln’s tennis program for seven years, Abney’s athletes were stellar in the classroom, with more than half of his players earning All-MIAA academic honors. A true believer in the importance of a college education, Abney concurrently served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Academics at Lincoln. Abney served as an advisor and coordinator for each of Lincoln’s student-athletes, and in the fall of 2015, over 120 Blue Tigers made the Dean’s List.
Tim Abney
A former star basketball player at LU, Abney helped lead the Blue Tigers to its best four-year stretch in history. From 1974-1978, Abney was a member of Lincoln teams that won 83 games and two MIAA regular season championships. During his senior season, Lincoln advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament and came within two points of earning a berth in the Final Four. During the 1975-76 campaign, Abney was a part of a team that totaled 1,458 rebounds, which still stands as the Lincoln single-season record. Following the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons, Abney was named to the All-MIAA basketball teams.
Asst. Athletic Director for Administration
Abney also formerly served as Lincoln’s women’s basketball coach for 10 seasons, including in 2008-09 when he also began his tenure as the tennis coach. Under Abney’s guidance, Lincoln won 72 games, making him the second-winningest coach in program history behind the legendary Leo Lewis. Abney joins Lewis as one of just two coaches in LU history to lead the women’s basketball program to four-consecutive seasons with 10 or more wins, accomplishing the feat by winning 45 games between 2001 and 2005. In 2002-03, Abney was named the Heartland Conference Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. Abney is originally from Kansas City, Mo. He and his wife, Diane, have three children: Darrell, Dannon and DeAndrea.
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