Cooper Kemnitz enters his second season as an assistant coach & recruiting coordinator for the Eagles under head coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen in 2026.
In his first season as assistant coach at FGCU in 2025, the Eagles posted a 19-9 overall record and went 13-3 in ASUN play, capturing the program's 9th ASUN Regular Season Championship, a title secured with a sweep at North Florida on November 15. Julija Grubisic Cabo earned First Team All-ASUN honors, Barbara Koehler was named to the Second Team All-ASUN, and Erica Muhizi was tabbed to the ASUN All-Freshman Team. The Eagles also excelled in the classroom, with Koehler, Grubisic Cabo, Hanna Borer and Eliska Vytiskova all earning CSC Academic All-District Team recognition, and Koehler adding Academic All-ASUN honors as well.
Kemnitz arrived in Fort Myers following a standout 2025 season as assistant coach with the men's volleyball program at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The team posted a 23-4 overall record, went 9-1 in conference play, earned a top-five national ranking, and secured a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
A South Dakota native, Kemnitz is the founder and director of the Madison Inferno Volleyball Club, established in 2020. Since its inception, the club has gained recognition for its developmental approach and consistent production of college-level talent. Kemnitz has coached the club's U16 and U18 national teams while leading its coaching education, athlete development pathways, and recruitment strategies. Under his leadership, Inferno athletes have regularly moved on to collegiate programs, and the club has become known for its commitment to competitive excellence and community involvement.
Before Carthage, Kemnitz served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, from 2020 to 2023, specializing in serve receive and backcourt defense while helping build the program's foundation. During that same period, he also served as head coach and program lead for the NCR All-Stars in Minneapolis. From 2021 to 2024, he led the U17 boys' team at the USA All-Stars Tournament, emphasizing technical development, holistic growth, and a team-first mentality rooted in discipline and hard work.
Kemnitz's contributions to the sport have earned national and state recognition. He was named the 2024 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Director of the Year and received a Wisconsin State Legislative Citation for his efforts to expand boys' volleyball in Dane County.
As a player, Kemnitz competed as a libero with Team USA in Anaheim, California, and earned All-Conference honors in 2015, 2016, and 2017 while playing collegiately at South Dakota State University. While at South Dakota State, he also served as a student-assistant coach for the women's team and founded the men's club program, serving as its president and head coach. He graduated in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in community and public health.
