FORT MYERS, Fla. – Cooper Kemnitz has joined Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball as an assistant coach under head coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen.

Kemnitz arrives 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 U16 and U18 national teams while leading the club’s 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. He specialized in serve receive and backcourt defense while contributing to the foundation of the program.

During that same period, he also held the position of 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, he also served as a student-assistant coach for the women’s team and founded the men’s club program, acting as its president and head coach. He graduated in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in community and public health.