Dennis Kazimir will serve as the Interim Head Coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy for 2016-17 season. He joined the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men’s basketball program as the Mariners’ assistant coach in November 2014. Kazimir brings over 10 years of collegiate coaching experience into his new position, including most recently serving on the staff at Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, Va.).

Kazimir was a Graduate Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach for the Rams during the 2012-13 season under head coach Shaka Smart. He was responsible for coordinating team travel, game-day operations and managing equipment needs, while also assisting with game preparation, practice plans and scouting reports. Kazimir assisted with video and daily player development skills sessions in a one-on-one and group basis. He also cultivated relationships with VCU basketball alumni, organized the Shaka Smart Team Camp, VCU Alumni Day and the Shaka Smart Coaching Clinic.

He was also on the men’s basketball staff at Seton Hall University (South Orange, N.J.) for two seasons under head coach Bobby Gonzalez as the Pirates’ Director of Basketball Operations, where he directed the daily operations of the men’s basketball program from 2008-2010. With Seton Hall, Kazimir conducted local, off-campus recruiting efforts and was also responsible for scouting of opponents. He also implemented and directed the Bobby Gonzalez Basketball Camp and Coaching Clinic and fostered SHU basketball alumni relations.

Kazimir’s other coaching positions include stints at Tiffin University (Tiffin, Ohio) as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator from 2006-2008, Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio) under Paul Biancardi as an administrative assistant from 2005-2006 and Rhode Island College (Providence, R.I.) as an assistant coach from 2003-2004 under former USMMA assistant coach Mike Kelly.

He got his start working in basketball at The Hoop Group in Neptune, N.J., in 2002 under Rob Kennedy, where he served as an operations manager, assisting with the planning and monitoring of the Eastern Invitational Basketball Camps & Clinics and also served as the Director of Team Tournaments from 2004-2005.

Kazimir graduated with a bachelor of science in sport management from Seton Hall University in 2000. He earned a master’s of education in sport leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2013.

He currently resides in Bayside, N.Y.