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Benjamin Kaszeta
Benjamin Kaszeta has been hired as Lamar University assistant coach and recruiting coordinator announced volleyball head coach Ariel Apolinario on Thursday afternoon.
Kaszeta comes to Beaumont by way of Lafayette, Louisiana, where he worked as the lead trainer and recruiting director for Cajun Elite Volleyball Club since 2018. There, he led the group to a great deal of regional success and helped produce athletes who went on to play at the collegiate level. He also brings 12 years of collegiate coaching experience along with 27 more at the high school and club levels.
"I think what made this the right fit for me was the staff and the people around it," Kaszeta said. "I believe in coach Ariel's vision and what he has in store for us, and I'm just excited to be on board with him."
Kaszeta got his collegiate coaching start in 2007 at Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan, before taking a volunteer assistant coach role at his alma mater, Eastern Michigan, in 2009. From there, he transitioned to be the head coach for Lake Superior State for the next two years.
After his two seasons with the Lakers, he returned to Division I in 2012 and gained some familiarity with the Southland Conference as an assistant coach for McNeese. In his second season, Kaszeta helped the Cowgirls post a 10-win improvement from the previous year, marking the program's first winning season in four years. The Cowgirls also went from one conference win to nine that same season which was the most Southland wins for McNeese in six years.
Following his two seasons in Lake Charles, Kaszeta spent one year as an assistant at Jacksonville State helping the Gamecocks produce a similar turnaround. JSU posted a five-match improvement in 2014 recording 18 wins and their first winning season (both overall and in conference play) since 2010.
After serving as head coach at NCAA Division II Minot State for the 2015 season, Kaszeta was named associate head coach at UL Lafayette. During his two seasons in Lafayette, he helped lead the Ragin' Cajuns to 36 wins, 20 conference victories as well as coach six All-Sun Belt selections, one SBC Freshman of the Year, two all-region players and two All-Louisiana selections.
During his six seasons serving as a head coach at the high school level, Kaszeta produced a 153-45 (.773) overall record between stints at Acadiana (Louisiana) and Adams High School in Michigan.
"I am thankful to welcome Coach Kaszeta to our program," Apolinario said. "I am confident that Coach Kaszeta will be an instrumental fit, and his knowledge and passion for people and the game of volleyball will take our program to new heights. His expertise on the recruiting trail will help us continue to grow and put Lamar volleyball back on track."