By Brad Welborn, Northwestern State Assistant Sports Information Director
NATCHITOCHES – With nearly 30 years of coaching experience across all levels, close ties to recruiting hotbeds and no stranger to success, Ben Kaszeta has been chosen as the new head volleyball coach at Northwestern State.
Director of Athletics Kevin Bostian announced Kaszeta as the 16th head coach in program history on Thursday afternoon.
“Ben has deep ties to both the college and high school levels in Louisiana and the Southland Conference,” Bostian said. “His background developing players at the high school and club levels translated throughout his career.
“He has been part of developing winning programs in this state, and the relationships he has with coaches throughout Louisiana will benefit his transition here in Natchitoches. We are thoroughly excited to add Ben to our department and look forward to him continuing to build another winning program in Louisiana.”
Kaszeta comes to Natchitoches following a year in Beaumont, Texas, where he was part of the staff that engineered one of the largest single-season turnarounds in the country at Lamar. Northwestern State marks the third Southland Conference stop in Kaszeta’s career that also featured a stint as an assistant at McNeese.
“Just from the start, and having already connected with some of the people there, I’m excited because it feels like a family atmosphere,” Kaszeta said. “The entire coaching staff genuinely cares about each other and everything around their programs. The search committee was fantastic and super excited about the sport of volleyball, which just adds to my enthusiasm.
“Coming back to Louisiana, where I’ve spent the majority of that last 10 years means a lot to me. I am grateful to President Genovese and athletic director Kevin Bostian for giving me the opportunity to lead this program.”
The 13-win improvement at Lamar, constructed by Kaszeta and first-year head coach Ariel Apolinario, was the third-best in the NCAA in 2024 as the Cardinals went 15-14 on the year, their first winning season since 2009, and earned the first trip to the Southland Conference Tournament since 2011.
Under Kaszeta’s guidance, Lamar freshman outside hitter Maja Malinowska finished sixth in the conference in kills per set (3.61) and seventh in points per set (4.08) to become the Cardinals’ first all-conference player since 2016.
The turnaround at Lamar was just the latest instance in Kaszeta’s career that a team enjoyed a double-digit win increase with him on staff.
In 2017, Kaszeta’s first season as associate head coach at Louisiana, the Ragin Cajuns saw an 11-win improvement from the previous season, also sparked by a talented freshman outside. Hali Wisnsokie was named Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, an AVCA Southwest Region honorable mention and produced the second most kills by a freshman in program history during the rally scoring era.
Wisnosokie was one of six all-conference players for the Cajuns during Kaszeta’s two seasons in Lafayette from 2017-18.
The Rochester, Mich., native and Eastern Michigan graduate began his collegiate coaching career as a head coach at Mott Community College in Michigan from 2007 through 2009 – the first of his four head coaching positions at the collegiate level prior to his arrival at NSU.
After a one-year stint at his alma mater as a volunteer assistant in 2010, where the Eagles experienced a record 19-win increase from the previous season, Kaszeta took over at Lake Superior State for two seasons before making his first foray to Louisiana and the Southland Conference.
Kaszeta’s served as an assistant at McNeese in 2013, where he helped lead the Cowgirls to their first winning season in four years, before following head coach Terry Gamble from Lake Charles to Jacksonville State the following season.
His ability to develop players has also made him highly successful on the club volleyball scene throughout his coaching career.
He helped found three different club programs, where he also served as coach and trainer, and worked with numerous club teams and organizations across Michigan, Louisiana, North Dakota and Alabama.
His most recent efforts include time with the Cajun Elite club, based out of Lafayette, where he was the lead trainer and recruiting director. Kaszeta was a catalyst for the clubs rapid expansion from 18 teams to 68 in a few years. Cajun Elite qualified six teams for nationals in the span of six years thanks to the guidance and training Kaszeta provided to both players and coaches.
As a high school coach in both Michigan and Louisiana, Kaszeta produced a 153-45 (.773) overall record across six seasons.
Kaszeta received his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan in 2010.