University of Connecticut Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Special Teams Coach
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Assistant Coach Nik Kessel comes to Storrs to serve on Coach Candle's staff as assistant special teams coach in 2026.
Kessel coached two seasons at Merrimack College, filing the roles of special teams coordinator, run game coordinator, and linebackers coach. Kessel coached a Merrimack squad to leading the country with six blocked punts in 2025 and 10 over the last two seasons. Under Kessel’s direction, Merrimack punter Mike Ryan set a single-season program record in average punt yardage (42.57). Kessel guided kicker Carlton Thai to a single season program record in points (76), field goals made (17) and a weekly Gold Helmet award. Kessel’s special team unit ranked 16th in net punting (39.90 yards), 30th in punt return defense (5.81 yards) and 43rd in kickoff return defense.
In the 2024 season, Kessel was named FCS National Special Teams Coordinator of the Week. Kessel coached Jermaine Corbett who led the nation in kickoff return average (36.1) to First Team All-American honors from Walter Camp, Stats Perform, and Football Central. Kessel also had a player lead the country in blocked punts (3 by Kendal Sims), and allowed zero blocked kicks — finishing #1 in the country in that category. His special teams also ranked #2 nationally in blocked punts (4), #7 in blocked kicks (5), and #8 in team kickoff return average (25.46). Meanwhile, Merrimack’s defense finished the season ranked #12 in total defense, #16 in passing yards allowed, and inside the top 30 nationally in defensive touchdowns, fourth-down defense, and interceptions.
Prior to Merrimack, Kessel served as the Special Teams and Run Game Coordinator at Assumption University from 2019–2024. His 2023 squad led the country in blocked kicks (10), with one player leading all of Division II individually (6). Assumption also finished #1 in the NE-10 in both punt and kickoff average, and was one of just 15 teams in the nation not to allow a single blocked kick. The defense was just as dominant, ranking top 5 nationally in total defense, yards per play, pass efficiency, third-down defense, and red zone attempts allowed. In 2022, Kessel helped lead Assumption to an NE10 Championship and NCAA Playoff appearance, coaching multiple All-Conference linebackers and All-Americans, including Isaiah Huff, who went on to sign with the CFL. From 2019–2021, Kessel’s units consistently ranked at or near the top of the NE10 and national leaderboards in blocked kicks, punt efficiency, kickoff return average, and opponent return yards. His players regularly earned conference and national honors, including Special Teams Player of the Year, Rookie of the Week, and All-Rookie Team selections.
A graduate of Assumption University with a degree in Criminology and Sociology, Kessel began his coaching career in 2016 at WPI before returning to his alma mater.
