U.S. Merchant Marine Academy head football coach Mike Toop ’77 announced the addition of A.J. Reisig to the Mariners’ coaching staff as the Run Game Coordinator & Defensive Line Coach. He officially begins his second stint at Kings Point “virtually” on Monday, June 8, 2020.
"A.J. played against us when he was at Dickinson and was an outstanding player,” said Toop. "His playing ability carried over when he joined our staff as he was an excellent coach and recruiter. A.J. climbed the coaching ladder and had great success at the DII and DI levels. His knowledge and experience as a coach has expanded and he will be a great addition to the Academy, PE&A staff and Football Program. I am excited to have him return to KP and I know his character and work ethic will have a very positive impact on the Midshipmen and our Student-Athletes."
Reisig brings over 11 years of coaching experience to USMMA, including his first tenure at the Academy as a defensive backs coach for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Most recently he served as a senior defensive analyst and assistant safeties coach at Towson University in Towson, Md., for the 2019 season.
Prior to Towson, Reisig spent three seasons as the assistant defensive backs coach, recruiting coordinator and video coordinator at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. While at Lehigh, the Mountain Hawks won back-to-back Patriot League Championships and appeared in the NCAA FCS National Championship Tournament in 2016 and 2017. Under his tutelage, the Lehigh defense improved from 109th to 8th in the nation in Total Interceptions with 17, while also improving drastically in Defensive Pass Efficiency from 108th to 29th in the FCS with a rating of 117.66 in 2016.
In between his stints at Kings Point and Lehigh, he earned two masters degrees while serving as a graduate assistant coach at both Shippensburg University for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and the University of Maryland for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons. At Shippensburg, he coached the Raiders’ defensive backs, before serving as a defensive backs assistant and then the outside linebackers coach for the Terrapins at Maryland.
“I am extremely excited to come back to the Academy after ten years!” exclaimed Reisig. “It was my first coaching opportunity, and I owe much of my success throughout my career to the lessons that I learned under the guidance of Coach Toop. He is a great coach and an even better man. I want to personally thank Coach Toop, (Athletic Director) Mr. Kristofer Schnatz, and the entire administration at the Academy for giving me this opportunity to return to USMMA. I am anxious and excited to get to work. And as always, Beat Coast Guard!”
Reisig was a two-year starter at cornerback at Division III Dickinson College, recording five interceptions, 101 tackles, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick in four seasons from 2005-2008. He also served as an undergraduate assistant to the head coach, assisting with game film and recruiting while working with the defensive backs in the spring segment.
A native of Reading, Pa., Reisig earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Dickinson in 2009. He added a Master's Degree in Organizational Development and Leadership from Shippensburg in December 2012 and added his second Master's in Information Management from Maryland in 2016.
