The United States Merchant Marine Academy and Head Football Coach Mike Toop '77 are proud to announce the hire of Jon Genson as offensive coordinator.

Genson joins the USMMA staff with a wealth of coaching experience and knowledge. He spent last season at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, VA, where he acted as running backs coach. He also oversaw the punt and kickoff return special teams units of the Cadets. Prior to his one-year stint at VMI, Genson spent three seasons (2002-05) as Colgate University's running backs coach, where he helped guide the Raiders to two Patriot League Championships and an NCAA I-AA Championship appearance.

At Colgate, Genson helped hone the 2003 Walker Payton Award recipient and All-Time I-AA single-season rushing leader in Jamaal Branch.

Coach Genson's other experience includes serving as running backs coach for Amherst College during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, while acting as defensive graduate assistant at Hofstra University during the 1999 and 2000 campaigns, where the Pride reached the second round of the NCAA I-AA playoffs.

A 1999 graduate of Indiana University, where he earned his Bachelors of Science in Sports Marketing, Genson earned his Masters in Physical Education from Hofstra in 2001.

"I am very excited to be the offensive coordinator at the US Merchant Marine Academy," said Genson. "I have been fortunate to work for great people in great places that have prepared me well for this opportunity."

Genson is the second coordinator to join Coach Toop's staff this off-season. In January, Patrick Foley was named defensive coordinator of the Football Mariners. Coach Genson replaces Darrin Hicks, who served as USMMA offensive coordinator during the 2003 season.