With more than 25 years of basketball and athletics leadership experience under his belt, Hammer is hardly a stranger to building winning programs. He served as athletic director at Coldwater High School (Mich.), where he also coached the boy’s basketball team from 1997 through 2002. His career highlights at Coldwater include a Class B semi-final berth in 1999 and a Class B Coach of the Year award in 1999. During his five years as basketball coach, Hammer led the Cardinals to a 66-45 record, including school records of 24 victories and a winning streak of 18 games in 1999.

Before heading north to Coldwater, Hammer was an assistant coach at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, from 1989 through 1993. Working with Mustangs head coach John Shumate, Hammer helped transform the team from the league cellar to the Southwest Conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth in 1993, finishing 20-8 overall and going 12-2 in the conference.

Hammer’s college coaching experience began at Delta College (Mich.) as an assistant from 1978 to 1980. He left for a year to assume head coaching duties at Bridgeport High School (Mich.). Hammer, however, returned to Delta College in 1981 as head coach. He tallied a 57-24 record during his three years and led the Pioneers to an Eastern Conference Championship in 1982. He left in 1984 to become an assistant at the University of Michigan. During his four years in Ann Arbor, Hammer helped the Wolverines earn four NCAA tournament berths and two Big Ten Championships with an overall 100-27 record. Hammer also served as an assistant coach at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, from 1988 to 1989.

Hammer graduated from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1970, and went on to earn his master’s in educational administration at CMU in 1976. His daughter, Amy, is an educator at Caro High School; his son, DJ, is a college sophomore in New York.

Tom Kempf begins his fifth season on coach Hammer’s staff  at Aquinas with 30 years of basketball coaching behind him. His experience includes six years as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan, from 1976 to 1982, and 20 years at Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard High School, where he taught physical education, English and social studies, directed the athletic program, and coached the boys and girls basketball teams. His boys team won the Class D state title in 1991 and the girls were state champions in 1993. A graduate of the  University of Michigan, Kempf earned a Bachelor of General Studies degree in 1976.

ZACH HARRIS

Assistant Coach

Zach Harris rejoins the Saints' staff this season; he also was an assistant in Coach Hammer's first year (2002) at AQ. Last year, Harris was head basketball coach at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, and from 2005 through 2007 was an assistant at Grace Bible College. He also was on the staff as an assistant at Alma College from 2001-03. Harris joined Pinerest Christian Rehabilitation Hospital in 2001 a s a patient care provider. A graduate of Finlandia College, he earned an Associate of Arts degree in psychology in 1980. Zach and his wife Tonia have 10 children.

JEFF PATIN

Assistant Coach

Jeff Patin returns for his third season with Coach Hammer and the men's basketball program. Prior to joining the Saints staff, he coached high school basketball for 14 years, most recently at Kenowa Hills High School.  Prior to that, Jeff was the head boys basketball Coach at Comstock Park High School, leading one of the teams to a school record 24 wins and first-in-school-history state semi-final appearance in 2002.  Jeff and his wife Cindy are both graduates of Aquinas College and have two sons, Cameron, age 8 and Nolan, age 6.

DENNY KRYNICKI

Assistant Coach

JEFF WIERZBICKI

Assistant Coach