“I am excited to have Brandon as the top assistant in our program,” noted Berry. “He has been with us in some capacity for the past six years, so his knowledge of what we do is highly valuable. He brings an energy and passion for the game of baseball to our everyday operation, and I know he is going to have a tremendous impact on this baseball team.”

“I’m very excited for this opportunity to continue coaching in a program and a school that means so much to me,” explained Kusler. “Growing up a fan of NSU Athletics, it has been very special for me to be a part of the Wolves baseball family for the last six years, and I thank Coach Berry and Nate Davis for the opportunity to continue working with tremendous staff and players. I am happy to continue to call Aberdeen home; Go Wolves!”

Born and raised in Aberdeen, Kusler began his coaching career in 2019 with the Aberdeen Smittys Legion program. In his first season as the head coach for the U13 team, the Smittys won the South Dakota Class A State Championship. Kusler spent time leading the 13U, 14U, junior legion, and legion programs as the head coach in Aberdeen.

In the springs of 2023 and 2024, Kusler served as a graduate assistant for the NSU program, focusing on hitter, outfielding, and baserunning. In the spring of 2023, the Wolves racked up the most single season homeruns since 2016, runs per game since 2018, and doubles since 2019. In addition, 2024 saw Northern State break five school records including single season saves (5), single season offensive walks (180), single season stolen bases (62), career innings pitched (254.0), and career strikeouts (248).

Kusler is a Northern State baseball alum, playing outfield for the Wolves from 2018-22. He started 32 contests in his career, appearing in a total of 64 games. In his final season, Kusler tallied a 1.000 fielding percentage with 52 putouts and five outfield assists.

Kusler graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Education and in 2024 with a Master’s Degree in Sports Performance and Leadership.