United States Merchant Marine Academy

Harry Passante has served as the Defensive Coordinator and safeties coach for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy football team since the 2022 season after joining the program in June of 2021 as the defensive line coach and special teams assistant.
 
2024 will be Coach Passante’s third season as the Defensive Coordinator at USMMA. As the DC, Passante has coached five All-NEWMAC selections, including the NEWMAC and ECAC Defensive Player of the Year CJ Mustain ’23 in 2022. Mustain, Connor Caffrey ‘23 and Jack Temple ’25 also went on to earn All-Region honors.
 
In 2022 USMMA’s Defense saw marked improved in a number of statistical categories. They had the 20th ranked Rushing Defense in the country and also led the NEWMAC in Total Defense, Rushing Defense and Scoring Defense. USMMA’s Defense also improved nationally in 2022 in Passing Defense, 4th Down Defense and 1st down’s allowed.
 
Coach Passante’s primary recruiting areas for USMMA include Texas, New York, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, Kansas and Missouri. This coming season the USMMA football will have 13 players from the State of Texas and seven players from the State of New York.
 
Passante comes to Kings Point from nearby New Hyde Park Memorial High School, where he coached the Gladiators’ defensive and offensive lines, while also serving as the Special Teams Coordinator and strength & conditioning coach during the 2020-21 season, which was played entirely in the spring.
 
Prior to NHPMHS, Passante gained experience in collegiate coaching at Division I (FCS) Stony Brook University as an assistant for the 2019 and 2020 season. He served as the Seawolves’ Video Coordinator and Defensive and Special Teams Assistant this past COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, and was a Special Teams and assistant defensive backs in 2019.
 
Passante began his coaching career at his alma mater St. Anthony’s High School the season after he graduated in 2012. He coached J.V. as the Defensive Coordinator for two years and Head Coach for one, before moving to Varsity for three years as a Linebackers Coach then Co-Defensive Coordinator.
 
Passante earned his bachelor’s degree in history (magna cum laude) from St. Joseph’s University (N.Y.) in 2020 and is a certified adolescent education teacher in New York State. He currently resides in Commack, N.Y., with his wife Jacqueline, two daughters, Hallie and Reece, and their dog Birdie.