Zeldenrust is in his first season with men's basketball.
Prior to joining the hunt, Coach Zeldenrust enjoyed 4 years as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Delaware Valley University. Coach Z assisted in all aspects of the program with a focus on scouting, film analysis, practice, game prep, recruiting, and player development. While with the Aggies, the team qualified for the MAC Freedom playoffs twice, was named coaching staff of the year once and finished runner up another year. The teams also won in the classroom. With 12 winter academic honor roll recipients, the 2019-20 team posted the highest team GPA in program history in his last season with the program. Due to Covid-19 restrictions and a growing family, Coach Zeldenrust spent the last year at home raising his son while his wife continued teaching, and in June they were blessed with a baby girl.
In addition to coaching the DelVal Aggies, Coach Zeldenrust spent twelve years at Plumstead Christian high school, where he served in multiple roles: eight years as a high school history teacher, eight years as varsity boys basketball and soccer head coach and one year as the head varsity boys tennis coach. He spent his last six years as Director of Athletics at Plumstead. During his time as athletic director and coach, Plumstead teams made school history. Coach Z transformed the basketball program and under his leadership, it became a yearly district playoff qualifier and eventually went on to qualify for state playoffs for the first time ever. As soccer coach, the team qualified for districts nearly every year, eventually winning the first ever district championship and going on to make it to the PIAA state semifinals. While athletic director, Plumstead boasted back to back PIAA State champions in boys tennis, the first state championships in school history.
While leading the Panther athletics programs, Plumstead also received multiple Bicentennial Athletic League sportsmanship awards and underwent one of the greatest expansions of athletic facilities in school history. Coach Z also helped spearhead the return of the boys and girls track and field programs and a varsity girls volleyball team. Track and field produced several individual league and district champions and state qualifiers. The girls volleyball team finished first in the league and second in districts.
Coach Z is an alum of Dordt University (IA) and holds a Masters degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University- Irvine (CA).
Having made history in many ways at both Plumstead and Delaware Valley, Coach Z aims to bring the same history-making passion and vision to the Bryn Athyn Lions. Coach Z firmly believes in and seeks to embody the core values of connection, joy, competitiveness and selflessness that anchor the men’s basketball program. He has a passion for positively impacting and influencing the lives of the athletes he serves and looks forward to building transformational and lifelong relationships with the coaching staff, players, and members of the Bryn Athyn College community.
