Zielinski named boys basketball coach at Westminster Christian

Westminster Christian School announced Andy Zielinski as its new boys basketball coach Friday.

Zielinski has 20 years of coaching experience, 17 at the high school level, according to a release from the Elgin school.

He replaces Illinois Basketball Coaches Association hall-of-famer Bruce Firchau, who retired in March to devote more time to his role as Director of the IBCA Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, Ill, which is slated to open in June of 2016.

In 10 seasons Firchau's Westminster teams went 174-112 and won 3 regional titles, capped by consecutive regional championships in 2014 and 2015.

Zielinski has coached the past five years at South Elgin, the last three as head sophomore boys coach. He played four years of basketball and baseball at North Central College in Naperville before graduating with a degree in Educaton with minors in Business and Physical Education.

"I am excited to be chosen as the varsity head coach at Westminster Christian," Zielinski said. "It's a great honor to continue the success that coach Firchau has built over the last decade. I also look forward to working with the basketball players, parents and administration and leading the basketball program. It's a great school, a great school community and (I) look forward to being a part of Westminster Christian School."

Zielinski currently teaches computer classes at Larsen Middle School in Elgin. Next year he will teach Business at South Elgin.

He and wife Christine have one son, Ben, who enters fifth grade in the fall.