Steve Zengel is the newest member of the Pirates’ coaching staff, joining the men’s basketball program entering his second year as an assistant basketball coach. Zengel joins the Pirates after spending the past four years as a financial advisor in the Jersey Shore area.
As the Director of Basketball Operations, Zengel was responsible for assisting with the daily business of the program, including, but not limited to, academic progress, film exchange, scouting report preparation, study hall monitoring summer camp programming and team travel arrangements.
In order to come to Hampton, Zengel had to leave his position as coach of AlleyOop, a team in the prestigious Jersey Shore Basketball League, a semi-professional, NBA and NCAA sanctioned summer league. Members of his team included several high-profile college and professional basketball players.
Prior to coaching AlleyOop, Zengel served as teacher and Head Boys Varsity Basketball Coach at both Red Bank Regional High School (N.J.) and Point Pleasant Beach High School (N.J.). At “The Beach,” Zengel guided the team to a record-setting number of wins in a season, the first winning record in over 10 years, the first Shore Conference Tournament invitation in over 40 years, the two-time receipt of the NJIAABO Sportsmanship Award, and the first appearance ever in a national high school basketball tournament, the Surf-n-Slam Classic in San Diego, Calif. Zengel and his staff also implemented the first-ever Point Pleasant Beach High School summer basketball camp.
In addition, his players were often recognized for their academic success, both having appeared on the television network MSG and having received consecutive WOBM Christmas Classic Scholarship awards.
Some of Zengel’s other accolades include being elected President of the Shore Coaches Association for three consecutive terms and working as a camp counselor at the world-renowned Five-Star and Eastern Invitational basketball camps. As president, Zengel brought in some of most well-respected minds in college basketball to speak to New Jersey high school coaches. Among the guest speakers were Pete Carill, Bill Carmody, Fran Fraschilla, Don Harnum, Bill Herrion, Paul Hewitt, Gerry Matthews and Wayne Szoke. As camp counselor, Zengel worked with hundreds of the top-talented high school basketball players nationwide, many of whom now play in the NBA.
Zengel is married, has twin 3-year-old boys, and lives in Hampton, Va.
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