Western Michigan Christian names Kurt Gruppen as head boys varsity basketball coach

Gruppen, who will teach physical education at WMC, arrives after leading the women’s varsity basketball program the past season at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Ill. The Zeeland native served as an assistant men’s coach at Malone University in Canton, Ohio from 2012-15 and as an assistant for Trinity’s men’s program for the 2009-10 season. He also assisted at his alma mater, Hudsonville Unity Christian High School, in 2010-11.

“My family and I are excited to be a part of the WMC community,” said Gruppen in a WMC release. “I look forward to building a strong program and helping our team achieve excellence on and off the court.”

Gruppen graduated from Trinity College in 2009 where he was a two-time NCCAA All-American basketball player. He scored 1,735 points in his four years playing for the Trolls.

WMC ends a rocky search for a boy’s coach. It had named Jeff Bauer as head coach, but Bauer rescinded just a week after signing his contract with WMC to take the head coaching job for Holland West Ottawa’s girls basketball team.

The Warriors have had one of the area’s most successful boys basketball programs with state championships in 1958, 62, 65, 70, 92, 99, 08, 09, and 10.