Storm Men's Basketball Camps
Camp Staff

Charles Zanders
Head Coach

Charles Zanders became the 22nd head coach of the Simpson men's basketball program on April 9, 2010. Zanders joined the Storm in the summer of 2009 after a highly successful six-year head coaching career at Des Moines Hoover High School. Zanders served as the assistant varsity and head junior varsity coach on Bruce Wilson’s staff for the 2009-10 season, while also contributing as an academic liaison for the athletic department and a diversity recruiter in the admissions department.

While at Hoover, Zanders compiled a career record of 100-39 in his six seasons, leading the Huskies to a Class 4A Iowa State Championship in 2006. Zanders earned the Iowa State Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors after Hoover’s perfect 26-0 run to the title, the first Des Moines public school to win a state basketball championship since 1978. Zanders played his prep basketball at Hoover before going to Iowa Central Community College. He finished his playing career at Grandview College.

Zanders completed a bachelor’s degree in education from Simpson in 2008 before earning a master’s degree from Graceland University in 2009. Zanders, wife Linda, and their two sons – Austin (19) and Kellen (14) – reside in Des Moines.

Brandon Stromer
Assistant Men's Basketball  Coach

Stromer joined the Simpson men's basketball staff as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator on July 6, 2010. Stromer comes to Simpson with experience at NCAA Divisions I and II, winning a national championship in Division II as a player while coaching under 2008 Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year, Keno Davis at Drake.

Stromer spent three seasons at Drake, beginning as a graduate assistant during the 2007-08 season. That year, Stromer helped the Bulldogs to a historic season in which the team won Missouri Valley regular season and tournament championships while earning a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. He also served as a video coordinator for Drake before moving on to his most recent position as director of operations under current Bulldog head coach, Mark Phelps.

Before joining the staff at Drake, Stromer played collegiately at Winona State University. There, he helped the Warriors to an NCAA Division II championship in 2006 and a national runner-up finish the following season. In the process, Winona State won a Division II record 57 consecutive regular season games and won three Northern Sun Conference titles. Stromer finished his career ranked ninth all-time in games played.

Willie Thornton
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

The 2010-11 season marks Willie Thornton’s first as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Simpson. Coming from the Des Moines Metro area, Thornton brings more than 20 years of coaching experience Charles Zanders’ staff.

Since 1995, Thornton has been on the coaching staff at West Des Moines Valley High School, where he currently serves as an instructor of physical education. From 1995 to 2010, Thornton held several positions on Valley’s staff, ranging from junior varsity coach to a stint as the head varsity head coach.

Prior to his tenure at Valley, Thornton spent time on the coaching staff at Cedar Falls High School. While enrolled at the University of Northern Iowa, Thornton was an assistant varsity coach for Cedar Falls from 1988-94.

Thornton graduated from UNI in 1991 with a general studies degree. In 1994, he completed his master’s degree in physical education, also at UNI. Willie and his wife, Michelle, have four children – daughters Brittany, Sierra and Sydnee and son, Trajen. The Thornton family resides in West Des Moines, Iowa.