Coach Andrew Kurzawski joins the women’s basketball staff in the summer of 2018. “Andrew has established himself as a strong recruiter in our region.” said Head Coach David Saur. “He is a tireless worker and I have no doubt he will do some great things for us on the recruiting trail as a Cougar. In addition to his recruiting ability Andrew Kurzawski is one of the most highly-regarded player-development coaches in all of Western Pennsylvania and we are incredibly fortunate to have gained his services.”
Coach Andrew Kurzawski, BA, M.Div. NETA CPT is the founder and head basketball trainer / strength coach of Gym Rat Performance Training. He also serves as a scout for the Pittsburgh Top 100 and Pittsburgh Power Rankings for Strick Hoops LLC / Jim Dabbelt Report.
Coach Andrew Kurzawski spent the 2016-17 season as the 1st Assistant /Strength and Conditioning Coach and Campus Personal Trainer at Penn State University Beaver under Coach Tim Moore helping guide the Lady Lions to a 17-9 overall record and 12-2 in the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference. The Lady Lions lost in the PSUAC conference championship game. Coach Kurzawski helped develop 3 All Conference players (Mason DePetro, Asia Borders and Cassandra Flowers) during his time at Beaver. Flowers would also go on to be named USCAA All American.
Coach Kurzawski spent 2014-2016 at NAIA and USCAA Division 1 Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA where he served as first assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Under his first recruiting class Carlow achieved its most successful season in over 10 years setting the school’s record for most NAIA Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference wins and qualifying for the USCAA Division 1 National Championship Tournament. During his two years at Carlow he was instrumental in the development of 3 USCAA All American players: Erin DiSanti, Lynzi Mueller and Natalie Alexander. Both DiSanti and Mueller scored over 1000 points at Carlow University & were honored as NAIA All conference selections. Kurzawski was also responsible for securing the first 2 All State Players in the history of Carlow University – Theresa Fachetti (Harbor Creek HS) and Emma Stille (Westerville Central).
He has coached over 30 NCAA, NAIA, USCAA All American players in both men’s and women’s basketball. Kurzawski is known for his tremendous teaching ability and attention to detail in skill development. He has gained a reputation in the Pittsburgh area as one of the finest post player skill coaches blending a mixture of footwork and strength training into his summer lessons and workouts.
He has also worked extensively as a strength and performance trainer having spent time during his graduate studies learning from the Pittsburgh Steelers training staff at their annual summer camp in Latrobe, PA as well as with numerous college and high school teams. He ran the D1 basketball training program in Pittsburgh via the D1 Sports Training Company where he also assisted in soccer training for the Pittsburgh Beading Soccer Club. Kurzawski has also headed basketball training for the Western Area YMCA in the Greater Pittsburgh area. He has also worked alongside NCAA Division 1 coach Patrick Sandle (Formerly of the University of Pittsburgh, current Assistant Coach at Loyola Marymount University) teaching skills clinics in the Pittsburgh area for the Pittsburgh CRONS AAU organization.
Kurzawski was a standout player at Carlynton high school in Carnegie, PA where he started 4 years on the varsity team and was a multiple time selection to the district’s fabulous 15 team. He was also a member of the prestigious Pittsburgh JOTS AAU team and received multiple scholarship offers to play college basketball. He graduated from St. John’s University (Queens, NY) in 2007 with a degree in pre-law (philosophy) and completed a Master’s of Divinity degree from St. Vincent College and Seminary in 2012 where he also assisted the men’s and women’s basketball program’s as a graduate assistant particularly working with players for off-season and in season skill development.
He is the founder of Gym Rat Performance Training and the Gym Rat Post Player Academy. He holds a NETA (National Exercise Trainers Association) Certified Personal Training certification. He also works in the capacity of a Christian youth minister as well as a hospice chaplain utilizing Gym Rat Performance Training as a pillar of his ministry.
Tagged with: Assistant Coach DIII
