Sisters Bianca and Rachael Ziemann named co-head girls coaches at Crean Lutheran

Bianca Ziemann (front) and Rachael Ziemann have been named co-head coaches at Crean Lutheran. (Photo courtesy Crean Lutheran Shuterbugs, Wendy Rueter, For OC Sports Zone)

Twin sisters Bianca Ziemann and Rachael Ziemann were named this week as co-head varsity girls basketball coaches at Crean Lutheran High school, officials announced in a release Thursday.

Bianca Ziemann, who was the interim head coach for the Saints this past season, will be co-head coach, director of girls basketball, and the assistant strength and conditioning coach. Rachael Ziemann becomes co-head coach after one year as interim assistant varsity coach for the Saints.

The two coaches led the Saints into the CIF finals for the second time in school history.

“Bianca and Rachael played and coached Division 1 college basketball,” said Crean Lutheran Athletic Director Eric Olson in a statement. “When you watch them coach you see poise, passion, and experience. They are always prepared, positive and energetic; we are confident we have two of the best.

“But most exciting to me, Bianca and Rachael both enjoy close relationships with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; they coach because of their love for the game and to share their faith through their ministry of basketball.”

Bianca and Rachael, who worship at Huntington Beach Church, said they look forward to sharing their Christian faith and love for Christ, Bianca Ziemann said.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be a head coach at such a prestigious school such as Crean Lutheran High School,” Bianca Ziemann said. “I find great joy in sharing the head coaching position with my twin sister Coach Rachael Ziemann. She has been pivotal in our success here at Crean Lutheran and I know together we will continue to make an incredible coaching duo.”

Rachael Ziemann said she is excited too about the future.

“I was grateful that my sister and administration at Crean Lutheran saw my abilities to be able to respectfully hold that title,” she said.

“I think a good coaching staff finds a way to work together. We naturally have that divide and conquer kind of mentality and feed off of each other really well.”

As interim coaches last season, the Ziemann sisters led the Saints to the championship game of the CIF 3A playoffs. Crean Lutheran lost to Santa Monica 44-40 in the title game. The team finished with a 28-6 overall record defeating Bishop Amat 45-42 in the state tournament before losing to Palisades 54-42.

The two players were standouts at Edison High School where they led the Chargers to two Sunset League championships. The two were co-MVPs and were inducted into the Edison Hall of Fame.

In college, the Ziemann sisters led Loyola Marymount University to the school’s first-ever WCC Conference championship and WCC Tournament championship and were both chosen to the WCC All-tournament team leading LMU to its first NCAA Tournament bid in program history. The two later played professional basketball in the Netherlands for Amazone Basketball club in 2007.  

Bianca Ziemann has coached at the club level for Cal Swish Basketball club and as an assistant at Edison High School. Edison won the 2009 Sunset League title and competed in CIF finals. She then rejoined her sister Rachael at Southern Utah University, where the two were assistant basketball coaches. Bianca had coaching stints at Loyola Marymount University, the University of Oregon, and Santa Clara University as well as the USA team during a tour in China. 

Rachael Ziemann has served as a full-time assistant coach at Central Washington University and assistant coach at Southern Utah University. She then came home to coach at Edison High as an assistant varsity head coach.

Both sisters have goals for the Crean Lutheran program.

“We want to create a culture to compete day in and day out to get better,” Bianca Ziemann said.

“That doesn’t mean we’re going to win every game, but we’re going to give our very, very best.” Rachael Ziemann added. “We’re competitive, we want to win….if we can create a culture that they can take into college and beyond, that’s lifetime.”