Iowa High School Boys State Basketball Championship Coach Returns

B.J. Windhorst named the new head basketball coach at Des Moines Christian.

West Des Moines Valley head coach BJ Windhorst calls out a play during the class 4A quarterfinal of the Iowa high school boys state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.The Tigers defeated the Warriors, 63-48. | Margaret Kispert/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

One of the more successful Iowa high school boys basketball coaches in recent memory is returning to the sidelines.

According to the X social media account Handle University, B.J. Windhorst has been named the new head boys basketball coach at Des Moines Christian School.

BJ Windhorst = The New Boys Basketball Head Ball Coach @ Des Moines Christian. #iahsbkb

— Handle University (@handleUcrew) May 10, 2026

Windhorst, a native of Clarinda, Iowa went on to play for Drake University, earning all-Missouri Valley Conference status during the 1995-96 season. He played in 53 games with the Bulldogs, scoring almost 16 points per game with over three rebounds and an assist for the Bulldogs in two seasons.

New Des Moines Christian Boys Basketball Coach Won Three Consecutive 4A State Titles

After winning a third consecutive Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys State Basketball Tournament Class 4A state championship after the 2024-25 season, Windhorst announced that he was stepping down from his position at West Des Moines Valley High School.

Windhorst went an incredible 215-55 during an 11-year run with the Tigers, including four consecutive seasons with 20-plus wins and six of those such seasons overall. He also served as the head boys basketball coach at Southeast Polk High School, leading the Rams to a pair of state tournament appearances, highlighted by a run to the Class 4A state championship game.

In eight seasons at Southeast Polk, Windhorst won 118 games, replacing former University of Iowa and Mason City High School standout Jeff Horner at Valley.

B.J. Windhorst Returns To Sidelines With Almost 400 Career Wins On His Resume

Windhorst takes over the Lions with a career record of 393-160 over 23 seasons with the Tigers, Rams and Clarinda.

Des Moines Christian is a private Christian school that opened in 1948. It is located in Urbandale, Iowa and competes in the West Central Activities Conference. The school is set to join the Little Hawkeye Conference starting with the 2026-27 school year.

Des Moines Christian Coming Off 15-Win Season

The Lions went 15-8 this past season under head coach Jason Van Mersbergen, going 13-1 and winning the West Central Activities Conference championship. They last reached the state tournament during the 2022-23 season, also advancing to the elite eight in 2020-21 and 2018-19 in recent years.

Since the 2006-07 season, Des Moines Christian has had 11 seasons with at least 20 wins.

Windhorst will have returning starters Davis Tokheim, Ajay Bakke and Alex Derkenne all returning next year. Tokheim averaged almost nine points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals per game, as Bakke posted over nine points a night.