Posted April 28, 2006 | The Chattanoogan | Web Link

Covenant College named Andy Euler as its new men's basketball coach on Friday. Euler comes to Covenant from Wheaton Academy in Wheaton, Ill., where he has served the last 13 years as the boy's basketball coach and a member of the Academy's faculty.

"This is a great privilege to have this position, and to represent Covenant College," said Euler. "I'm very impressed with the vision the athletic department has for the men's basketball program here, and I'm impressed with the faculty and administration's vision for the college. I'm very humbled to be the men's coach at Covenant."

Euler heard about the Covenant opening from a coaching counterpart in the Chicago area, and applied for the job. He is excited about the opportunity to coach again at the intercollegiate level, and has a big vision for the Scots.

"Our young men are scholar-athletes, and I want them to be academically strong, and biblically great, honoring Christ in everything that we do, and serving as Christian disciples that love Christ," Euler said.

"At the same time, I want us to be great basketball players and a great team."

Euler and long-time assistant Doug Scheidt prepare for a game.

Euler leaves Wheaton Academy with a career 258-171 record. His Wheaton teams have won four Private School League championships, were the Regional Runners-Up five times, and won the regional championship in the 1997-98 season. Eighteen of his former Warrior players have gone on to play at the intercollegiate level, playing at NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA institutions. He is a two-time winner of the PSL Coach of the Year, as well as the Illinois High School Athletic Association's District 9 Coach of the Year in 2000.

Prior to Wheaton, Euler was the head coach at Anchorage Christian School in Anchorage, Alaska, winning the AAA state championship in 1992, and finishing fourth in the state in 1991 and 1993. He was named the Alaska AAA Coach of the Year in 1992.

Euler has coached at the collegiate level, assisting at Pillsbury College in Owatonna, Minnesota and at his alma mater, the University of Alaska - Fairbanks, where he excelled as a player, serving as the team captain and averaging 20 points per game his senior season.

"We are very excited that Andy Euler has joined the Covenant College community," said Director of Athletics Roy Heintz. "Andy is a very respected teacher of the game of basketball, but also has garnered a strong reputation as a teacher of the game of life. His influence on the lives of his players has been strong, and his teams have been known as great competitors that represent Christ well in everything that they do. I believe the same will be said of the Scots under his leadership."

Euler and his wife, Melissa, have been married 27 years and have three children, Jordan, a freshman at Taylor University, Benjamin, a sophomore guard for his father at Wheaton Academy, and Anna, a middle school student. In addition to his role as the men's basketball coach, he will serve as the college's Intramural Director.

Heintz said that nearly 50 applicants were interested in the job, ranging from NCAA Division I assistant coaches to well-respected high school coaches. Euler has already begun to meet with current players, while in town looking for homes, and is working to complete recruiting efforts for next season. He and his family will move to the Chattanooga area when the academic year is completed in Illinois in June.