Joel Zimmeran was named Interim Head Coach in March of 2025 following the retirement of long-time mentor Ron Lievense, a capacity he will serve in through the entire 2025-26 academic year.
Zimmerman was promoted to associate head coach for men's basketball in August of 2018 after previously serving as assistant coach through two different stints with the Bulldogs.
In addition, Zimmerman was named the Assistant Compliance Coordinator for the Barton Department of Athletics at the same time and then later was promoted to Assistant Director of Athletics for Game Operations in the Summer of 2020, a role he will continue in through the end of the year.
Zimmerman first joined the Barton staff for the 2006-07 season, just in time to assist head coach Ron Lievense in guiding the Bulldogs to a 31-5 season that culminated in the school's first national championship. He added the position of assistant compliance coordinator in his second year at Barton, a role he once again holds.
Following the 2007-08 season, Zimmerman shifted his focus to the NCAA Division I ranks at Morehead State University, where he spent two seasons as director of basketball operations and assistant coach for the Eagles. At Morehead State, he was part of two of the best seasons in program history, helping the Eagles to back-to-back 20-win seasons that included a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2009.
Zimmerman returned to Wilson in 2010 and spent two years working as Barton's assistant director for athletic development. He rejoined Lievense's staff for the 2012-13 campaign, helping the Bulldogs to a 23-8 record and their second straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance. Barton won two games in the tournament and reached the Southeast Region Finals (Sweet 16) for the third time in school history.
In the spring of 2018, Zimmerman was one of 14 NCAA Division II coaches selected to participate in the inaugural NCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Academy.
Zimmerman played collegiate basketball within Conference Carolinas (previously known as CVAC) at former member institution Anderson University before graduating in 2003. He volunteered as an assistant coach at his alma mater before first being hired at Barton.
Zimmerman and his wife, Shannon, reside in Wake Forest, N.C., with their dogs, Khloe and Gigi.
