After spending 25 season as either the head coach of the Men's Basketball or Softball teams at St. Mary's, Jim Zeleznak turned to new challenges, moving to the Director of Corporate Sponsorships role in 2023 for the Rattlers.

Now the longest tenured employee in the athletic department, Zeleznak has been a part of some of the biggest moments in athletics history, including the 1989 NAIA National Championship as an assistant coach for men’s basketball and the 1986 NAIA National Championship as the head coach for softball.

He wrapped up his men's basketball coach ranked third in victories with 264, spending 18 years as the captain on the hardwood. The Rattlers earned four-straight national tournament appearances – including their first-ever NCAA Sweet 16 bid in 2013 – and they cut down the nets following Heartland Conference Tournament championships in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

Zeleznak, who earlier in his career coached St. Mary’s Softball to the 1986 NAIA National Championship, did not post a losing record in his first 24 years as head coach of either the men’s basketball or softball teams. He and the 1986 team were recently named to the St. Mary’s Hall of Fame, becoming the first-ever team to be inducted.

Over his tenure, Zelenak has produced five All-Lone Star Conference honorees, 26 All-Heartland Conference honorees, three Conference Defensive Players of the Year, four Freshmen of the Year and two Newcomers of the Year. Zelenak has also produced one All-American, one South Central Player of the Year and one Heartland Conference Player of the Year in Kevin Kotzur as well as six All-Region selections, four of which belong to Kotzur. Most recently, Binney was named All-Region following the 2014-15 season.

During his time as the Rattlers’ assistant basketball coach, St. Mary’s compiled a 531-252 record. He served as the chief recruiter for the Rattlers and coach Buddy Meyer. In that role, he helped bring in some of the top players in school history, including All-Americans Ricky Hooker and Pete Hansen.

The Rattlers made 14 National Tournament appearances, including four trips to the NCAA Division II Tournament and won 16 conference titles while he was an assistant. In 1989, the Rattlers captured the NAIA National Championship.

Zeleznak served as the head softball coach for 15 years. His teams had winning records every season, giving him a 401-184 record. During his tenure, the Rattlers advanced to the NAIA National Tournament 12 times, including 10 consecutive appearances. His teams won Big State and Heart of Texas Conference titles in 14 of his 15 years as coach. In 1986, he guided the Rattlers to St. Mary’s first National Championship and was named the NAIA Softball Coach of the Year. As head softball coach, 19 of his players were recognized with All-American honors. Four more were named Academic All-American.

Prior to coming back to his alma mater to be a coach, Zeleznak was a coach at San Antonio’s Holy Cross High School for three seasons. Zeleznak played basketball for the Rattlers as a freshman, before switching his focus to coaching. He holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s and a master’s degree from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University). Zeleznak is a native of Shawnee Mission, Kan. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, John Patrick and Kaeleen Marie.