Coach Bill Zatulskis comes to ACA from Yeshiva University in New York City where he served as the head women’s basketball coach since September of 2020. Zatulskis brings with him more than 30 years of successful coaching experience at both the collegiate and high school level to lead the Armada program.
“ACA is beyond excited to hire a coach like Bill Zatulskis,” ACA Director of Athletics William Payne said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge, having been a D1, D2, D3 and high school coach. Having someone like him help build the foundation for a high school program is rare and something we should all be excited for!
“Coach Zatulskis has been an elite recruiter and skills developer, and he has led programs that are nationally known for their academic excellence, which is what we are all about at ACA. Coach Zatulskis will be an impactful person on our campus, not just with girls’ basketball or athletics but for the entire school.”
During his first year at the helm for Yeshiva, the women's basketball program had the No. 1 highest team GPA among NCAA Division III schools on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll (3.876). The program once again landed on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll in 2021-22.
In the 2022-23 season, he led the Maccabees to the most conference wins (seven) and overall victories (10) in program history. He coached and mentored Yuval Nitzan who earned a spot on both the All-Skyline first team and the D3hoops.com All-Region third team.
“ACA represents everything I believe is important about athletics,” Zatulskis said. “Athletics is a part of the overall development process for young people, and I enjoy helping them to grow and develop. To have an opportunity to work with people like Coach Payne and principal Michael Lorenz is exciting. They are both firm believers in what school is all about which is helping students achieve and succeed.”
Prior to his tenure at Yeshiva, Zatulskis served as the assistant women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator for Division I Hofstra University on Long Island from 1999-2002. While at Hofstra, he coordinated a national recruiting program, signing players from New York, Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey. He assisted with daily practice planning, devised scouting reports on opponents, and instructed players on ways to work in the post. He also cultivated relationships with prominent AAU programs.
Zatulskis worked as interim head women’s basketball coach at Stony Brook University from 1997-1999. He led and orchestrated the Seawolves’ move from NCAA Division II to Division I and implemented the team’s first Division I schedule in 1999 as an independent program. While at Stony Brook, he developed a national recruiting base, signing all-state players from all over the country. Zatulskis guided the program to its first ever winning season as a Division II institution.
Prior to Stony Brook, Zatulskis spent 10 years as the head women’s basketball coach at Adelphi University, also on Long Island. He recruited and developed all-conference and all-metropolitan players. He led his team to the conference semifinal round in six out of his 10 seasons at the helm.
Coaching and mentoring others came naturally for Zatulskis from an early age, but it was never a goal to become a coach.
“I was the oldest of three boys (younger brothers Rob and Pete) and was usually the oldest of the kids in the neighborhood when we were growing up,” Zatulskis said. “It fell on me to be a leader and a teacher to my brothers because my dad was always working to provide for our family.
“I went to an all-boys school, Notre Dame High in West Haven, Conn., and was never really good enough to earn a spot on the varsity teams, but I played intramurals, and I continued to do that when I got to college.”
A first-generation college student, Zatulskis had designs on becoming a veterinarian, and started his college career as a marine biology major at Long Island University. He switched to Psychology when he discovered a passion for learning about human behavior and earned his bachelor’s degree in 1984.
“My dad worked 60 hours a week as a truck driver and had a tremendous work ethic,” Zatulskis said. “Even when he wasn’t at work, he was always busy working on cars, doing plumbing work or construction. He could do anything and passed that work ethic on to us.
“We were able to go school because he wanted to make sure we had the best opportunity to succeed in life.”
He continued his education at Springfield College in Massachusetts, earning a Master of Education in Counseling. It was his degree in Counseling that led him to a position at Adelphi University where he was able to pick up an extra $1,500 to be an assistant girls basketball coach.
“I never envisioned being a coach but once I got the job at Adelphi, I was able to learn the game from two former Division I players and coaches, Dot McHugh and Carol Walderman, and I found that I enjoyed it,” Zatulskis said. “I have always coached women and girls because it is much more of a team game where they all have to work together to be successful.”
Zatulskis previously led the girls’ varsity basketball program at Smithtown East High School on Long Island. He led his team to the playoffs in 2018-19 and has coached four players who earned all-league honors and two all-academic team members during his tenure.
From 2011 until 2014, Zatulskis was an assistant girls’ varsity basketball coach at Harborfields High School where he helped lead the program to the Class A Final Four at the New York State Championships. His team was ranked as high as No. 3 in the state. He coached the League V Player of the Year, four all-league players, and two all-conference selections.
Zatulskis served as the head girls varsity basketball coach at Half Hollow Hills West High School (2005-2011). He led his team to the Suffolk County AA Final Four Final for three straight seasons and coached eight players who earned all-league honors, while three of those players were selected to the all-county team. Zatulskis was selected as the League IV Coach of the Year in both 2005 and 2009.
“I am a players’ coach who expects them to give everything they have,” Zatulskis said. “I have a strong work ethic and I expect my players to have the same. I am a player development coach and a defensive coach who loves to press and trap to create offense from defense, but it takes the right players to be able to do that.”
Zatulskis describes himself as a Southern Rock fan who also enjoys reading books by C.J. Box (Joe Pickett series) as well as books on leadership and coaching, especially those about legendary coaches John Wooden, Bobby Knight and Jim Valvano who always talked of persistence in life and understanding that there is a reason for everything.
Zatulskis and his wife of 35 years, Marcia, have one daughter, Emily, who is pursuing a degree in communications at Arizona State University. Marcia is a retired elementary and special education teacher from Northport, NY, who is still active as an educator through tutoring.
“Marcia is the best because she understands the demands of a coaches’ life, and she has stuck with me through all the moves and job changes over the years,” Zatulskis said. “We have been coming to Myrtle Beach for vacation for years and can’t wait to get there to start this new chapter.
“Having this opportunity to work with William, with his vision for the girls’ basketball program, is exciting. He expects us to be a shining star for Atlantic Collegiate Academy, a playoff team, and he is willing to support us with everything we will need.”
The couple has two dogs – Odin (a German Shepherd) and Mozzie (a King Charles Spaniel).
