Girls basketball coach in upstate NY fired after hair-pulling incident. See the video

A Fulton County girls basketball coach has been fired after he was seen pulling a player's hair following a title game loss Friday, according to the school district.

During the NFHS Network's online stream of the girls basketball Class D state championship game Friday, where the Northville Falcons lost to the La Fargeville Red Knights, 43-37, Northville girls basketball head coach Jim Zullo can be seen pulling the hair of senior Hailey Monroe as the teams waited for the medal presentation, as reported by multiple news outlets.

Since the incident, the Northville Central School District has fired Zullo and Hudson Valley Community College, where the game was held, is investigating what happened.

Northville, located at the base of the Adirondack Mountains along the northern end of Great Sacandaga Lake, is around 60 miles northwest of Albany.

Here's what we know so far.

Northville Central School District 'deeply disturbed' by coach's actions

The Northville Central School District released this statement Sunday, which is posted on the district's website:

"The Northville Central School District is aware of, and deeply disturbed by, the conduct of the Coach of the Girl's Varsity basketball team during the Class D New York State championship game. We hold our coaches to the highest standards of professionalism, sportsmanship, and respect for our student-athletes, and this behavior is completely unacceptable," the statement reads.

"The District is committed to ensuring that this type of behavior has no place within our programs, and we will continue to uphold the values of respect and integrity that our athletes, families and community expect and deserve. This individual will no longer be coaching for the Northville Central School District. We assure the public that this matter is being taken extremely seriously, and the District is actively addressing it. The District will be following up with the affected players and their families to provide support and outline the actions we are taking in response to this incident."

Northville coach Jim Zullo pulls players hair after title game loss: See the video

In the video, Zullo pulls the hair of a visibly upset Monroe and fellow player, Ahmya Tompkins, who Albany-area news outlet WNYT reports is one of Zullo's nieces, steps in to break up the altercation.

Watch the video here, as posted on Facebook by WRGB CBS 6 Albany:

ICYMI: Northville basketball coach Jim Zullo is fired after pulling the hair of one of the players, after the team lost the Class D finals Friday night. Hailey Monroe, the program's all-time leading scorer, had fouled out earlier in the game. Courtesy: NFHShttps://bit.ly/4hCNnWy
Posted by WRGB CBS 6 News, Albany on Saturday, March 22, 2025

Coach Jim Zullo releases statement

Jim Zullo, the former head coach of Northville's girls basketball team, provided a statement to WNYT about the incident. The statement reads as follows:

"I deeply regret my behavior following the loss to La Fargeville Friday night in the Class D state championship game. I want to offer my sincerest apologies to Hailey and her family, our team, the good folks at Northville Central Schools and our community. As a coach, under no circumstance is it acceptable to put my hands on a player, and I am truly sorry. I wish I could have those moments back. I am grateful for the opportunity to have coached girls basketball at Northville the past two years, especially last season, which was a difficult time for our family. I am super proud of every one of these young women and what they accomplished. I know each of them will go on to do great things and I wish them well."

Hudson Valley Community College, local law enforcement investigates incident

Hudson Valley Community College, where Friday's game was played, is investigating the postgame incident, according to a Facebook post made by the Hudson Valley Community College Department of Public Safety on Saturday.

"The Hudson Valley Community College Department of Public Safety was made aware of an incident between a coach and a player that occurred during the conclusion of one of the NYSPHSAA Girls Championship Games," the statement reads. "The incident is currently under investigation by HVCC Peace Officers and Investigators in conjunction with other Local Law Enforcement Agencies. Further information will be released when available."

New York State Public High School Sports Athletic Association releases statement

“The NYSPHSAA commends the swift action taken in response to this incident, including the immediate termination of the coach involved," NYSPHSAA executive director Dr. Robert Zayas said in a written statement Monday. "At NYSPHSAA, we uphold the highest standards of sportsmanship, respect, and the well-being of our student-athletes.

"It is unfortunate that this incident has diverted attention from what should be the primary focus — the incredible achievements and dedication of the student-athletes throughout the season. Their hard work, perseverance, and commitment to excellence deserve to be celebrated as the true representation of high school athletics.”

Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Girls basketball coach in NY fired after hair-pulling incident. See video

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Girls basketball coach in upstate NY fired after hair-pulling incident. See the video

Northville Central School District 'deeply disturbed' by coach's actions

Northville coach Jim Zullo pulls players hair after title game loss: See the video

Coach Jim Zullo releases statement

Hudson Valley Community College, local law enforcement investigates incident

New York State Public High School Sports Athletic Association releases statement

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