Baseball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Hometown:
- New Orleans, La.
- Year at Mizzou:
- 1st Season
- Alma Mater:
- New Orleans, '02
- Email:
- zullig@missouri.edu
Mizzou head baseball coach Tim Jamieson has announced that Jerry Zulli, one of college baseball’s rising coaching stars, will join Mizzou as the program’s new assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Zulli (pronounced ZOO-lee) will join Mizzou after an incredibly successful stint as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at South Alabama, where he was the key architect to three top-50 recruiting classes, one 40-win season and two Sun Belt Conference Championships.
“Jerry is a tireless worker and is someone that I think embodies what we take pride in here at Mizzou,” Jamieson said of Zulli. “When I began to look to fill this position, I leaned on people in the business that I trust and Jerry’s name kept coming up as someone who had a tremendous work ethic and had established so many relationships throughout the southeast. He has helped improve programs everywhere he’s been and that is a true testament to his character. He brings great energy and enthusiasm every day. We place a great emphasis on player development here at Mizzou, and on top of being a great recruiter, he is a great coach and some I feel confident will be able to mentor our student-athletes.”
“I’m extremely excited to join the Mizzou baseball program,” Zulli said. “Having an opportunity to join Coach Jamieson’s staff is the opportunity of a lifetime for me. I can’t wait to do my part of helping our student athletes achieve success in the classroom and on the field. The University of Missouri and the entire Mizzou family is one of the most respected nationally and there is not a better time to be at Mizzou than right now. I also want to express my gratitude to South Alabama head coach Mark Calvi for giving me the chance to work at South Alabama and enhance my career.”
Zulli brings to Mizzou the reputation of being a tireless recruiter. In three of his four seasons at South Alabama, he put together top-50 recruiting classes, including a 2013 recruiting class that ranked 29th overall by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. That class was a key contributor to last season’s South Alabama team that won 37 games and the Sun Belt Conference Championship, the program’s second in three years. He has forged recruiting ties all across the SEC footprint after assistant coaching stints at South Alabama, Memphis and Middle Georgia College and routinely turned in top-rated recruiting classes despite battling SEC schools for the same prospects. His reputation as a diligent recruiter will undoubtedly help Mizzou continue to compete in the SEC as he will serve in the same role.
A hitting coach by nature, Zulli’s track record for producing incredible offensive teams speaks for itself. In his first season at South Alabama, Zulli’s offense led the Sun Belt Conference in batting, slugging, on-base percentage, runs scored, RBI, total bases and hits during league games. He coached the 2013 Sun Belt Player of the Year in utility man Jordan Patterson and saw five of his hitters earn all-conference that season, as well. In 2013, the Jaguars finished as Co-Champions of the Sun Belt Conference at 43-20 overall (20-10 in league play) while advancing to NCAA Regional play for the first time since 2006. During his four years at South Alabama, Zulli saw nine of his hitters earn All-Sun Belt Conference honors and he coached one conference player of the year, one All-American and one Freshman All-American.
Prior to his stint at South Alabama, Zulli spent seven seasons at Memphis in the same position, coaching the program’s hitters while serving as the recruiting coordinator. At Memphis, Zulli helped the Tigers lead Conference USA in hitting and on-base percentage, while ranking in the league’s top five in virtually every hitting category. He coached eight student-athletes to a combined 10 all-conference honors, including SS Chad Zurcher, who was the 2011 Conference USA Player of the Year and a Third Team All-American after leading the nation in average and on-base percentage. He helped lead the Tigers to 36 wins and an NCAA Regional appearance in 2007. In 2011, five Memphis student-athletes were taken in the MLB draft and in his seven seasons at Memphis, Zulli coached 12 student-athletes who were selected in the MLB Draft.
His time at both South Alabama and Memphis give him deep ties to the SEC’s recruiting footprint as does his experience at Middle Georgia College from 2002-04, where we helped the Warriors to a 130-51 record in three seasons, including a 2004 JUCO World Series appearance.
Similar to head coach Tim Jamieson, Zulli is a graduate of the University of New Orleans (’02) where he lettered for two seasons. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management from UNO in 2002. Before wrapping up his playing career at UNO, he lettered two years at Middle Georgia College, winning the Terry Daniels Award while leading the Warriors to a Region XVII Championship in 1999.
Zulli is married to the former Kristen Bell and the couple has a daughter, Zoe Madelyn.
What Others Are Saying About Jerry Zulli
Mitch Gaspard – Alabama Head Coach
“I’ve known Jerry for a long time, and he’s a relentless, tireless recruiter. He’s got a big personality, and is a guy that’s made the team better at every place he has been. He’s very well-respected in the coaching community due to his work ethic and knowledge of the game, and I think he is going to be a big-time force for Missouri and bring a lot of energy to their program. There’s not going to be many assistants out there who will outwork him on the recruiting trail, and I know he’ll build great relationships with the players.
“I’m really happy for him. He’s a guy that’s earned it; he started coaching at the bottom and moved his way up to the top in the SEC with his hard work. He’s one of those guys that you’re proud to see him getting the opportunity he’s been given now.”
Scott Stricklin – Georgia Head Coach
"Jerry is a tireless worker and a very good baseball coach. He has a good eye for talent and will bring high caliber baseball players to Columbia. Coach Jamieson made an excellent hire"
Mark Calvi – South Alabama Head Coach
"I am excited for Jerry and the opportunity he has been given to further his coaching career at the University of Missouri. He has been an invaluable asset to the University of South Alabama and our baseball program. He is one of the hardest-working individuals I have had the opportunity to be associated with in the game of baseball, and I know he will do great things at Missouri. Jerry is a man of great character and integrity, and I couldn't be happier for him. A great deal of our success during my time as head coach at South Alabama is attributed to him and the work he has done on the field and in recruiting. I know that he will do great things in the future for Missouri baseball, just as he has done here at South Alabama."
