Former Northville Coach Has Been Arrested After Hair-Pulling Incident

On March 23, Hudson Valley Community College’s Department for Public Safety officially filed a harassment complaint against 81-year-old Jim Zullo, the former Northville Girls Basketball coach. According to authorities, Zullo met with HVCC police officers and was issued an appearance ticket for harassment in the second degree. He is expected to appear in Troy City Court at a later date.

What Happened?

The incident occurred Friday during the Class D girls’ state championship game between Northville and LaFargeville at Hudson Valley Community College. While LaFargeville took home the win 43–37, the headlines quickly shifted to Zullo’s behavior after the final buzzer.

Read More: Coach Fired After Hair-Pulling at Upstate New York Final

In the video, Zullo appears to pull star player Hailey Monroe's ponytail as the team stood near the bench, prompting teammate Ahmya Tompkins to step in between them. Tompkins is a relative of the coach.

Immediate Action Taken

Later that evening, the Northville Central School District announced that Zullo had been terminated as head coach.

“We hold our coaches to the highest standards… this behavior is completely unacceptable,” the district said in a statement. “This individual will no longer be coaching for the Northville Central School District.”

Brett Favre Slams Viral Northville High School Incident

NFL legend Brett Favre is among the many voices speaking out after a

disturbing on-court incident during an Upstate New York girls’ basketball championship game went viral. The incident overshadowed LaFargeville's first State Title win.

“This one really surprised me,” Favre said. “No room for this, and good on the school for acting quickly.”

Favre’s comments came after video footage surfaced showing Northville girls' basketball coach Jim Zullo grabbing the ponytail of senior player Hailey Monroe during the postgame medal ceremony. The moment was caught live on the NFHS Network stream and quickly made waves across social media.

Investigation Ongoing

Hudson Valley Community College also confirmed that campus police and other law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the situation.

Zullo, 81, told reporters the player had cursed at him after he instructed her to shake hands with the opposing team. He had returned to coaching after retirement to support the Northville girls’ team, following a celebrated decades-long career in boys’ basketball.