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SUNY Potsdam AD Jim Zalacca announces retirement after 17 years

Posted 12/15/17

POTSDAM -- After 17 years as SUNY Potsdam Athletic Director Jim Zalacca, 66, has announced that he will retire Sept. 1, 2018. Zalacca's career in college sports spans nearly 40 years, beginning in …

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SUNY Potsdam AD Jim Zalacca announces retirement after 17 years

Posted

POTSDAM -- After 17 years as SUNY Potsdam Athletic Director Jim Zalacca, 66, has announced that he will retire Sept. 1, 2018.

Zalacca's career in college sports spans nearly 40 years, beginning in 1980 when he joined the basketball program DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. as assistant coach. His first administrative post was as director of athletics and men's head basketball coach at Bethany College in West Virginia. From 1990-93, Zalacca was athletic director at Castleton University in Vermont. He first entered the State University of New York Athletic Conference in 1993 as director of athletics at SUNY New Paltz, where he guided the Hawks for seven seasons.

Zalacca took the helm of Bears Athletics prior to the 2000-01 campaign. Zalacca's tenure at Potsdam has seen three team SUNYAC titles, nine individual SUNYAC titles, one NCAA Championship, two NCAA Tournament appearances and a Bears men's basketball advance to the Elite Eight.

During his time Potsdam has also produced 11 All-Americans, 238 all-conference selections and multiple professional athletes. Bears student-athletes have also earned numerous academic honors during his tenure. During the 2016-17 season, one third of all Potsdam athletes earned grade-point-averages of 3.3 or higher and participated in many community service projects.

In his time at Potsdam, Zalacca has overseen approximately $25 million in improvements to the college's sports facilities. They include the construction and later upgrading of the artificial turf stadium, which was the first of its kind in the SUNYAC and North Country, and the renovations of Maxcy's ice arena, field house, natatorium and Shane T. Shaul Fitness Center.

Zalacca instituted the fitness center's program of giving free passes to active duty service members and veterans. The athletic department’s participation opportunities have expanded with the addition of women's ice hockey and men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, and the elevation of softball from club to varsity status.

In 2008, Zalacca and Potsdam teamed up with the Olympic Regional Development Authority to host the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship at Lake Placid.

During his career, Zalacca also served in many other roles on campus and off. He was a member of the prestigious NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee from 1999-2002 and again from 2010-14. Zalacca was one of three representatives on the committee from Division III institutions and earned the National Association of Basketball Coaches' “Guardians of the Game” award for his work. Zalacca was also a member of the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Committee from 2001-05, serving as chair for the last two seasons. He was the SUNYAC President for the 2000-01 academic year and a member of the ECAC Executive Council from 2000-03. Zalacca has chaired the ECAC Men's Basketball Upstate Region Selection Committee, the ECAC Baseball Selection Committee and the ECAC Lacrosse Selection Committee as well as participating in many other organizations. Since coming to Potsdam, he has chaired the Bears Hall of Fame Committee. Of the hall's 138 members, 52 individuals and teams have been enshrined under his oversight.