June 11, 2013
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State Director of Athletics Jim Sterk announced the hiring of Bill Zack as the head coach of the Aztec rowing program on Tuesday. Zack comes to The Mesa after a highly successful stint as the head coach at the University of Portland for the past two years.
During Zack's time with the Pilots, he was responsible for the transition of the team from club to varsity status. At the 2013 West Coast Conference (WCC) Championships, the Pilots tied for third in the point standings in only their second year of competition. Zack also coached three rowers who were recognized a part of WCC Rowing all-conference teams, 12 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) national scholar-athletes, four members of the WCC Rowing all-academic team and 15 WCC Rowing all-academic team honorable mention recipients.
Prior to his time in Portland, Zack was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the UCLA women's rowing program. Zack's highlights with the Bruins include helping the team earn its first-ever berth to the NCAA Championships. At the regatta Zack coached the Bruins four to a fourteenth place overall finish. During his stay in Westwood, Zack coached a UCLA four to a bronze medal at the Pac-10 Championships and the novice eight crews to gold and silver medal performances.
Before his time with UCLA, Zack compiled vast coaching experience, serving six years as the women's head coach at Sacramento State (1996-2002), one year as the men's head coach at Old Dominion (1995-96) and one year as the elite lightweight women's coach at the Long Beach Rowing Association (1994-95). In addition, he spent three seasons as the women's head coach at Long Beach State (1991-94) and six years coaching at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (1986-1991).
While at Sacramento State, Zack was twice honored as the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) Coach of the Year. In 1997 he led the Hornets to a gold medal at the Pac-10 Championships and a bronze medal finish at the NCAA Championships. Zack also coached a Sacramento State eight to victory at the Women's Henley Regatta.
Throughout his career Zack has been very involved with USRowing. Moving up from the U.S. Olympic Festival team manager in 1989, he served as an assistant team leader for the 1996 Olympic rowing team and has served as a team leader for the Pan-American Games, World Rowing Championships and the Junior World Rowing Championships. Zack coached the women's lightweight quad to a sixth-place finish at the 1997 World Rowing Championships.
While attending the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Zack was a member of the collegiate rowing team until he graduated in 1980. In 1986, Zack earned his master's degree in business administration from the Yale School of Management. Zack retired from the Coast Guard in 1996 with the rank of lieutenant commander.
Zack will help usher in a new era for Aztec rowing, as SDSU becomes a member of Conference USA beginning with the 2013-14 campaign.