Stonehill College

Bill Zolga mayhave been the most dominating men’s basketball player inStonehill history. A first team NABC All America selection in hisjunior and senior years, received outstanding tributes fromopposing coaches, but none captured  Zolga better thanBridgeport’s coach Bruce Webster who escaped from Stonehillwith a two-point win in Zolga’s junior year. Zolga almost wonthe game single-handedly against the nationally ranked BridgeportPurple Knights. After the games, Webster said of Zolga: “Nineboys watched one man play basketball tonight.” Zolga finishedhis career with 1,822 points (third best all-time) and still holdcareer records for rebounding (1,147) and most rebounds in a season(405) set his senior year (1979-80). He also holds the Stonehillrecord for blocks in a season (64) and a career (174). He had acareer-high 44 points in a one-point victory at St. Anselm Collegewhen he scored all Stonehill’s points in the second half. Hehad 43 in his junior year against Eastern Connecticut StateCollege.

During his junioryear, Zolga was selected ECAC player of the week three times and asa senior he made the honor once. He was also selected to ECAC honorroll nine separate weeks as a senior. He was selected to the UnitedPress first team All New England as a junior and was an NABC AllNew England first team selection as a junior and senior.Bill’s junior year was a classic as he averaged 25 points and10.5 rebounds, and blocked 64 shots. He was ranked nationally bythe NCAA in the top 20 in all three categories. In his senior yearhad a 29-rebound game against UMass-Boston. Tom Folliard,Zolga’s coach as a junior and senior, called Zolga “asuper star who will not assume that role.” He was praised byDivision One coaches John Thompson (Georgetown), Dr. Tom Davis(Boston College) and Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Bob Cousy aftergames with Georgetown, B.C. and Assumption College. Dr. Davisnominated Zolga for Division I All-America in his junior year.Zolga was the only Division II player to be named on the St.Bonaventure All-Opponent team his senior year. In an 84-77 loss,Zolga had 27 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. He also had25-point games against good B.B. and University of Rhode Islandteams. Bill lives in Raynham with his wife Lisa, a Stonehillgraduate, and their children.