A New York high school basketball player has filed a lawsuit against her former coach, alleging assault, bullying, and a long-standing pattern of abuse after he was caught on video aggressively pulling her hair during a state championship game.
The incident occurred on March 21, when Northville High School’s girls’ basketball team lost 43–37 in the New York State Class D championship. Video footage, which went viral nationwide, shows then–head coach Jim Zullo, 81, yanking senior player Hailey Monroe’s hair moments after the defeat.
Zullo was fired shortly after the video surfaced, but Monroe’s lawsuit, filed on Monday, August 11, claims the hair-pulling was part of a broader history of abusive behavior. The complaint, lodged in the Supreme Court of New York against both Zullo and the Northville Central School District, alleges that the coach had a “reputation and history of inappropriate, aggressive, and dangerous conduct” toward team members — both physical and psychological.
According to the filing, the school district was aware of Zullo’s alleged misconduct but failed to take action to protect students. The suit cites prior incidents in which Zullo reportedly targeted teenage girls on his team with verbal tirades and physical aggression.
Monroe’s legal team at Anderson, Moschetti & Taffany, PLLC, is seeking unspecified damages for the “injuries, expenses, and damages” resulting from the March assault. They also allege that the district’s negligence directly contributed to Monroe’s harm and financial losses.
Both Zullo and the Northville Central School District have been formally served and have 20 days to respond to the complaint or face a possible default judgment.
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