Heather Zurich

High school career

A native of Montvale, New Jersey, Zurich attended Pascack Valley High School located in northern Bergen County. As a senior, Zurich earned a spot on the Star-Ledger, The Record and Associated Press All-State First Teams while averaging 19.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. She finished her high school career with 1,798 career points and led Pascack Valley to a four-year record of 106–9 and four league titles. In her senior year in 2005, she led Pascack Valley to a 29–2 mark, winning the Group 2 state title and advancing to the semifinals of the Tournament of Champions. As a junior, Zurich averaged 18 points per game and was a participant at the 2004 adidas All-America Camp. She was named to the Associated Press All-State Third Team, The Record All-Region First Team and the Star-Ledger All-County First Team.

In the 2005 Group 2 state championship (Zurich's senior year) she made 9 of her 11 shots in the second half, nailed all 10 of her free throw attempts, scored 25 of her team's 36 second-half points and reached a new career high for points in a game. Coach Jeff Jasper stated:

"When they talk about a player being in the zone, (Zurich) was just in the zone. She was just so fluid on everything. Fluid on rebounding, passing, movement on the floor. She didn't even take a wasted dribble today. It was just Heather and it was like everyone else was just floating around her. That was special."

Zurich's play during her four years of participation in the New Jersey Tournament of Champions was recognized in 2008 by The Star Ledger when she was named to the All-Group 2 Tournament of Champions First Team. Looking back at Zurich's overall play during her four years at Pascack Valley, The Star Ledger wrote:

"If Jeff Jasper seeked a poster girl for his revered program, the Pascack Valley coach would have to consider the versatile Zurich. A basketball intellect that was off the charts, Zurich had the answer for every situation. A master of the mid-range jumper, she was the complete package.".

In 2010, Zurich's state championship game effort was deemed by The Record as the Moment of the Decade. The Record described the moment:

"Pascack Valley guard Heather Zurich poured in a career-high 33 points to lead the Indians to a 64-45 victory over Rumson-Fair Haven in the State Group 2 final. Zurich scored 16 of her team’s 18 points in the third quarter and was sublime in the second half, going 9-for-11 from the field.".

Additionally, The Record recognized Zurich by naming her to the All-Decade (Bergen County) Team. and The Ridgewood News recognized Zurich by naming her to the All-Decade All-Suburban: Winter Sports Team."

Freshman season

Heather Zurich played in 20 games for the Scarlet Knights her freshman year, making one start. She averaged 1.1 points and 0.5 rebounds per game. Zurich made her collegiate debut against North Florida November 25, 2005, at the Junkanoo Jam, scoring two points in five minutes of play. She made her first start January 14, 2006, against Seton Hall. She had season highs of 5 points and 3 rebounds in 10 minutes of action against Old Dominion on December 5, 2005. She completed the season shooting 34.6% from the field and 30.0% from three-point range.

Sophomore season

After a freshman year in which she played primarily the three spot, making just one start in her 20 games played, Zurich asked her coach what she could do to get more playing time and contribute. Coach Stringer told her that if she played the small forward position, she could open the game up for her high-post shots when the defense double-teamed the center. Zurich took coach Stringer's advice and spent the summer changing her workout routine and her mindset. When her sophomore year started, Zurich had developed herself into a presence at the four position and earned the playing time she had hoped for.

As a sophomore, Heather Zurich started 33 of the Scarlet Knights’ 36 games on the season, including the last 27 straight. Zurich helped lead the Scarlet Knights to the NCAA Final Four and the championship game where they were defeated by the University of Tennessee. She averaged 4.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game and shot 42.2% from the field for the year. She finished the year with a 37.0% shooting average from three-point range and a 75% shooting average from the free throw line. During the NCAA Tournament, Zurich averaged 6.5 points per game while shooting 51.6% from the floor. She scored at least two points in every game that season excluding four. She also compiled a 17-game streak of consecutive scoring games. Zurich had a (then) career-best 6 rebounds on three occasions. She had a (then) career-best 13 points against Villanova on February 17, 2007. Over the first three games of the NCAA Tournament, she shot 10-of-15 (.667) from the field. Zurich played 895 minutes on the season (22.0 minutes per game average), compared to 80 total minutes the previous season.

Zurich was named Most Improved Player at the yearly team awards ceremony. Later in the year, the team was honored with the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award from the Women's Sports Foundation.

Junior season

As a junior, Zurich played in 33 games including 24 as a starter. She averaged 24.8 minutes, 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. For the season, she shot 42.9 percent from the floor, 30.2% from 3-point range and 66.7% from the free-throw line. Zurich posted a career-high 16 points at Cincinnati on January 22, 2008 going 7-of-13 from the field. Zurich started five of the season’s last six games, including three NCAA Tournament contests. Zurich suffered a hairline fracture her left orbital bone in the first half of the season opener against Standford and wore a protective face guard for six weeks. Zurich's streak of 33 consecutive starts came to an end at the Army game in December due to flu-like symptoms.

Senior season

By the conclusion of her senior season, Heather Zurich had played in 122 games for Rutgers and had 86 career starts, including 28 that season. As a captain in her final campaign, Zurich helped lead the Scarlet Knights to 102 victories over her four seasons, which are the second-most by a class in the history of Rutgers women’s basketball.

Zurich had 12 double-digit scoring games her senior campaign while averaging 5.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. She scored an NCAA Tournament career-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting against Auburn in her last game at the RAC and had played in 14 career NCAA Tournament games. Zurich played a career-high 43 minutes, swiped a career-best four steals and tied her career-highs in rebounds (7) and assists (5) in Rutgers' Big East Tournament quarterfinal game against Louisville. For the season, Zurich shot 42.7% from the floor, 31.1% from behind the 3-point arc, and 87.1% from the free-throw line. In the NCAA Tournament game against Auburn, Zurich scored all 12 of her points in the first half and locked down Auburn star DeWanna Bonner in the Scarlet Knights' intricate triangle-and-two scheme. Zurich denied Bonner the ball time after time and held the SEC Player of the Year without a point until Rutgers had already built a commanding 19-point lead 12 minutes into the game. "DeWanna Bonner is an unbelievable player", said Zurich, who forced Bonner into 3-of-9 shooting in the first half. "She's so unique. I was just trying to keep her close to me. My teammates did a great job helping. We just had to know where she was at all times and communicate."

With her career winding down, Zurich maintained that she made the right choice coming to Rutgers. She may have played more minutes elsewhere (she averaged 22 minutes over her career), but she wouldn't have enjoyed the same amount of success. Rutgers was 99–31 with four NCAA Tournament appearances—including a Final Four run—in Zurich's four years.

"I know I've grown," she said. "I'm not filling up the stat sheet every night. But I think I do a lot of little things on the court. And that's what's kept me on the court. These four years have been really satisfying."

With her gritty, consistent play throughout her senior year, Zurich was selected to The Lunch Bucket Players of the Big East. -

"Those who come to practice early, work tirelessly, give maximum effort during their time on the court, rarely make mistakes, and contribute in important ways, all without the glory."

Zurich said

“I knew my role, and it has never bothered me. I came here because I wanted to challenge myself. As long as I’m a part of this team, the name on the back (of the jersey) doesn’t matter – it’s the name on the front.”

Zurich was named the Most Inspirational Player and earned the Scholar-Athlete Award for the highest grade point average at the yearly team awards ceremony. She also received the annual Cager Club award, presented to a player who exemplifies the best in sportsmanship and character and humility.

Professional career

In 2009 at the conclusion of her collegiate career, Heather Zurich signed a professional contract with Autocad Amazone Leidsche Rijn of the Dames Eredivisie in The Netherlands and was represented by Eric Wiesel of LBM Management.

"It means so much to me to have the chance to continue my basketball career. It's something I've always dreamed of. I am excited by both the opportunity to play and also the anticipation of living overseas."

2009–10 season

During the regular season, Zurich helped lead the AutoCAD Amazone Leidsche Rijn team to a 16-13 record and a fourth-place finish in the Dames Eredivisie in The Netherlands with a 15–11 divisional record. She finished second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg), rebounding (9.9 rpg), steals (85) and blocked shots (18) while recording 10 games with double-digit scoring and rebounding. Zurich averaged nearly a double-double with 12.2 ppg and 9.9 rpg. She accomplished individual game highs of 21 points, 16 rebounds, 10 steals, 6 assists and 3 blocks while shooting 44.0% from the floor, 33.3% from the three-point arc and 76.8% from the free-throw line. On November 14, 2009, Zurich recorded a triple-double when she put up 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 steals in a victory over The Jugglers. During a pre-season game in Luxembourg, Zurich broke her nose (requiring surgery) and had to sit out the first game of the regular season. As she had to during her college career when she broke her nose, she was forced to wear a mask for a number of games until fully healed. At mid-season, Zurich was selected to participate in the Dutch All Star Gala as a member of the Team World Stars that challenged the Team Dutch Stars and scored 11 points.

In the post-season, Zurich helped lead the team to a 2–3 post-season record and a position in the semi-finals where the team lost to the ProBuild Lions. She finished first in scoring (72) and second in rebounding (37) while recording 2 games with double-digit scoring and rebounding. She accomplished individual game highs of 22 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists while shooting 46.0% from the floor, 60.0% from the 3-point arc and 94.4% from the free-throw line. In the final game of the opening series against Wereldtickets.nl, Zurich hit the game-winning three-point basket at the buzzer.

At the conclusion of the season, Zurich was named to the All-Dutch Eredivisie Second Team.

In 2010, Zurich announced that she would take a job as an assistant coach for the Wagner Seahawks, a team from New York.

Coaching career

At the conclusion of her 2009–10 professional season in The Netherlands, Zurich retired from professional basketball to begin a career in coaching. Zurich was quoted in a text message:

"I’m very excited about getting the Wagner position, it gives me an opportunity to gain valuable experience as an assistant at the division one level and, at the same time, pursue my masters. It’s going to be challenging and I’m ready to learn as much as I can, as well as share some of my experience with the team. I am going to work hard and dedicate all of my time and effort to help make the Seahawks successful this year."

2010–11 season

Zurich's first coaching assignment was as a graduate assistant coach at Wagner College on Staten Island, New York. Women’s basketball coach Gela Mikalauskas hired Zurich from a field of over 200 applicants after consultations with former Seton Hall coach Phyllis Mangina and Zurich's collegiate coach C. Vivian Stringer of Rutgers. Coach Mikalauskas stated:

"We are pleased to have Heather join our coaching staff at Wagner. She had a great career at Rutgers and comes highly recommended by Rutgers Coach C. Vivian Stringer. Her experience of going to the Final Four as a player in addition to playing overseas will help our players set the bar high."

Zurich worked primarily with assistant coach Brett Self on individual post player development and assisted on perimeter instruction.

Additionally, Coach Mikalauskas stated:

"Heather will be in charge of film exchange, breaking down scout films, and assisting Brett with the post players. She doesn’t have the coaching experience yet, but in two years’ time, she can pick her spot."

Zurich assisted Coach Mikalauskas in leading the Wagner Seahawks in the 2010–11 season to a 12–17 overall record and 5–13 record in the Northeast Conference.

2011–12 season

In May 2011, Zurich hired on as a full-time assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara in California. Newly hired women’s basketball coach Carlene Mitchell assembled her coaching staff by hiring a pair of highly regarded assistants whom she used to coach at Rutgers.

On her new assistant coaches, Mitchell stated:

"I wanted to work with people who were not only very talented, but people I am familiar with and I achieved both of those things with Courtney and Heather. Having had the opportunity to see these young women grow while they played at Rutgers and now flourish in their coaching careers made it an easy choice for me to add them to my staff here at UCSB. Not only were they great student-athletes, but they are going to be great in this community with their great personalities. They have a great amount of energy to give back to this team the way I feel I was able to give to them.”

On her new position at UC Santa Barbara, Zurich stated:

“I’m excited to have this opportunity to work at UCSB. I don’t think there’s anything better than working for a coach who recruited you and you played for four years and who you have a relationship with, like I have with Coach Mitchell. I’m ready to get out there and work hard and keep a winning tradition going. Coach Mitchell has told me a lot about the school and the community and I’m excited to get out there and get started.”

On her time spent at Wagner, Zurich stated:

“It would have taken a very special situation for me to leave Wagner and joining Carlene at UC-Santa Barbara is definitely a special situation. She recruited me out of (Montvale, N.J.) high school and I always said, ‘One day I’d love to work under Coach Mitchell.’ Well, here’s my chance. I’ll miss so many things about Wagner and I really have to thank Coach Gela (Mikalauskas) for bringing me into the Wagner family last year.”

Upon learning of Zurich's decision, Wagner head coach Gela Mikalauskas stated:

“We are truly going to miss Heather but I know I speak for our team and the entire Wagner community in wishing her all the best. She did an outstanding job for us and is a class act. This is truly a unique opportunity for Heather to coach under someone she played for in college and I know she will do a terrific job and be a real asset to the UC Santa Barbara program.”

Zurich assisted Coach Mitchell in leading the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos in the 2011–12 season to a 17–16 overall record (8–8 in Big West Conference play) with a 6th-place finish in conference play and a Big West Conference Tournament Championship. The Gauchos earned an automatic bid to the post-season NCAA Tournament where they lost in the first round to the eventual national champion, Baylor University.

2012–13 season

In her second season at UC Santa Barbara, Zurich assisted Coach Mitchell in leading the Gauchos in the 2012–13 season to a 16–17 overall record (11–7 in Big West Conference play) with a fourth-place finish in conference play. The Gauchos earned an invitation to the WNIT post-season tournament where they lost in the first round to San Diego State University.

2013–14 season

Zurich's third season assisting at UC Santa Barbara was a tough one for the Gauchos, falling to an 8–22 overall record (3-14 in Big West Conference play) with an 8th-place finish in conference play.

2014–15 season

In her fourth and final season assisting at UC Santa Barbara, the Gauchos had a difficult and disappointing season with a 2–27 overall record (2-14 in Big West Conference play) with a 9th-place finish in conference play.

2015–16 season

In June 2015, Zurich joined the staff of Stephanie Oliver as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Long Island University-Brooklyn in New York. Coach Oliver was quoted as saying:

"I am thrilled to welcome Heather Zurich to our coaching staff. Heather is very well-respected in this region's basketball community, with successful playing experience at Pascack Valley High School and Rutgers University. Her bi-coastal experience will be a great help to us as she leads our recruiting efforts."

Zurich assisted Coach Oliver in leading the Long Island University-Brooklyn Blackbirds in the 2015-16 season to a 9–21 overall record (7–11 in Northeast Conference play) with a 7th-place finish in conference play.

2016–17 season

In her second season assisting at Long Island University-Brooklyn, the Blackbirds had a 6-23 overall record (5-13 in Northeast Conference play) with a 9th-place finish in conference play.

Personal

Heather Zurich is the daughter of George and Lorrie Zurich of Montvale, N.J. and is the oldest of three children. She has a sister, Monica and a brother, Stephen. Zurich started playing basketball through Heather Miles-Pascack Valley Basketball and coach Jeff Jasper. Before deciding to focus solely on hoops as she got older, Zurich also played soccer and softball, which she admitted to missing from time to time.

In spring 2009, Zurich graduated from Rutgers University with a 3.273 GPA and a degree in Sport Management and Exercise Science. Zurich completed two semesters towards her master's in Business Administration during her time as a graduate assistant coach at Wagner College.

Life-changing experience

Following the conclusion of Zurich's sophomore year, the Rutgers women's basketball team was drawn into a controversy not of their own doing. The shock-jock personality Don Imus used a slur against the women of the team just days after their loss in the NCAA Final Four championship game in April 2007. On April 10, 2007, the Rutgers women's basketball team held a press conference and Zurich was one of its spokespersons. Zurich spoke from the heart when she said:

"Good morning, I am Heather Zurich; A sophomore and a proud member of the Rutgers women's basketball team. This week and last we should have been celebrating our accomplishments this past season; many of the media here, may not realize my team started the season 2-4, we were at the lowest of lows, Coach Stringer called us her worst defensive team ever; but we- the ten of us here- , prevailed, we fought, we persevered and most of all, we believed in ourselves. We won 22 of 25 games to finish the season, before falling to Tennessee in the national championship game. .. We won the Big East championship along the way, the first ever and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. We know we shocked a lot of people along the way, but this team did not settle for just showing up- we reached what many only dream about – the NCAA title game. But all of our accomplishments were lost …. Our moment was taken away- Our moment to celebrate our success, our moment to realize how far we came on and off the court as young women; we were stripped of this moment by the degrading comments by Mr. Imus last Wednesday. What hurts the most about this situation is Mr. Imus knows not one of us personally; he doesn't know Mat is the funniest person you will ever meet; Kia is the big sister you never had but always wanted; and Piph would be an unbelievable lawyer someday. These are my teammates, my family. And we were insulted and yes, we are angry. Worst of all, my team and I did nothing to deserve Mr. Imus nor Mr. McGirk's deplorable comments. Our families are upset and with good reason; instead of enjoying our first day off in months to celebrate Easter with our families, this was the topic of conversation. We attend the eighth oldest institution of higher education in the country and not to mention, one of the most difficult academically. We ten are simply put --student-athletes. But instead of attending study hall this morning, I address you about something that should never have taken place. I am extremely proud of my teammates – I am proud when we walk through an airport on the way to or from a road trip; dressed alike, in Rutgers gear with pressed pants and nice shoes. The ten of us, love getting dressed up for banquets and I believe we present ourselves well – both on and off the court; even though Mr. Imus seemed to think differently. But then again, he knows not one of us. Thank you for your time."

Awards