When you love something, you are willing to make sacrifices for it. That’s what Zach Ullrich, CBU’s Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Director of Athletics for Facilities and Transportation, did for the sport he loved. 

By the time he was a junior in high school in Pennsylvania, Ullrich had committed to baseball. Previously a multi-sport player, he recognized the need to focus on one if he wanted to play in college. This dedication paid off, and Ullrich pitched for Division II Mansfield University (Pennsylvania), now Commonwealth University’s campus.  

“Baseball was the sport I was best at,” said Ullrich. “I enjoyed the attention to detail—the game inside the game. It’s like a chess match that no one can see.”

He pitched at Mansfield from 2006 to 2010, which was highlighted by an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010. In 2011, he graduated with a history degree and a psychology minor. He later completed a master’s degree in athletic administration and coaching from Liberty University.

Ullrich began his coaching journey by responding to a newspaper ad. For four years as a pitching coach at Dickinson College (Pennsylvania), he made $2,000 annually. In his fifth year, he was bumped to $6,000. Ullrich embraced odd jobs to make it work. He did private lessons and filled vending machines on an Army base—whatever it took to grow as a coach and stay with the game. Over the years, his abilities as a coach, recruiter, and leader have continued to grow. His specialty has been his ability to turn around teams.

“Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve rebuilt baseball programs that have not been doing well and molded them into championship-level teams,” Ullrich said. 

As an assistant coach at Roanoke College (Virginia) from 2016-2018, he helped lead the team to its first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship, an NCAA South Regional Championship, and a Final Four finish at the NCAA Division III World Series in 2018. 

He spent 2018-2020 as an assistant coach at Barton College (North Carolina). In the 2018-2019 season, Ullrich led Barton pitchers to their most strikeouts (421) in school history while the team ERA dropped from 7.35 to 5.54. Barton College had the biggest turnaround in the country that year, going from 12 wins to 31.

In January 2021, Ullrich returned to Roanoke College for his first head coaching position. While there, he compiled a 103-63 overall record in four seasons.

Last year, Ullrich decided it was time to make another move that would challenge him and make him a stronger, more resilient coach. In June 2024, he moved to Memphis and joined CBU Athletics—sight unseen!—for the opportunity to lead a Division II team. When he arrived, he had 17 positions to fill and 90 days to do it. He and Andrew Sharp, his assistant coach, who was hired two weeks after Ullrich, got busy.

“We went all over the country,” he said. “We recruited from California, Venezuela, Texas, Ohio, Illinois—we had five guys who got accepted the week before school started. At CBU, players have a lot of opportunities to play, and they get a great education. Pair those two things together, and you’re going to get a lot of bites.” 

Ullrich made significant headway in his first year as CBU’s head baseball coach, and he is taking that energy into his second season, where he and Sharp are looking forward to having more time to assemble their roster.

“Coach Ullrich has been a great addition to our athletic department,” said Addie Lees, Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Women Administrator for CBU. “Zach’s not just a competitor; he’s a relentless worker that makes everyone around him better. I appreciate his willingness to go above and beyond for our students and athletes!” 

Highlights of the 2025 season: 

• Tied CBU record of seven conference wins
• Swept Auburn University Montgomery for the first time in school history
• Outfielder Corey Steinhauer had a walk-off home run against ranked University of Arkansas-Monticello. 

“Coach Ullrich has done an outstanding job laying down the foundation for the baseball culture we need here at CBU,” said CBU Athletic Director Chris Parker. “His passion to help others, both student-athletes and our coaching staff, has set him apart as a true team player and makes him effective as both a coach and administrator. We are incredibly lucky to have Coach Ullrich leading our baseball program and athletic department.”

Ullrich welcomes the work it takes to build a winning program. 

“It’s been good,” he said of his first season at CBU. “It’s been fun at times and challenging at times. But none of the challenges are anything that aren’t going to make me a better coach.” 

Coach Ullrich’s office is in De La Salle Hall.