Player Biography

Enters his 11th season at the helm of the Falcons staff.

In nine seasons at TP, Zissi has amassed a record of 158 – 36, won four CIF titles (’11, ’13, ’18, ‘19), three CIF Finalist trophies (’12, ’15, ’16), six Avocado League titles and a western ranking of #1 four times.

In 2020, the Falcons were ranked 16th in the country in the National preseason Rankings. Before covid hit, they were the #1 team in the West and in CA. They were off to a 3-0 start with a combined 48-12 goal differential and were the heavy favorites to capture CIF.

In 2019, TP finished the season with the strongest strength of schedule (SOS) in the Western US for the 8th time in his tenure. They were ranked #16 Nationally, #1 in the Western US, #1 in CA and beat teams from 6 different states.

In 2019, 2018, 2013, 2011, the team was also ranked in the National Top 25, a virtually unheard of accomplishment for a West Coast based school.  Zissi has earned Coach of the Year Honors in 2011, 2013, 2018 & 2019.

Zissi has coached 25 US Lacrosse All Americans, 34 All CIF players and placed countless boys in college programs in his tenure at Torrey Pines. He is the winningest current Head Coach in San Diego section CIF.

In 2010, Zissi was the Offensive Coordinator at NCAA Division III Tufts University, where he lead the Jumbos to the schools first ever National Championship, a NESCAC league Championship and a 20-1 record. Tufts had the highest scoring offense in the country in 2010 and produced five All Americans.

Prior to that, he was the Co-Head Coach and faculty member at the Bishops School from 2006-2009, where he won two Coastal Conference championships.

His coaching career began in 2003, when he started the program at University of San Diego High School, where he stayed until 2006.

Zissi is also the Nike National Allstar Games Pacific South West Coach and has been since the inception of the tournament. Zissi was featured on ESPNU last summer: https://youtu.be/ILyiGviyCX8

Zissi oversees the Falcons Middle School feeder program and runs the RC & WCS club programs.

Zissi graduated from Tufts University, where he was a 3 year starter, a 2x All New England Attackman, and scored over 100 career goals. He earned a degree in Psychology and Sociology. He also holds a Masters Degree in Education & Literacy from University of San Diego. Zissi is from Winchester, MA and attended Winchester High School &  PG’d at Avon Old Farms School, where he was a three sport standout in Football, Basketball &  Lacrosse.  Zissi was inducted into Winchester High School Athletics Hall of Fame in May of 2017 and the Tufts University Athletics Hall of Fame, as a coach, in April of 2018.