- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,130,939
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
NEW YORK - MARCH 11: Gerry McNamara #3 and head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange look on from the bench during the Big East Men's Basketball Championship Final against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2006 in New York City. Syracuse defeated Pitt 65-61. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Gerry McNamara was officially named the new head men’s basketball coach at Syracuse Tuesday morning.
The move had been expected for several days.
McNamara, 42, went 37-30 in two seasons at Siena, leading the program to the MAAC Tournament championship and the NCAA Tournament. They pushed overall No. 1 seed Duke to the brink before losing 71-65 on Thursday.
"I love this place. I love what Syracuse means: to the fans, to the players who have worn this jersey, to the people of Central New York. This program has given me everything, and I am ready to give everything back to it," he said in a statement. “College basketball has changed. How you build a program, recruit talent, compete for resources and win looks different than it did even five years ago. I know that. I'm ready for it. What hasn't changed is what Orange Nation expects, and what this place deserves. We are going to build something special here.”
McNamara spent 14 seasons as an assistant coach on Jim Boeheim’s staff before serving as associate head coach under Adrian Autry in 2023-24, then departing for Siena in March 2024.
"Gerry McNamara is who our storied basketball program needs at this important moment," said new Syracuse AD Bryan B. Blair. “In every conversation, his competitive fire and passion was undeniable—it's simply part of his DNA. He returns to Syracuse as a proven Division I head coach who led a program through a turnaround and back to the NCAA Tournament. At every stop in his playing and coaching journey, he has elevated those around him—student-athletes, staff and the broader community—through his energy, his standards and his ability to connect. While Gerry's deep connection to Syracuse is meaningful, it's simply a bonus to what he brings as a coach and leader. He honors our past, but he is driven to build for the future. This is a critical moment for Syracuse basketball, and it will take all of us—everyone connected to Syracuse University, Syracuse Athletics and Central New York—locking arms and supporting this program like never before. We welcome Gerry home and can't wait to see where he takes our program.”
"Gerry is a leader who brings out the best in people," says John Wildhack, outgoing director of athletics. "I watched him for years as an assistant: in the gym, on the road recruiting and in conversations with players and their families. What has always distinguished him is the trust he builds. He has proven in a short time as a head coach that he knows how to build a program. I am proud that this was among the final pieces of work I had a hand in, and I have no doubt that he will make Syracuse and all of Orange Nation proud."
As a player, McNamara won an NCAA championship alongside Carmelo Anthony in 2003 and was a two-time All-Big East selection (2005, '06).
Some candidates reportedly had concerns about Syracuse’s NIL situation but the school has promised to devote the necessary resources to rebuilding a winning program.
The school has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2021.
“Frankly, we’re going to attack a very new generation,” new AD Bryan Blair said at his press conference Thursday, per Syracuse.com. “We’re going to attack NIL.
“If we don’t have talented student-athletes, then we can’t win and be competitive. We can’t drive the commercial enterprise to feed this entire ecosystem.”
Continue reading...
