A Syracuse legend is now at the helm for Siena men’s basketball.
Gerry McNamara, who won a national championship with Syracuse as a player in 2003 and has spent more than a decade on the coaching staff at his alma mater — including as associate head coach this past season — has been hired as the Saints’ next head coach, Siena College announced Friday.
A press conference to introduce McNamara will be held Tuesday.
“I want to thank [Siena] President [Chuck] Seifert and Athletic Director John D’Argenio for this incredible opportunity,” McNamara said in a press release. “I am so honored and excited to lead Siena College as the new head men’s basketball coach. My family and I can’t wait to get started and embrace Siena and the Capital Region.”
The 40-year-old McNamara replaces Carmen Maciariello, who was dismissed last week following Siena’s program-worst 4-28 record this past season. Maciariello, a Shenendehowa High School and Siena alumnus, coached the Saints for five seasons.
McNamara is one of the most successful and most beloved figures in Syracuse men’s basketball history. The Scranton, Pennsylvania native’s No. 3 jersey was officially retired in March 2023 and hangs in the rafters of Syracuse’s JMA Wireless Dome.
“Gerry has a great track record for recruiting and developing talented players,” D’Argenio said in a press release, “and he has a passion for basketball that will resonate with our fan base. His knowledge for the game and coaching acumen will position us to compete for MAAC Championships.”
McNamara started all 135 games he played during his four-year career with the Orange, and still holds program records for 3-pointers in a career (400) and single season (107), and for career minutes played (4,799).
As a freshman, he was an integral part of Syracuse’s run to its lone national title, including six 3-pointers in the first half of the championship game against Kansas.
During that run, Syracuse played its Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Albany at what was then called Pepsi Arena, beating Auburn and Oklahoma on its road to the Final Four.
Now, McNamara will call the since-renamed MVP Arena his home court with the Saints.
As a sophomore, McNamara scored 43 points — including nine 3-pointers — in a first-round NCAA Tournament win over BYU.
He was a first-team All-Big East selection as both a junior and a senior, helping Syracuse win conference tournaments in both seasons.
In the 2006 Big East Tournament, McNamara was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after he led Syracuse to four wins in four days, including a game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds of the opening round game against Cincinnati and a game-tying 3 that sent the quarterfinal game against Connecticut into overtime.
Following the Cincinnati game, Hall of Fame Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim launched into a profanity-laced tirade in his press conference that defended McNamara against claims that he was the Big East’s most overrated player.
After graduating from Syracuse in 2006, McNamara embarked on a brief professional career before returning to his alma mater as a graduate manager in 2009. He was made an assistant coach in 2011, and was elevated to associate head coach this past season after Boeheim retired and Adrian Autry was named Syracuse’s head coach.
Syracuse made nine NCAA Tournament appearances during McNamara’s time on the staff, including trips to the Final Four in 2013 and 2016.
"In the rich tapestry of Siena College's history, both on and off the basketball court, this moment marks a pivotal chapter as we welcome Gerry McNamara to lead our Saints,” Siena President Chuck Seifert said in a release. “Gerry's illustrious career and championship pedigree at Syracuse University, paired with his exceptional skills in mentoring young talent, align perfectly with the high expectations and storied tradition of Siena Basketball. His appointment is not just about restoring championship success — a standard our fans rightly anticipate — but it also symbolizes Siena's ascent in the broader collegiate landscape. Under Gerry's guidance, we are not just aiming for victories on the court; we are bolstering our College's growing reputation for excellence.”
At Siena, he’ll be tasked with getting the Saints back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since Fran McCaffery led them to the Big Dance for three straight seasons from 2008-10.
He succeeds Maciariello, who had two years remaining on his contract when he was fired.
Maciariello was the fourth straight men’s basketball head coach to leave the Siena job under less-than-ideal circumstances.
His predecessor, Jamion Christian, lasted just one season before jumping ship for George Washington, and the previous two head coaches, Jimmy Patsos (resigned in the face of an NCAA investigation) and Mitch Buonaguro (fired) each were gone after seasons that ended at 8-24.