After having eight coaches from the inception (1904) of the Syracuse basketball program to 2020, the Orange are on their third coach this decade. Was keeping it in the family the right choice for the Orange, and what does Gerry McNamara bring to the program?
Syracuse is one of the original Blue Bloods in college basketball, though the Orange have fallen on hard times recently. As a result, new Orange athletic director Bryan Blair brought back former SU player and assistant coach Gerry McNamara to turn the program around.
Was Gerry McNamara The Right Hire For Syracuse, And Can He Return The Orange To National Prominence
“Gerry McNamara is who our storied basketball program needs at this important moment,” said Blair. “In every conversation, his competitive fire and passion were 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.
McNamera becomes Syracuse’s 10th coach in program after leading the Siena Saints for the past two seasons. The 42-year-old coach led the Saints to the NCAA Tournament — where Siena gave top-seeded Duke all they could handle in the first round — for the first time since 2009-10.
After posting a 14-18 record in year one, McNamara directed the Saints to a 23-12 mark this past year. The Saints won the 2026 MAAC Tournament title after finishing third during the regular season. The Saints were one of the best offensive teams in the MAAC — leading the conference in field goal percentage (47.3%) — though they were only 189th in offensive efficiency. On the other hand, the Saints were one of the top defensive teams in the nation, ranking 64th in defensive efficiency and 16th in scoring at 65.8 points.
Syracuse, the seventh-winningest program with 2,104 victories, has one national championship and six Final Four appearances in 41 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Orange have also won 15 conference titles, including 10 regular-season crowns. However, the Orange haven’t made the NCAA Tournament in five years and were only 49-48 in Adrian Autry’s three campaigns. They are 24-34 in the last three seasons in ACC play.
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