Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 2082
Gerry McNamara, one of the most popular and accomplished players in Syracuse basketball history, returned to his alma mater in March 2026 as the program’s ninth head coach.
McNamara was hired following a two-year stint as head coach at Siena. He took over a program that had one four games the previous season an guided the Saints to a 10-win improvement in his first season. This past year, McNamara drove Siena into the NCAA Tournament and a near first-round upset of top seeded Duke.
McNamara virtually took over Central New York during his Syracuse playing career. His freshman season was nothing short of spectacular as McNamara and the Orange raced all the way to the 2003 NCAA Championship. In the 2004 NCAA Tournament, McNamara tallied a career-high 43 points against BYU to help SU into the “Sweet 16.”
In 2004-05, McNamara earned first-team All-BIG EAST Conference recognition and was named to the BIG EAST Conference All-Tournament Team. He made 107 3-points during the season, a school record. McNamara led the Orange to the 2006 BIG EAST Tournament championship and was presented with the Dave Gavitt Award as most outstanding player in the event. McNamara was a first-team all-conference selection again. Syracuse earned NCAA Tournament spots in 2005 and 2006, making it four straight years for McNamara.
He remains the school record holder in season (107) and career (400) 3-point baskets at Syracuse. McNamara’s 4,799 career minutes played is another school standard.
McNamara pursued a career in the professional ranks and performed overseas and in the NBA Developmental League. He went to training camp with the NBA’s Utah Jazz in 2008 but was the last player released.
He came back to Syracuse to join the Orange coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 2009. In 2011-12, he was promoted to a full-time assistant coaching post. When Adrian Autry was appointed head coach, he elevated McNamara to associate head coach. McNamara worked primarily with Syracuse’s guards, as a practice coach, a recruiter and an opponent scout.
Syracuse made NCAA Tournament appearances in nine of his 15 seasons as an assistant and reached the Final Four in 2013 and 2016. He was part of a staff which guided the Orange into the Sweet 16 in 2018 and 2021.
McNamara tutored future NBA performers Buddy Boeheim, Michael Carter-Williams, Tyler Ennis, Elijah Hughes, Cole Swider and Dion Waiters.
McNamara had his jersey retired in a ceremony at the JMA Wireless Dome in March 2023. He joined an exclusive group of Syracuse standouts who have earned the recognition.
He and his wife, Katie, are parents to two sons, Gerry and Patrick, and two daughters, Maggie and Grace.
