The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball is moving toward a major hire with deep ties to the program.
Syracuse is working toward hiring Gerry McNamara as its next head coach, according to a report shared by ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello. (Source)
McNamara, who most recently served as head coach at Siena Saints men’s basketball, is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance after leading the program to a MAAC Tournament championship.
Momentum from Siena run
Siena made headlines during its tournament appearance by pushing No. 1 overall seed Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball to the brink in the first round.
The Saints became the first No. 16 seed in NCAA Tournament history to lead a No. 1 seed by double digits at halftime before ultimately falling short.
McNamara compiled a 37-30 record across two seasons at Siena, quickly establishing himself as a rising name in the coaching ranks.
Strong ties to Syracuse
Few candidates bring the level of familiarity with Syracuse that McNamara does.
He remains one of the most decorated players in program history, helping lead the Orange to a national championship in 2003. His No. 3 jersey was later retired, and he still holds program records for three-pointers made and minutes played.
McNamara earned All-Big East honors three times and started all 135 games during his collegiate career.
Following a brief professional career, he returned to Syracuse in 2009 as a graduate assistant before becoming an assistant coach under Jim Boeheim in 2011.
He remained on staff through multiple coaching transitions, eventually becoming associate head coach under Adrian Autry.
Syracuse seeking reset
Syracuse’s decision comes after the program parted ways with Autry earlier this month.
Autry finished with a 49-48 record over three seasons and failed to lead the Orange to an NCAA Tournament appearance during his tenure. Syracuse went 15-17 this season, including a 6-12 mark in ACC play, marking consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1968-69.
Athletic director Bryan Blair reportedly engaged in multiple conversations with McNamara over the past week as the process accelerated.
Sources also indicated Syracuse emphasized a strong commitment to NIL resources, projecting support levels among the top tier of the ACC.
With McNamara now expected to take over, Syracuse appears ready to turn to a program legend in hopes of restoring its national relevance.