Siena's 40-year-old head coach was a teenager the first time he stepped foot in Albany's downtown arena. A freshman guard at Syracuse way back then, McNamara won two games in Albany in March of 2003, clinching an East Regional title. One week later, the Orange cut down the nets in New Orleans as national champions. McNamara would go on to break multiple records at Syracuse as a player, before guiding the Orange to a pair of Final Fours as an assistant coach. In his 15 seasons as an SU assistant, McNamara says he only ever pursued one head coaching job. He longed to be back at MVP Arena.
“Scary how quickly it goes by,” McNamara said. “But it’s kind of neat my first opportunity as a head coach is in the building that we played in to go to a Final Four and win a national championship. It’s really unique and I’m just blessed.”
McNamara said he pursued the head coaching job at Siena because of its culture and the basketball program's tradition. Plus, there's something about Siena that similarly drew the Scranton, PA native and father of four to Syracuse more than 20 years ago.
“There are so many aligning factors in terms of how similar the programs are. I chose Syracuse because of all those family aspects, the community, the support the program has… This is a great job, one I think is as good as any job in our area.”
And now that he's here, McNamara says his priorities are simple.
“You know why I’m here. Anyone that knows me, knows why I’m here. I’m here to win. Simple. That’s who I am. I am here to win. That’s all I’ve ever tried to do as a coach, a player. Every day I walk in the gym, it’s with the intent to work to win.”
McNamara's introduction as Siena's head coach made national headlines, including at ESPN and Bleacher Report.
"It is with immense pride and profound optimism that we welcome Gerry as the new head coach of our men's basketball team. Gerry brings with him not just a name that echoes through the halls of collegiate basketball history, but also a vision that aligns seamlessly with the ethos and aspirations of Siena College. With Gerry at the helm, we're not merely aiming to reclaim our championship success on the court, but we're furthering our vision of elevating the reputation and profile of our College, not just in the Northeast, but throughout the country."
Chuck Seifert, Ph.D., president
"We are ecstatic to welcome Gerry, Katie, and their children into our Siena community. Gerry has a great track record for recruiting and developing talented players, 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."
John D'Argenio, vice president and director of athletics