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According to ESPN reporters Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello, Siena head coach Gerry McNamara has been named Syracuse’s next head coach. In two seasons leading Siena Saints men’s basketball, McNamara compiled a 37–30 record and guided the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010.
During the hiring process, Syracuse officials reportedly assured McNamara of a strong NIL commitment, expected to rank in the upper tier of the ACC. A source indicated the program spent just under $8 million on its roster this past season — roughly triple the previous year’s total — placing it somewhere between seventh and ninth in conference spending.
McNamara made an immediate impact at Siena, improving the team from 4–28 the year before his arrival to 14–18 in his first season. This past year, the Saints went 23–12, captured the MAAC Tournament title, and pushed No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball in the opening round of March Madness.
The 42-year-old replaces Adrian Autry, who went 49–48 over three seasons after succeeding Jim Boeheim in 2023. McNamara is no stranger to Syracuse, having previously served as a graduate assistant (2009–11), assistant coach, and later associate head coach before taking the Siena job.
He’s also one of the most accomplished players in program history. A starting point guard from 2002–06, McNamara helped lead Syracuse to the 2003 national championship and still holds school records for career three-pointers (400) and minutes played (4,799). His No. 3 jersey is honored inside the JMA Wireless Dome.
Now the ninth head coach in program history, McNamara will aim to guide the Orange back to the NCAA Tournament and end a five-year drought — the program’s longest in more than 50 years.
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