Jerry McNamara Set to Return to Syracuse as Head Coach

Jerry McNamara is gearing up for a significant chapter in his career as he prepares to come back to Syracuse. The former standout player and long-time assistant is reportedly close to finalizing a deal to take on the role of head coach, following two years with Siena.

Multiple reports, including one from ESPN, suggest that an official agreement could be reached soon.

At 42, McNamara aims to rejuvenate the Syracuse program. During his time at Siena, he led the Saints to the MAAC championship and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010, where they almost shocked top-seeded Duke in an earlier round. Notably, they made history as the only 16-seed to have a double-digit lead over a 1-seed at halftime.

Having led Syracuse to a national championship in 2003, McNamara has a strong connection to the Orange. He spent 15 years on the coaching staff under both Jim Boeheim and Adrian Autry before taking the position at Siena.

Autry, who succeeded Boeheim in 2023, struggled with a record of 49-48 over three seasons, lacking NCAA Tournament appearances, ultimately leading to his dismissal after the ACC Tournament.

Boeheim, now 81, praised McNamara during a recent interview, expressing confidence in his abilities. While he clarified that he wasn’t part of the hiring process, he noted that McNamara has undoubtedly proven his worth and is a candidate worth discussing.

On top of his coaching accolades, McNamara remains one of the greatest players in Syracuse history. Standing at 6-foot-2, he played alongside Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony and was instrumental in securing the national championship in 2003.

A three-time All-Big East selection, McNamara started every game during his Syracuse career, setting records for total minutes and three-pointers made. His 400 career triples are significantly ahead of the next best player, Buddy Boeheim, who made 309 from 2018 to 2022.

In March 2023, 20 years after his championship win, McNamara’s No. 3 jersey will be honored and raised to the rafters.

After a brief professional stint, McNamara returned to Syracuse in 2009 as a graduate assistant, eventually moving up the ranks under Boeheim before serving as associate head coach under Autry.

ESPN reported that Syracuse’s new athletic director, Brian Blair, met with McNamara several times recently, outlining the program’s commitment to NIL, which is reportedly a high-priority aspect within the ACC.

With a record of 37-30 at Siena, McNamara will now seek to turn around a Syracuse team that finished 15-17 (6-12 ACC) in the 2025-26 season, poised to experience back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1968-69.

This past season saw Syracuse finish 14th out of 18 teams in the ACC, culminating in six straight losses after being eliminated by SMU in the ACC Tournament’s first round. They’ve missed the NCAA Tournament for five consecutive years, which raises questions about the future of the program.