Gerard McNamara, father of former Bishop Hannan and Syracuse University basketball standout Gerry McNamara, died Saturday after a battle with cancer. He was 78.
His death came two days ahead of his son’s debut as head coach at Syracuse. According to syracuse.com, a university spokesman confirmed that Gerry plans to coach the Orange in their season opener Monday against the University of New Haven at the JMA Wireless Dome in New York.
Nicknamed “Chiz,” Gerard McNamara was a Marine veteran who served during the Vietnam War and worked as a plant manager at a post office distribution center in Scranton. He and his wife Joyce had four children: Bridget, Maureen, Tim and Gerry.
After graduating from Bishop Hannan in 2002, Gerry McNamara headed to Syracuse. He started all 135 games in his four-year career — all of which Gerard and Joyce McNamara attended — and totaled 2,099 points, 400 3-pointers, 648 assists and 258 steals. As a freshman, he helped the Orange capture their first national championship in 2003.
In 2009, he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Syracuse. He was promoted to assistant coach in 2011 and associate head coach in 2023. In March 2024, he was named head coach at Siena University, spent two seasons with the Saints and had a record of 37-30. Last season, he led them to the MAAC tournament title and battled Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament before losing, 71-65.
On March 22, Gerry McNamara returned to Syracuse when he was named head coach.