Amid Gerry McNamara leading his Siena Saints program to an NCAA Tournament invite on Tuesday night by winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference ("MAAC") Tournament, the chatter is picking up steam that GMac will be a popular candidate in this offseason's head coaching carousel.
For now, though, McNamara is laser-focused on the task at hand: Seeing where Siena is placed in the 2026 Big Dance bracket on Selection Sunday (March 15), and then getting to work with his team on attempting to go on a run in March Madness.
On Wednesday afternoon, McNamara said to The Field of 68, "I'm not worried about anything other than what I'm focused on. I've got a group of kids that I coach that are completely, fully bought in ... We've got a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament ... I'm not worried about outside noise."
Gerry McNamara on the Syracuse opening 👀
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 11, 2026
"I'm not worried about anything other than what I'm focused on. I've got a group of kids that I coach that are completely, fully bought in... We've got a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament... I'm not worried about outside noise." pic.twitter.com/oqecohpiNT
McNamara, the former Syracuse basketball legendary guard who helped bring the 'Cuse its only national title in 2003, is in his second stanza at the helm of Siena after a long run as an Orange assistant coach.
The 2026 MAAC Men's Basketball Champions, @SienaMBB 🏆#MAACHoops x @signaturerings pic.twitter.com/0oHT2yzstV
— MAAC Hoops (@MAACHoops) March 11, 2026
His most recent boss at the 'Cuse, Adrian Autry, was fired on Wednesday by SU leaders after three relatively disappointing seasons guiding Syracuse basketball. Per national observers, McNamara is expected to be a candidate for the Orange's head coaching vacancy, although I've also heard that it's possible GMac could be passed over for other candidates who boast more head coaching experience.
Gerry McNamara’s triumph at Siena will make it easier for the next Syracuse AD to win the press conference if he’s the next coach.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 11, 2026
Gerry McNamara has led Siena to this spring's NCAA Tournament.
Still, what GMac has done at Siena is tremendous. In his first campaign, the 2024-25 term, he had a 14-18 record, which was a 10-win improvement over the Saints' awful 4-28 mark in 2023-24. In the current season, Siena is 23-11, giving GMac a combined 37-29 record as the squad's head coach.
The Saints, on Tuesday evening inside the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., claimed the MAAC Tournament title. No. 3 seed Siena (23-11 overall) beat the top-seed, Merrimack, 64-54, to punch its ticket to the upcoming NCAA Tournament. It will be the Saints' first Big Dance appearance since 2010.
Jim Boeheim just said on our “Orange Nation” radio show that Gerry McNamara has been contacted by BC and Georgia Tech about their head coaching openings since winning the MAAC title last night.
— Steve Infanti (@SteveInfantiNC9) March 11, 2026
Now, on Wednesday, the Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim told the "Orange Nation" radio show that GMac has been contacted by Boston College and Georgia Tech about their head coaching vacancies. Other schools, including Syracuse, will show an interest in GMac.
For now, though, all he cares about is winning games in March Madness. What a beautiful season for McNamara and his Saints.