SYRACUSE, N.Y. — In what would ordinarily have been an emotional return to Syracuse for his head coaching debut, Gerry McNamara had another emotional layer to grapple with on Monday night. McNamara coached Syracuse to a win in the season-opener, just two days after losing his father to cancer.
Gerard McNamara passed in his home on Saturday, October 31, 2026 in Scranton, Pa. He was 78.
“The National Anthem got me a little bit today thinking about him and his service,” McNamara said. “I’ve tried to compartmentalize
it a little bit. It’s been when I’ve been around the team that I can focus on the team. And that’s been the needed distraction.”
A former United States Marine, Gerard earned two Purple Hearts and served in the Battle of Huế City in the Vietnam War. He was born in Scranton and graduated from Scranton Technical High School in 1966. He went on to be the Plant Manager the United States Postal Service for 40 years, where he eventually retired from. He also enjoyed to fish and to golf, activities he shared with Gerry, who has since passed those shared activities down to his children.
Gerry McNamara, the youngest of four children, has often referred to his father as his hero. On Monday night he mentioned his parents’ family and fidelity with deep reverence; their 56 years of commitment to each other, four children and 12 grandchildren.
McNamara was unsure if his mother, Joyce, would attend the game given the circumstances. She was in the building Monday night for her son’s head coaching debut at Syracuse.
“It was more so that he would want her here,” McNamara said of what his father would’ve wished. “He would want me coaching this game. Which is why I didn’t think about not coaching it. It’s what he loved. This was his life, supporting us. I’ve got the best parents in the world.”
Just as McNamara accepted the Syracuse job in March he FaceTimed his parents first to let them know he was signing a contract to be the head coach of his alma mater. His father, McNamara said, would be just as proud to see him coaching at Syracuse as Siena, just happy to see his son “do his thing” and be in a good situation. It was not just about the place, but the people.
On opening night McNamara’s team provided a distraction from the feeling of loss. Syracuse jumped out to a 28 point lead with strong defensive focus out of the gate but the Orange let off the gas in the second half and won by just 16. McNamara was displeased with his team’s effort post-game, particularly on the defensive end. His anger with the team’s undisciplined effort and lack of rebounding masked his grief.
Anger was perhaps a more manageable emotion to wrestle with. The ensuing days would be more difficult.
“But then I get to turn around and do this again on Thursday,” McNamara said. “Then I’ll get angry and forget about it for a minute.”
In his emotional return, Syracuse Athletics prepared a hype video of McNamara just prior to tip-off. That included a head coaching entrance to Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” playing throughout the dome.
McNamara, much more grit than glitz, had not lost his sense of humor when asked what it felt like to make that kind of an entry.
“This is unnecessary,” McNamara quipped post-game. “I didn’t want this to be about me. It’s greatly appreciated. My love for the place is undeniable. I think that’s pretty clear.”
McNamara, ever-honest and authentic, didn’t want it to be a distraction to his team or the task at hand.
“I don’t want to be celebrated,” McNamara continued. “I want to win.”
Players were informed of Gerard’s passing on Saturday morning before practice. McNamara didn’t feel the need to bring it up directly with his team before the game. They had already reached out Saturday to let him know that McNamara had family in his team, too.
“Nobody should have to go through that 48 hours before a new chapter here at Syracuse,” Gavin Doty said. “But he’s got one of the biggest support systems in the world probably. So we all have his back and we’re just praying for him.“
The game was more than just the team’s first time together as a team. McNamara’s players plan attend the funeral together in Scranton on Wednesday.
“This game isn’t just coach’s first win,” Doty said. “We honor his father tonight.”
Kiyan Anthony said his relationship with McNamara goes deeper than just player and coach. McNamara and Carmelo Anthony, teammates on the 2003 National Championship team, share a “brotherhood” making McNamara feel somewhat like an uncle but more so a mentor to Kiyan. McNamara had known Kiyan for his whole life, even holding him as an infant.
“When anybody loses a loved one it hits super hard, especially it being your father,” Anthony said. “The least we could do is extend our condolences.”
Anthony says he remembers McNamara’s father coming to Syracuse games, expressing love to Carmelo. Carmelo shared stories of McNamara’s dad with Kiyan recently.
McNamara says his phone has been “whacky” since Saturday but noted and thanked all the people who have reached out. The 2003 team — which has its own group text — had members in attendance Monday night including Carmelo Anthony and Matt Gorman. Since Saturday McNamara has tried to just talk with his family and his team.
“It was really that singular to me how I was going to be able to get through this 48 hours,” McNamara said.
On opening night in Syracuse a crowd of 23,283 — the largest crowd for a season-opener in over a decade — came out to support McNamara. Included in that number was former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who sat courtside to support his former player of four years and member of the staff as a graduate assistant from 2009 and assistant coach up until Boeheim’s retirement in 2023.
McNamara has detailed how his relationship with Boeheim has evolved from player-coach and transitioned to a bond of deep friendship over the years. McNamara moved Boeheim’s former desk into his office at the Carmelo K. Anthony Center as a talisman and to also honor his mentor. On a night when McNamara coached his first game without his father to talk to afterwards, McNamara had his old coach.
McNamara also had the Syracuse community, who came out to support not just the dawn of a new coaching era by a program legend but fellow community member and human-being who tried to square a win and a loss on the same night.
“I’ve always felt the support so tonight it wasn’t surprising,” McNamara said of the Syracuse community. “It’s the same support I’ve always had. There’s probably a lot of people in the building who have gone through what I’m going through now.”
