Mcnamara said to be leading candidate
Former Siena coach Deane endorses Brady for vacancy
Syracuse associate head coach Gerry Mcnamara emerged over the weekend as the leading candidate for the Siena men’s basketball coaching vacancy, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the search.
Mcnamara is the leader “at this point,” and there should be a final decision by the end of the week, according to one source. Siena still needs to come to terms with Mcnamara, 40, on salary and other contract details.
A source confirmed a Syracuse Post-standard report that Mcnamara visited Albany on Sunday to interview with Siena president Chuck Seifert and athletic director John D’argenio.
Mcnamara starred as a Syracuse guard from 2002 to 2006 and helped the Orange win their only national title as a freshman. He spent the past 15 seasons on the Syracuse staff, the first 14 under Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim. Mcnamara was elevated to associate head coach this season under first-year head coach Adrian Autry.
Boeheim endorsed Mcnamara for the Siena opening on Friday. The job opened on Wednesday, when Siena fired coach Carmen Maciariello after a program-worst 4-28 record.
Siena is also interested in Uconn assistant coach Luke Murray, according to sources, though it was unclear if the interest was mutual. The Huskies have advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 and are pursuing their second consecutive national title.
While former Ualbany men’s basketball coach Will Brown has gained local support for the job — the Great Danes connection might not be palatable for some at Siena — he and any other possible candidates are taking a back seat to Mcnamara, at least for now.
“He (Mcnamara) has got name, he’s got the image, he’s got the recruiting, all the things they’re going to need for someone to come in and be able to get started running at 100 miles an hour,” a source said. “Not that there’s not anybody else who can. If that’s who you’re focused on, he would be a bigname hitter, who for (Siena’s) fan base, would be the wow factor. … Once again, are you willing to pay the (salary) price for it? That’s the key.”
Seifert is leading this search with help from advisers, according to sources. D’argenio said last week Siena would consider using a search firm.
Seifert declined comment on Monday. “I can’t discuss any details of the search at this time,” he texted.
Meanwhile, former Siena men’s basketball coach Mike Deane en
dorsed Siena alumnus Matt Brady.
Brady, a member of the Saints Hall of Fame, had success during stints as head coach at Marist from 2004 to 2008 and James Madison from 2008 to 2016. He served as interim head coach at struggling Depaul of the Big East this season after Tony Stubblefield was fired midseason.
“He’s the best fit and the right person for the job,” said Deane, who coached Brady. “What guy knows Siena better than Matt Brady?”
Brady finished his playing career in Deane’s first season at Siena in 1986-87.
Deane worked for Brady as a James Madison assistant for four years.
Brady, 58, also served as an assistant at several schools, including Maryland from 2018-22 and Oklahoma last season. He was hired as a Depaul special assistant last June. He was not retained by new Depaul coach Chris Holtmann after the Blue Demons went 3-29 last season.
Deane said he spoke to D’argenio and others on Brady’s behalf.
“I don’t think it’s the right time to take an unproven assistant, especially when you’ve got Matt Brady, who’s been an assistant in the Big Ten, Big 12 and the Big East the last four years,” Deane said. “So it’s not like there’s any advantage for an assistant
coach coming in over him in terms of knowing where players are, especially those players who would be leaving the higher levels, looking for an opportunity to play, as opposed to money.”
Deane said Brady can relate to both today’s players and the Siena donors who donate money to the Saints March On name, image and likeness collective.
Brady won a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season title at Marist in 2007 and took James Madison to the NCAA Tournament in 2013. He had a combined record of 212-177 at the two schools.
“This is a guy that can turn a program around, has proven he can turn a program around, especially a
mid-level program,” Deane said.
Deane acknowledged he’s hearing Brady and any other potential candidates could be “a distant second” to Mcnamara.
Could Siena pivot to someone whose name hasn’t emerged publicly? In its last search in 2018, the Saints surprised by hiring then-mount St. Mary’s coach Jamion Christian, who stayed one season before leaving for George Washington.
While Siena looks for its coach, nine Saints have entered the NCAA transfer portal. Meanwhile, Brooklyn guard Jakai Sanders reopened his recruitment after verbally committing to Maciariello earlier this month.