Gerry McNamara Assembles New Syracuse Basketball Coaching Staff

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Just days after being named the new head coach of the Syracuse men's basketball team, Gerry McNamara is quickly assembling his coaching staff. Multiple reports indicate that McNamara has hired VCU assistant Ryan Daly and Penn State associate head coach Jamal Brunt to join his staff, bringing in a mix of rising talent and veteran experience.

Why it matters

With the transfer portal opening soon, McNamara is moving swiftly to put together his coaching team as he looks to rebuild the Syracuse program and return it to relevance in the ACC. The additions of Daly and Brunt provide McNamara with assistants who have strong recruiting ties and experience working at the high-major level.

The details

Ryan Daly is joining the Syracuse staff after one season as an assistant at VCU under Phil Martelli Jr. Daly is considered a rising talent in the coaching ranks, with experience as a 'Philly basketball gym rat' at the scholastic, collegiate, and assistant coaching levels. Jamal Brunt is leaving his role as associate head coach at Penn State to join the Orange, reuniting with Mike Rhodes, with whom he worked together at VCU from 2018-2023 before heading to State College.

• On Monday, April 1, 2026, Gerry McNamara was introduced as the new head coach of the Syracuse men's basketball team.
• The transfer portal opens on April 7, 2026, making it a critical time for McNamara to assemble his coaching staff.

What’s next

McNamara still has at minimum two assistant openings to fill on his staff, as well as a vacant director of operations slot, two new potential player development coaching specialists, and the big question of filling the program's general manager job.