Joe Gallo, a 2004 alumnus and former assistant coach (2005-09) of the Merrimack College men’s basketball program, has been named the eighth head men’s basketball coach in program history, as announced by Director of Athletics Jeremy Gibson on Monday.
An introductory press conference will be held on Tuesday, May 10 at 10 a.m. The press conference will take place at Hammel Court and will be open to the general public. It will also be streamed live at MerrimackAthletics.TV free of charge.
“I am thrilled to have Coach Gallo back at Merrimack,” Dr. Christopher E. Hopey said. “He will bring excitement to the men’s basketball program, to the campus, and to the community. He has a track record for success, and I look forward to his and the program’s accomplishments.”
Gallo returns to campus after serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Robert Morris University for the past four seasons. The Colonials posted 76 wins in Gallo’s four years in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, winning the 2015 Northeast Conference Championship and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In Gallo’s first two years on the staff, Robert Morris won back-to-back NEC regular season titles and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) both years.
From 2013-15, the Colonials won a postseason game each year, twice in the NIT and once in the NCAA Tournament. Robert Morris defeated Kentucky (2013) and Saint John’s (2014) in the NIT before taking down North Florida (2015) in the NCAA First Four, the programs second-ever NCAA win.
“We are very excited to welcome Joe back to campus and for him to serve as the leader of our men’s basketball program,” Gibson stated. “I have full faith in his ability to recruit outstanding student-athletes, to develop leaders and to continue to build a program that embraces the core values of Merrimack College. I am thrilled that Joe and his wife Megan will be joining our community.”
As recruiting coordinator, Gallo brought 2015 NEC Rookie of the Year Marquise Reed to the program as well as 2016 All-NEC First Team guard Rodney Pryor. Eight Colonials earned all-conference distinctions during Gallo’s tenure, including 2014 NEC Player of the Year, Karvel Anderson.
From 2009-12, Gallo spent two years as an assistant coach at Dartmouth College and a one-year stint as the Director of Hoop Group Elite, the nation’s largest basketball exposure camp for high school players. While a part of the Big Green staff, Gallo led the rebuilding process as recruiting coordinator, bringing in 11 student-athletes over a two-year span. Gallo’s Hoop Group responsibilities included the recruitment of over 2,500 players for summer camps and over 1,500 players for fall and spring clinics.
“I am honored and excited to accept the head men’s basketball coaching job at Merrimack College, and would like to thank Dr. Hopey and Director of Athletics Jeremy Gibson for this opportunity,” said Gallo. “As a former student-athlete and assistant coach, this is such a rare opportunity to return to a place that is truly special to me. There is a sense of energy around campus, and I am really looking forward to being a part of, and contributing to, that energy.”
After a one-year hiatus at the conclusion of his playing career, the Milltown, New Jersey, native returned to campus in 2005 to begin a four-year period as an assistant with the men’s basketball program. Gallo helped guide the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in eight years during the 2007-08 season, and followed that up with the school’s first NCAA Tournament win in 18 years during the 2008-09 campaign.
Gallo was instrumental in recruiting former All-Americans Darren Duncan ’10 and Darin Mency ’11 to the program, who won consecutive Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year awards in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Both players went on to score over 2,000 points in their careers and were three-time NE-10 All-Conference selections, in addition to their All-America accolades. Gallo also brought Wayne Mack ’12 to the program before departing in 2009, with Mack leaving his mark as a 1,000-point scorer and eventually became Gallo’s third recruit to earn All-America recognition.
The alumnus graduated from Merrimack in 2004 after a successful playing career, earning a business degree with a concentration in management. He is currently working towards his masters in organizational leadership.
Gallo returns to campus alongside his wife Megan, who will celebrate their one-year anniversary in August. The couple are expecting their first child this summer.
What They’re Saying About Joe Gallo:
Greg Herenda, Former Merrimack Asst. Coach/Alum, Head Coach, Farleigh Dickinson: “I am thrilled that Joey will continue on the great tradition of Merrimack excellence. He is a terrific person, a tremendous recruiter and will be a great head coach. Go Warriors.”
Andrew Toole, Head Coach, Robert Morris: “I could not be happier for Joe and Megan, as they will be greatly missed at Robert Morris University, but our loss is Merrimack College’s gain. In the 4 years he was a member of our staff his value was immeasurable, he was intimately involved in every facet of the program on a daily basis. Joe will be prepared for every challenge he will face and will pour his heart and soul into making Merrimack basketball the best it can be! He has always been a proud Merrimack alum and that will be evident in the way he does his job and by the way his teams will perform on the court.”
Ron Ratner, Senior Associate Commissioner, Northeast Conference: “Joe has played an intergral role in helping sustain RMU’s decade-long run at or near the top of the NEC. The Colonials have won some of the biggest games in this league’s history during his tenure, and you can point to his success on the recruiting trail as one of the catalysts. Joe is a star in the making and we wish him nothing but continued success at Merrimack.”
http://merrimackathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20160509rfj2q3
Photo Courtesy Merrimack Athletics
