Merrimack Warriors men's basketball

Last updated
Merrimack Warriors men's basketball
Basketball current event.svg 2024–25 Merrimack Warriors men's basketball team
Merrimack Warriors.svg
UniversityMerrimack College
Head coach Joe Gallo (9th season)
Conference Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Location North Andover, Massachusetts
Arena Merrimack Athletics Complex
(capacity: 1,200 [1] )
NicknameWarriors
ColorsBlue and gold [2]
   
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1977*, 1978*
NCAA tournament appearances
1977*, 1978*, 1991*, 1992*, 2000*, 2008*, 2009*, 2010*, 2017*, 2018*, 2019*
Conference tournament champions
NE-10: 1992, 2000, 2019

NEC: 2023
Conference regular-season champions
NE-10: 2000

NEC: 2020, 2023, 2024
ECAC Division II tournament champions
1989, 1998, 1999

* at Division II level

The Merrimack Warriors men's basketball team represents Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. They are currently led by 9th year head coach Joe Gallo and play their home games in Hammel Court [3] and Lawler Arena at the Merrimack Athletics Complex.

Contents

The Warriors played their first season in 1949 at the D2 level. In 1984 they joined the Northeast 10 conference. They would stay there from 1984 to 2019 and win three conference championships and one regular season title. They would also make 11 NCAA D2 tournament appearances. Making it to the sweet 16 in 1976 and 1977. They would also win 3 ECAC tournament titles during this period.

In their first year at the Division 1 level, the 2019–20 team went 14–4 in NEC play and won the regular season title, despite in the preseason being picked by the media to finish 11th out of 11 teams. Due to the NCAA's policy on reclassifying programs, the Warriors were not eligible to compete in the NCAA tournament or the NIT until the 2023–24 season. In 2024, the Warriors joined the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. [4]

History

The Merrimack basketball program started in 1949 they would play as a D2 independent. Paul Lanni was hired as their first ever head coach and led them to a 7-2 record in their first season. Lanni would leave after just one season. From 1950 to 1958 the Warriors would go through 3 coaching changes. In 1958 they would hire William S. LaRochelle who would lead the team for the next decade in his 12 seasons LaRochelle would lead the warriors to 9 winning seasons. With his best season coming in 1966-67 when he led the warriors to a 17-6 record. Roger Damphousse would be the first player in program history to be named an all American in 1961. LaRochelle would leave after the 1969-70 season being the first ever warrior coach to get to the 100 win mark ending with an overall record of 153-114. [5]

The Monahan era

After LaRochelle left in 1970 then at the time Merrimack Athletic director Frank T. Monahan would take over as head coach. Monahan’s first five seasons would be very up and down going 55-71 during this time. Steve McMahon would be the first ever warrior to be drafted to the NBA in 1972. During the 1975–76 season Monahan and the warriors took a big step forward as he led them to their first 20 win season in program history. They would keep this momentum going into next season. As he led the warriors to a 19–9 record this resulted in their first ever NCAA Division II tournament birth in program history. The warriors would make it to the sweet sixteen that year beating Bridgeport in the first round 107–83. They would eventually fall to Scared heart 110–104 in the sweet 16. After leading the warriors to one of the best seasons in program history. Monahan would one up this the following season in 1977–78 by leading the warriors to a program high 22–6 record and getting them back into the NCAA Division II tournament. The warriors would also be ranked as high as #2 in the nation during this season. On top of this star player Ed Murphy led NCAA in scoring this year and Coach Monahan would be named the New England coach of the year. Once again the warriors would win their first round match up dominating Bryant Bulldogs 116–91. But for the second year in a row the warriors would meet Sacred heart in the sweet sixteen and would once again lose 84–83. These two seasons would be the furthest Merrimack ever made it in the D2 tournament. Monahan would coach another two seasons before eventually resigning in 1980.

The Hammel era

Frank Monahan’s assistant Bert Hammel took over the head coaching position after he left in 1980, and Hammel was here for the long haul as he would stay as Merrimack head coach from 1980 all the way till 2016. Hammel led the warriors to a some success in his first 4 years. But big changes came in 1984 when for the first time in program history the warriors joined a conference that being the Northeast 10. In just their second year in the conference during the 1985-86 season. The warriors would go 19-9 overall and 9-5 in their conference, finishing in 2nd place. They would then beat Assumption in the quarterfinals 83-78. They would then meet AIC in the semifinals, beating them 107-92. Punching their ticket to their first appearance in the NE10 Championship game. They would eventually fall to Springfield 70-65. Even with the loss it was still a great year for the program showing they could hold their own in their new conference. During the 1988-89 season, the warriors compiled a 22-9 record and were invited to the ECAC metro tournament. The warriors would go on to beat New York tech in the semifinals 102-78 and would beat Long Island-C.W. Post 98-85 to win their first championship in program history. Hammel would lead the warriors to their 3rd NCAA tournament appearance in 1991 with a 21-9 record. Hammel would be named NE10 coach of the year and Paul Neal would be named NE10 MVP. But the warriors would lose in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Franklin Pierce 82-79. The warriors would have a historic season the following year in 1992 going 22-9 and beating Saint Anslem 92-77 to win their first NE10 championship in program history and making it to back-to-back NCAA tournaments. In the 1992 NCAA tournament the warriors would lose in the first round to Bridgeport 91-84. After a couple of mediocre seasons, the warriors would hit a nice stretch in the late 90s going into the 2000s. As they would win back to back ECAC metro championships in 1998 and 1999 beating St Michaels 80-75 for the title in 1998 and beating NJIT 96-82 for the title 1999. The following year they would go 22-9 and win both the NE10 regular season and tournament championships, beating AIC 84-78. Punching their 5 ticket to the 2000 NCAA tournament the warriors would beat Saint rose 92-64 in the first round before losing in the round of 32 to Adelphi 90-64. After some unsuccessful seasons, 2 warriors players would win NE10 rookies of the year: Darren Duncan 2007 and Darin Mency in 2008. Hammel would lead the warriors to 3 straight NCAA tournament appearances in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2008, they would lose in the first round to Bentley 81-61. In 2009, they would beat Umass Lowell in the first round 86-84 before getting eliminated by Bentley again in the round of 32 79-76. Hammel's final run in the tournament in 2010 would look awfully similar to the year prior, as they would beat Umass Lowell 81-62 in the first round before getting eliminated by Bentley for the third year in a row, losing 83-79. Hammel would coach for another 6 seasons after the 2010 season before retiring in 2016 finishing with a record of 526-491 setting the all-time wins record for the warriors. [6]

The Gallo era

In 2016, Gallo was hired as head coach at his alma mater, replacing Bert Hammel. Gallo led the program to immediate success. In his first 3 seasons He led the warriors to the NCAA division II tournament 3 years in a row in 2017 2018 and 2019. The warriors would make it to the round of 32 in 2017 and 2018. Gallo would also lead the program to their first NE10 title in 19 years during the 2018-19 season beating New Haven 51-46 for the title. 2019 would be the warriors last ever appearance in the NCAA D2 tournament and they would lose to Dominican (NY) 64-50 in the first round. They would finish with 11 total appearances. After 35 years in the NE10 In 2019 The warriors jumped to division I. Moving to the NEC In just their second game at the DI level the warriors would shock the world by beating big ten opponent Northwestern 72-62 for their first ever D1 victory. From here In just their first season in Division I Gallo would go on to lead Merrimack to a 20-11 overall record and a 14-4 conference record and a Northeast Conference regular season title in 2020, Gallo was named conference coach of the year along with getting a plethora of other coaching awards. [7] Juvaris Hayes was named the Lefty Driesell Award winner and would be the first player in team history to be named a D1 all American. Capping off a historic season. During the 2022-23 season the warriors would start out 2-13 overall. But they would only lose 3 more games after that finishing the regular season 15-16 overall and 12-4 in conference winning another regular season titles in 2023. For the first time the warriors were allowed to compete in the NEC tournament. As the 1 seed the warriors would beat LIU and Sacred heart to advance to the championship game. The Warriors would play FDU in the title game and win a nail biter 67-66 to win their first and only NEC tournament. But the warriors could not go to the NCAA division I tournament due to NCAA transitional rule. Jordan Minor would be named NEC player of the year and the warriors would end the that season on a 11 game win streak which was longest by any team in the country that season. The warriors would go 21-12 and 13-3 in conference the next season in 2023-24 and win their third NEC regular season title in just 5 years. The warriors would also sweep the NEC awards this year as Adam Clark won NEC rookie of the year, Brian Etumnu would be named most improved player and Jordan Derkack would be named defensive of the year and conference MVP. Gallo and the warriors would also get back to the NEC championship game in 2024 now eligible for the tournament but would fall to Wagner 54-47. This would be the warriors last season in NEC. The warriors would end their time in the NEC with a overall record of 82-64 and a dominant conference record 58-28 they never had a losing record in NEC conference play. In 2024 Gallo and the warriors would move to the MAAC Conference. [4] They would finish in second place in their first year going 18-15 overall and 14-6 in conference before losing to Mount Saint Mary’s in the MAAC semifinals 57-55.

Season-by-season record

YearCoachOverall RecordConference recordConference champs/standingsPostseason
WLWL
1949-50Paul Lanni72
1950-51Larry Cicero89
1951-52Larry Cicero811
1952-53Larry Cicero810
1953-54Irman Pierce415
1954-55Kevin Harrington815
1955-56Kevin Harrington915
1956-57Kevin Harrington818
1957-58Kevin Harrington416
1958-59 William S. LaRochelle 1211
1959-60William S. LaRochelle1111
1960-61William S. LaRochelle1511
1961-62William S. LaRochelle129
1962-63William S. LaRochelle149
1963-64William S. LaRochelle137
1964-65William S. LaRochelle146
1965-66William S. LaRochelle715
1966-67William S. LaRochelle176
1967-68William S. LaRochelle1411
1968-69William S. LaRochelle1111
1969-70William S. LaRochelle1210
1970-71 Frank T. Monahan 1113
1971-72Frank T. Monahan168
1972-73Frank T. Monahan818
1973-74Frank T. Monahan917
1974-75Frank T. Monahan1115
1975-76Frank T. Monahan218
1976-77Frank T. Monahan199 NCAA Sweet 16 (W Bridgeport 107-83)

L Sacred Heart 110-104)

1977-78Frank T. Monahan226NCAA Sweet 16 (W Bryant 116-91) ( L Sacred Heart 84-83)
1978-79Frank T. Monahan324
1979-80Frank T. Monahan918
1980-81 Bert Hammel 12151010
1981-82Bert Hammel1710135
1982-83Bert Hammel1314811
1983-84Bert Hammel14131011
NE10
1984-85Bert Hammel11173116th place NE10 Semifinal
1985-86Bert Hammel199952nd placeNE10 Runner up
1986-87Bert Hammel1316773rd placeNE10 Semifinal
1987-88Bert Hammel9194149th placeNE10 First round
1988-89Bert Hammel2291353rd place ECAC [8] tournament champions (W New York tech 102-78) (W Long Island-C.W. Post 98-85)
1989-90Bert Hammel15151173rd placeNE10 Semifinals
1990-91Bert Hammel2191442nd place NCAA Round of 32 ( L Franklin Pierce 82-79)
1991-92Bert Hammel1814996th place

NE10Tournament champions

NCAA Round of 32 (L Bridgeport 91-84)
1992-93Bert Hammel11167118th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
1993-94Bert Hammel11177119th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
1994-95Bert Hammel1413996th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
1995-96Bert Hammel1216796th placeNE10 Semifinals
1996-97Bert Hammel11156128th place
1997-98Bert Hammel16139117th placeECAC tournament champions (W U Albany 92-82)

(W St Michaels 80-75)

1998-99Bert Hammel2271264th placeECAC tournament champions (W U Albany 76-62)

(W NJIT 96-82)

1999-00Bert Hammel2291351st place

NE10 regular champions

NE10 tournament champions

NCAA Round of 32 ( W Saint Rose 92-64)

( L Adelphi90-64)

2000-01Bert Hammel131512119th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
2001-02Bert Hammel62051713th place
2002-03Bert Hammel111781411th placeNE10 First round
2003-04Bert Hammel171211119th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
2004-05Bert Hammel141591310th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
2005-06Bert Hammel151411108th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
2006-07Bert Hammel82071512th placeNE10 First round
2007-08Bert Hammel171211116th place NCAA round of 64 ( L Bentley 81-68)
2008-09Bert Hammel2191664th place NCAA round of 32 ( W Umass Lowell 86-84) ( L Bentley 79-76)
2009-10Bert Hammel2191663rd place NCAA round of 32 (W Umass Lowell 81-62) (L Bentley 83-79)
2010-11Bert Hammel131491310th placeNE10 First round
2011-12Bert Hammel151212105th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
2012-13Bert Hammel121591311th place
2013-14Bert Hammel9177146th place
2014-15Bert Hammel161210115th placeNE10 Quaterfinals
2015-16Bert Hammel151210117th place
2016-17 Joe Gallo 19121293rd place NCAA round of 32 (W Le Moyne 72-68) ( L St. Thomas Aquinas 73-70)
2017-18Joe Gallo20121472nd place NCAA round of 32 (W Bridgeport 85-70) (L Bloomfield 109-91)
2018-19Joe Gallo22101472nd place

NE10 tournament champions

NCAA round of 64(L Dominican (NY) 64-50)
NEC
2019-20Joe Gallo20111441st place

NEC regular season champions

Could not compete due to NCAA transitional period
2020-21Joe Gallo99994th placeCould not compete due to NCAA transitional period
2021-22Joe Gallo14161084th place The Basketball Classic ( UMBC game cancelled)
2022-23Joe Gallo18161241st place

NEC regular season andTournamentChampions

Could not compete due to NCAA transitional period
2023-24Joe Gallo21121331st place

NEC regular season champions

NEC Runner up
MAAC
2024-25Joe Gallo18151462nd placeMAAC semifinals
TOTALS1033969456419

Source [9]

Postseason

NCAA Division II tournament results

The Warriors appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament eleven times they have a combined record of 7-11

YearRoundOpponentResult
1976 Round of 32

Sweet 16

Bridgeport

Scared heart

W 107-83

L 110-104

1977 Round of 32

Sweet 16

Bryant

Sacred heart

W 116-91

L 84-83

1991 Round of 32 Franklin Pierce L 82-79
1992 Round of 32BridgeportL 91-84
2000 Round of 64

Round of 32

Saint Rose

Adelphi

W 92-84

L 90-64

2008 Round of 32 Bentley L 81-64
2009 Round of 64

Round of 32

UMass Lowell

Bentley

W 86-84

L 79-76

2010 Round of 64

Round of 32

UMass Lowell

Bentley

W 81-61

L 83-79

2017 Round of 64

Round of 32

Le Moyne

St. Thomas A

W 72-68

L 73-70

2018 Round of 64

Round of 32

Bridgeport

Bloomfield

W 85-70

L 109-91

2019 Round of 32 Dominican (NY) L 64-50

ECAC Metro tournament results

The warriors appeared in 3 ECAC Metro tournaments and won all 3

YearRoundOpponentResult
1989Semi Final

Final

New York Tech

Long Island C.W post

W 102-78

W 99-85

1998Semi Final

Final

U Albany

St Michael’s

W 92-82

W 80-75

1999Semi Final

Final

U Albany

NJIT

W 76-62

W 96-82

Head coaches

CoachTenureRecordConf. TitlesRegularseasontitlesNCAA Apps.
Joe Gallo 2016-Pres161-113233^
Bert Hammel 1980-2016526-4912^16^
Frank T. Monahan 1970-80128-134002^
William S. LaRochelle 1958-70153-116000
Kevin Harrington1954-5828-53000
Irman Pierce1953-544-15000
Larry Cicero1950-5324-30000
Paul Lanni1949-507-2000

Source [5]

Player & Coaches Awards

Division I player awards

MAAC Defensive players of the year

NEC player of the year

NEC Defensive players of the year

NEC Rookie of the year

NEC Most improved player

Lefty Driesell Award

Division II player awards

NE10 Player of the year

NE10 Defensive player of the year

NE10 Rookie player of the year

NCAA D2 scoring leader

Coaches awards

NEC Coach of the year

John McLendon Award

ECAC Coach of the Year

NABC District Coach of the Year

USBWA Coach of the Year

HoopDirt.com NCAA Div. 1 Coach of the year

NE10 Coach of the year

New England UPI Division II coach of the year (1978)

All-Americans

Merrimack Athletics hall of fame

The following is a list of people associated with the Merrimack men's basketball program who were elected into the Merrimack Athletic Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses) [11]

Statistical leaders

Points

RankPlayerYearsPoints
1 Ed Murphy 1974-19782,874
2Joe Dickson1980-19842,130
3 Gelvis Solano 2012-20162,063
4 Darren Duncan 2006-20102,049
5Darin Mency2007-20112,039
6Gary Duda1988-19922,008
7 Juvaris Hayes 2016-20201,951
8Paul Neal1987-19911,922
9Rodger Damphousse1958-19621,774
10Dana Skinner1975-19781,746

Rebounds

RankPlayerYearsRebounds
1Larry Roberson1971-19741,066
2Craig Griffin2000-2004854
3 Jordan Minor 2019-2023791
4Reggie Carter1996-2000776
5 Juvaris Hayes 2016-2020741

source [12]

Home Courts

Lawler Arena on 2/22/24 hosting a game between Merrimack and Saint Francis Lawler Arena Basketball.jpg
Lawler Arena on 2/22/24 hosting a game between Merrimack and Saint Francis

Since the program’s inception in 1949. The Warriors have played their home games at Hammel Court located in the Merrimack athletic complex. The gym is named after former head coach Bert Hammel. In 2021 the warriors announced that Lawler arena (the hockey rink) would host its first ever basketball game. [13] Ever since the 2021-22 season the warriors have split their home games between Hammel court and Lawler Arena.

Hammel Court Merrimack Vs Siena 1/18/25 Merrimack College Hammel Court IMG 4541.jpg
Hammel Court Merrimack Vs Siena 1/18/25

Warriors in professional basketball

NBA/G League

International Leagues

References

  1. "Facilities".
  2. "Merrimack College Brand Guidelines" . Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  3. Merrimack athletic complex https://merrimackathletics.com/facilities/merrimack-athletics-complex-mac-/13
  4. 1 2 Merrimack joins the MAAC https://www.merrimack.edu/news/merrimack-college-accepts-invitation-to-join-metro-atlantic-athletic-conference/
  5. 1 2 Merrimack college coaches Database https://www.coachesdatabase.com/merrimack-warriors-basketball/
  6. Bert Hammel page Merrimack website https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/bert-hammel/455
  7. "Saint Francis U's Isaiah Blackmon Tabbed NEC Men's Basketball Player of the Year" (Press release). Northeast Conference. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  8. ECAC championship archives http://jonfmorse.com/wiki/index.php?title=ECAC_Men%27s_Basketball_Tournaments
  9. Merrimack basketball season archives https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/2017/7/27/archives-mens-basketball.aspx
  10. NE10 record books https://northeast10.org/documents/2024/8/22/Men_s_Basketball_Record_Book_2023_24_8_22_24.pdf
  11. Merrimack hall of fame https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/2017/7/12/HOF-index.aspx
  12. Merrimack basketball statical leaders https://merrimackathletics.com/documents/2023/6/22/Men_s_Basketball_Record_Book.pdf
  13. Men’s Basketball Rocks Lehigh in Inaugural Game at Lawler Arena https://www.merrimack.edu/news/mens-basketball-rocks-lehigh-in-inaugural-game-at-lawler-arena/
  14. Merrimack drafted players database https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Northeast-Conference/27/Merrimack-College/1645/nba-draft