RIVERDALE, NY – After posting a marquee and emotional 80-79 victory over the Quinnipiac Bobcats, Men's Basketball's Head Coach
John Gallagher posted his 200th career Division I victory, inside Draddy Gymnasium on Friday, January 2.
"Coach Gal has been great for me and my development as a person on and off the court. He has taught me a lot about the game and has instilled a lot of confidence in me as a player. The positive energy he brings to the team is contagious." Redshirt Junior guard and Co-Captain
Devin Dinkins.
"Congratulations, coach, on 200 career wins! This milestone is a testament to the amount of time Coach Gal pours into his players and program. I could never thank Coach Gal enough for always believing in me and instilling a great sense of confidence. Coach Gal brings consistent and genuine energy plus great vibes every day. No matter the circumstance. He is a big reason why we are so confident we can get to the finish line and win the MAAC is because of our leader, Coach Gal." – Junior guard
Jaden Winston.
Gallagher joined the Manhattan University community as the 24th Head Coach of the Jaspers' Men's Basketball program on March 29, 2023.
During his second season at the helm in 2024-25, Gallagher led Manhattan to a 17-win season, which was the program's highest win total since winning 19 games in 2014-15.
Gallagher engineered the third-best improvement season-over-season in program history, going from seven wins and 23 losses in year one to 17 wins and 14 losses in year two.
Nationally, the Jaspers tied for the 15th-best turnaround from the previous season with their 9.5-game climb in 2024-25. Additionally, the Jaspers' lineup boasted five double-digit scorers, making them one of only 15 teams in America with five or more players averaging in double figures.
The Jaspers then secured the No. 5 seed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships and later earned an invite to the Purple College Basketball Invitational held in Daytona Beach, Florida. Manhattan dropped its first-round match-up with Incarnate Word, which represented the Jaspers' first non-NCAA Tournament playoff appearance since the 2012 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
Under Gallagher, Manhattan has posted notable wins in rivalry games, including owning a 19-point average margin of victory against Iona at Draddy Gymnasium. In Gallagher's second Battle of the Bronx and first at Draddy Gymnasium, Manhattan registered a 78-76 win over Fordham on November 15, 2024.
Gallagher was a two-time America East Coach of the Year, where he earned his start as a Division I Head Coach beginning in the 2010-11 campaign for the University of Hartford, when the Hawks were members of the America East Conference in Division I, after serving as Associate Head Coach from 2006-2008.
While at Hartford, Gallagher led the program to its first-ever America East Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2020-21, during which the team posted the highest winning percentage in program history at 15-8.
"Congratulations to Coach Gallagher! John's 200 wins fall short of the amazing impact he has had on so many young people. John has been a great ambassador for the schools he has coached. He is a terrific role model for all young coaches." - Steve Donahue, Head Coach, St. Joseph's University.
"Congrats to
John Gallagher on 200 wins! That number pales in comparison to the lives he has touched! The career he has chosen is judged by relationships and memories created, and there are many positives of both." – Phil Martelli, Sr., Former Head Coach, Saint Joseph's University.
"Coach Gallagher is an excellent fit for Manhattan University! His energy is contagious, and he is aligned with the mission of the school." – Chris "Smooth" Williams '93, Former Manhattan Jaspers Men's Basketball and University Hall of Famer.
"Coach Gallagher's commitment to his players, their families, to the Manhattan community, and the alumni is stellar. Both on and off the court, he seeks to educate his players and stress values associated with good sportsmanship and citizenship. He works tirelessly with the administration and staff to build an exemplary team. Coach Gallagher has found Manhattan to be a place where mind, body, and spirit come together. Congratulations on your milestone. Go Jaspers!" - Walter Saulkin, Professor of Engineering at Manhattan University.
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John Gallagher is an outstanding basketball coach who has been a success wherever he has coached. John took the University of Hartford to the D-1 NCAA Tournament for the first time in the school's history. He took Manhattan to a postseason tournament in only his second year leading the Jaspers. John really cares for his players and connects extremely well with them. He makes sure that they take care of their academics and are class individuals on campus. Manhattan could not be in better hands than having
John Gallagher as head of their men's basketball program." Pete Gillen, CBS Sports Network, Basketball Analyst.
