Joe Gallo (basketball)

Joe Gallo
Gallo to the right of the referee in 2025
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamMerrimack
ConferenceMAAC
Record184–124 (.597)
Biographical details
Born (1980-02-08) February 8, 1980
New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Playing career
2000–2004Merrimack
PositionGuard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2005–2009Merrimack (assistant)
2010–2012Dartmouth (assistant)
2012–2016Robert Morris (assistant)
2016–presentMerrimack
Head coaching record
Overall184–124 (.597)
Tournaments2–3 (NCAA Division II)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
  • NEC Coach of the Year (2020)
  • MAAC Coach of the Year (2026)
  • HoopDirt.com NCAA Div. 1 Coach of the Year (2020)
  • John McLendon Award (2020)
  • ECAC Coach of the Year (2020)
  • 2x NABC District Coach of the Year (2020, 2023)
  • USBWA District 1 Coach of the Year (2020)

Joe Gallo (born February 8, 1980) is an American college basketball head coach and former player who is the current head coach of the Merrimack Warriors men's basketball team. He was previously an assistant coach for Dartmouth and Robert Morris before he was hired as head coach at Merrimack in 2016.[1]

Playing career

Gallo, a native of Milltown, New Jersey, played high school basketball at Princeton Day School from 1995 to 1999, and won two NJISAA Prep State Championships in 1996 and 1999. After graduation he then played college basketball at Merrimack College from 2000 to 2004.[2] While attending Merrimack Gallo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business with a concentration in management.[3]

Coaching career

Gallo began his coaching career in 2005 as an assistant at Merrimack, one year after he finished playing for the Warriors. In 2010, Gallo was hired as an assistant under head coach Paul Cormier at Dartmouth before joining Andy Toole at Robert Morris 2012. In 2015, Gallo was a key component in helping the Colonials win the Northeast Conference tournament and reach the NCAA Tournament, where Robert Morris lost to eventual national champion Duke.[4]

Merrimack College

The following year, Gallo was hired as head coach at his alma mater, Merrimack, replacing Bert Hammel.[5] He led the Warriors to the NCAA Division II tournament in each of his first three years at the helm, and would also lead the program to its first Northeast-10 championship in 19 years during the 2018-19 season. He finished his time coaching at the Division II level with an overall record of 61-34 and a conference record of 40-23.

The Warriors transitioned to Division I in 2019, joining the Northeast Conference. Gallo led the team to their first ever win over a power 5 opponent on November 8, vs. Northwestern 71-61.[6] He and the Warriors would set a record for most wins by a transitioning DI team in their first year as they went 20-11 overall. They went 14-4 in Northeast Conference play resulting in a regular season championship in 2020 in their first season a conference member.[7] For his efforts Gallo received a plethora of coaching awards at the end of the season, including NEC Coach of the Year, HoopDirt.com NCAA Division I Coach of the Year, the John McLendon Award, ECAC Coach of the Year, NABC District Coach of the Year, and USBWA Coach of the Year.[8] During the shorted 2020-21 season Gallo coached the Warriors to a 9-9 record.[9]

During the 2021-22 season, Gallo earned his 100th career victory with a win over Wagner on February 12. That year he led the Warriors to 10-8 record in NEC play and a overall record of 14-6.[10]

Gallo and the Warriors started off the 2022- 2023 season with an 3-14 record. However they went 12-3 during the second half of the year, finishing with a conference record of 12-4 to win their second NEC regular season championship.[11] During the 2023 NEC tournament he and the Warriors defeated both LIU and Sacred Heart to reach the championship game, which Merrimack would win 67-66 over Fairleigh Dickinson marking their first and only NEC championship. However, Merrimack was ineligible to participate in the NCAA Tournament due to the five-year transition period having not completed (during the 2023 season Merrimack ended the season with the longest winning streak in the nation with 11 games).[12] In March of 2023 Gallo signed a longterm contract extension with Merrimack.[13]

Gallo would lead Merrimack back to a second consecutive NEC regular season title in 2023-24 going 13-3 in conference play. During the 2024 NEC Tournament Gallo and the Warriors would defeat both LIU and Le Moyne to return to NEC championship game in, however they fell to Wagner, 54-47.[14] This would be his last season coaching in the NEC, finishing with an overall record of 82-64 and a conference record 58-28.

In 2024, Merrimack moved to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.[15] Gallo led the Warriors to a second-place finish in their first year in the MAAC with a 14-6 conference record. They beat Sacred Heart 66-62 in the quarterfinals of 2025 MAAC Tournament before losing to Mount Saint Mary's in the MAAC semifinals 57-55.[16] On March 27, 2025 it was announced Gallo had signed a 10 year contract extension with the Warriors.[17]

During the 2025–26 season Gallo led the Warriors to a 17-3 record in MAAC play as they captured their first ever MAAC regular season championship.[18] The Warriors also went a perfect 11-0 at home for the first time since the 1990-91 season. For his efforts Gallo was named MAAC Coach of the Year.[19] During the 2026 MAAC men's basketball tournament the Warriors defeated Sacred Heart (70-48) and Marist (58-57) to advance to their first MAAC championship appearance. However he and the Warriors were defeated by Siena 64-54. The Warriors finished the year with a 23-11 record which is the most wins in single season in the history of the program.[20]

Personal life

Gallo married his wife, Megan, in 2015.[4] The couple has two sons, Joey and Trey.[21][22]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Merrimack Warriors (Northeast-10 Conference) (2016–2019)
2016–17 Merrimack 19–12 12–9 T–3rd (Northeast) NCAA Division II Regional Semifinals
2017–18 Merrimack 20–12 14–7 2nd (Northeast) NCAA Division II Regional Semifinals
2018–19 Merrimack 22–10 14–7 2nd (Northeast) NCAA Division II First Round
Merrimack Warriors (Northeast Conference) (2019–2024)
2019–20 Merrimack 20–11 14–4 1st
2020–21 Merrimack 9–9 9–9 T–5th
2021–22 Merrimack 14–16 10–8 4th
2022–23 Merrimack 18–16 12–4 1st
2023–24 Merrimack 21–12 13–3 T–1st
Merrimack Warriors (MAAC) (2024–present)
2024–25 Merrimack 18–15 14–6 2nd
2025–26 Merrimack 23–11 17–3 1st
Merrimack: 184–124 (.597) 129–60 (.683)
Total: 184–124 (.597)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ "Merrimack College introduces new Men's Basketball head coach Joe Gallo". Merrimack.edu. May 11, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  2. ^ Joe Gallo. RMUColonials.com. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  3. ^ "Joe Gallo - Head Men's Basketball Coach - Staff Directory". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  4. ^ a b https://rmucolonials.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/joe-gallo/706
  5. ^ Burt, Bill (May 9, 2016). "Gallo will replace Hammel as new men's basketball coach at Merrimack". The Eagle-Tribune. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  6. ^ "Merrimack stuns Northwestern 71-61 behind Jensen, Hayes". CBS Sports. November 9, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  7. ^ Ciccotelli, Jenna (February 28, 2020). "Merrimack basketball won the Northeast Conference title in their first Division I season". Boston.com. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "2020-21 Men's Basketball Schedule". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  10. ^ "2021-22 Men's Basketball Schedule". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  11. ^ "2022-23 Men's Basketball Schedule". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  12. ^ Evans, Jace. "Why NEC men's basketball tournament champion Merrimack isn't going to NCAA Tournament". USA TODAY. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  13. ^ McMahon, Mike. "Joe Gallo signs 10-year contract extension with Merrimack". www.themackreport.com. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  14. ^ "2023-24 Men's Basketball Schedule". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  15. ^ Merrimack joins the MAAC https://www.merrimack.edu/news/merrimack-college-accepts-invitation-to-join-metro-atlantic-athletic-conference/
  16. ^ "2024-25 Men's Basketball Schedule". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  17. ^ and, Jeff BorzelloCloseJeff BorzelloBasketball recruiting insiderJeff Borzello is a basketball recruiting insider He has joined ESPN in 2014 Follow on X.; Thamel, Pete (March 27, 2025). "Sources: Joe Gallo agrees to new 10-year deal with Merrimack". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 20, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "MAAC Regular Season Champion Men's Basketball Travels To Canisius". Merrimack College Athletics. February 27, 2026. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  19. ^ "2026 MAAC Men's Basketball Major Awards Announced". maacsports.com. March 4, 2026. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  20. ^ "2025-26 Men's Basketball Schedule". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  21. ^ https://merrimackathletics.com/news/2025/3/27/mens-basketball-joe-gallo-agree-to-new-10-year-contract.aspx
  22. ^ "Joe Gallo - Head Men's Basketball Coach - Staff Directory". Merrimack College Athletics. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
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