One of SUNY Cortland’s finest has returned home!
Maurice Kearney, a former associate head coach and student-athlete at SUNY Cortland, was named the new head men’s basketball coach at his alma mater on May 30.
Coach Mo returns to Central New York after helping lead NYU to an 18-8 overall record and 7-7 mark in the UAA as the team won its most UAA games since 2015-16, finished .500-or-above in the league for the first time since 2015-16 and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since that year as well.
"We're excited to have Mo and Lindsey back with Cortland Athletics and the Cortland community as a whole," said Urtz. "I look forward to working with Mo, but more importantly, I'm excited to see him leading our men's basketball program moving forward. He has a very bright future, and I'm glad it will be happening right here for the Cortland Red Dragons."
During Coach Mo’s Cortland coaching career, the Red Dragons averaged more than 17 wins per season, including a 21-8 campaign in 2015-16 that featured a SUNYAC title and advancement to the NCAA second round. As a player, Coach Mo was a member of the 2012-13 squad that went 24-5, won a SUNYAC crown and advanced to the NCAA second round, as well as the 2011-12 team that finished 22-7 and won an ECAC Upstate New York title. He recruited and helped develop Austin Grunder, the programs all -time leading scorer, rebounder, two-time SUNYAC Player of the Year, and two time All-American.
"I am truly honored to be selected as the next head men's basketball coach at SUNY Cortland," Kearney said. "I'd like to thank Director of Athletics Mike Urtz, the search committee, and the entire department for giving me this opportunity. As an alum, I have so much love and passion for this institution as my experiences here have shaped me to be who I am today.
"I look forward to continue developing an atmosphere of excellence both on and off the court and helping these individuals grow into the best versions of themselves. My family and I cannot wait to get back to Central New York and are extremely grateful for the opportunity to rejoin the Cortland community. Once a Red Dragon, always a Red Dragon."
Kearney also worked as an admissions advisor at Cortland from 2015-20 and was promoted to senior admissions advisor at the start of 2020. Within the admissions office, he reviewed and processed freshman applications in a database of 12,000 applicants and followed the school's criteria to make admissions decisions. As a senior admissions advisor, he also served as a liaison to the athletics department, led the Educational Opportunity Program, assisted with the marketing and communications of the office and managed more than 100 partnerships with secondary schools and community organizations in the region.
A native of Uniondale, N.Y., Kearney received his bachelor's degree in physical education from Cortland in May 2015 and a master's degree in health education in 2019. He played three seasons of basketball and football at Uniondale High School.
Kearney and his wife, Lindsey - a former Cortland women's basketball player and assistant coach - have a son, MJ, who was born in April 2023.
Patrick Stasiak joined the Red Dragons coaching staff in June 2023 after serving as the men’s basketball assistant coach as well as a facilities assistant at Vassar College.
“I am thrilled to have Pat join my staff as he embodies what it means to be a Red Dragon says Coach Kearney. Pat will bring a ton of knowledge and championship pedigree to the program. He was a part of a Colgate team that dominated the Patriot League, making the NCAA Tournament 2 out of the 3 years he was there. He then went on to help Vassar reach their first NCAA appearance in program history”
During his time at Vassar, Stasiak was a part of the 2021-22 season which was a historic one for the Vassar Men’s Basketball Program when the Brewers won the Liberty League Championship, earning their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. The Brewers also posted their most wins since the 2013-14 season, going 18-9.
Stasiak Came to Vassar following three seasons as the men's basketball director of operations at Division I Colgate University. He was responsible for coordinating all travel for the program, aiding the coaching staff with analytical studies to improve team production, organize film breakdown, and help the development and growth of the student-athletes, and adding resources for the coaching staff.
In the 2019-20 season, Stasiak helped Colgate the school's most total wins (25) and most conference wins (14) in program history. During his first two seasons with the Raiders, Colgate posted its first two 20-win seasons, combining for a 49-20 overall record and 27-9 mark in Patriot League competition.
His first season with Colgate saw the Raiders win their first Patriot League regular season and tournament title in 23 years and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996.
Before Colgate, Stasiak spent two seasons as the assistant men's basketball coach at SUNY Cortland. In the 2017-18 season, he assisted the team to 18 wins with a 13-5 mark in the SUNYAC. Other roles included the recruitment of student-athletes, scouting and game preparation, film operations, and managing the team's social media.
From 2014-17, Stasiak served as the recruiting coordinator and assistant head runner at Hoop Group Elite Camp in Reading, PA. He coordinated room assignments for athletes, coaches, and staff members, oversaw film operations, and assisted in various day-to-day camp operations.
As an undergraduate student at SUNY Cortland, Stasiak was a student assistant coach for the men's basketball team and the head coach for the Cortland AAU U-12 Basketball Club.
A native of Williamsville, N.Y., Stasiak graduated from SUNY Cortland in May 2017 with a degree in Childhood Education and a concentration in Social Science.