Mercyhurst University Men's Basketball

Manchel, the eighth head coach in the history of the men's basketball program, enters his 14th season as the Lakers' head man. Manchel has revitalized the Laker program and continues to build on his impressive resume that includes 354 career wins. Mercyhurst ended the 2015-16 season with a 22-9 record, advancing back to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament for the second consecutive season. The 22 wins is the most during Manchels tenure at Mercyhurst, while it is also the second most wins in program history. The winning season is the programs 11th straight; a school record, all coming under the Manchel era. Before reaching the NCAA Tournament, Manchel directed his team to a seventh straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament appearance. East Stroudsburg and IUP are the only other programs to reach the conference playoffs in each of the last seven years. The Lakers finished the regular season second in the PSAC Western Division; the third time ever placing second in the conference (2nd in 2010-11 and 2014-15). Mercyhurst went on to defeat Clarion, 84-68, in the PSAC Quarterfinals, before knocking off Shippensburg, 79-68, in the Semifinals, advancing to their first ever PSAC Tournament Championship. The Lakers went on to beat West Chester, 70-67, on their home floor, awarding them with the programs first conference title since joining the PSAC back in 2008. The PSAC Tournament Championship helped the Lakers receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Mercyhurst was faced with the challenge of playing the top-ranked team in the Atlantic Region, nationally fourth-ranked Wheeling Jesuit. The Lakers went on to defeat Wheeling Jesuit, 66-65, marking the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. As the season came to a close in the NCAA Second Round, Mercyhurst finished the season first in the country in scoring defense, holding opponents to 60.3 points per game. It was also the first time that the Lakers finished first nationally in that category. Since joining the PSAC in the 2008-09, Mercyhurst has not allowed more than 67.6 points per game. After finishing second nationally in 2013-14, the Lakers lowest scoring margin recorded in a year was in Coach Manchel's first season at Mercyhurst in 2003-04, allowing 59.1 points per game, while they were members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Mercyhurst has placed in the top ten nationally in scoring defense the past four seasons. In 2014-15, the Lakers finished 20-7 overall, and advanced to its first NCAA Tournament in school history. The Lakers finished second last season in the PSAC Western Division, as Mercyhurst, then, outperformed their predicted preseason finish for a sixth straight season. In 2013-14, the Lakers were projected third. Mercyhurst also went on to defeat national runner-up Indiana (Pa.) twice during the regular season, once at the Kovalchick Center when the Crimson Hawks were ranked fifth in the country. Mercyhurst was the only team in the country to beat IUP in each of the last six seasons. (Includes win at home during 2015-16 season.) Manchel was honored as the PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year for the second time in 14-15. He was awarded the honor first back in the 2010-11. In the 2013-14 season, Mercyhurst won 17 games and advanced to the PSAC Final Four for the second time in three years. The Lakers allowed 60.3 points per game, second-best in the country. They won a road postseason game for the first time in program history and picked up a win at rival IUP for the first time ever. With a 66-62 win over Bloomsburg December 18, Manchel collected his 300th career win. He guided the Lakers to a fifth straight PSAC Tournament appearance and outdid preseason expectations for a sixth consecutive time. Prior to Mercyhurst, Manchel worked for two years on the Ohio University coaching staff under Tim O'Shea. Manchel was a member of O'Shea's first coaching staff in 2001-02. That first season, the Bobcats posted a 17-11 record and followed that with a 14-16 mark in 2002-03. Manchel also spent nine years as head coach at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, compiling a 131-125 record during his stay. He enjoyed three 20-win seasons over his last five years, including a 45-17 mark during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons combined. Manchel was named Northeast-10 Coach of the Year after leading the 2000-01 River Hawks to a 24-7 record that included an appearance in the league's championship game and a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament where the squad advanced into the second round. Two times during his stay at UMass Lowell his squads reached the finals of the ECAC Division II Championships. His 1999-00 team posted a 21-10 record and finished as the runner-up, and in 1996-97, he led UMass Lowell to a 20-10 mark and an ECAC Division II Championship. Before UMass Lowell, Manchel served as an assistant coach at Yale from 1987-92. During his time at Yale, he was a part of three teams that finished in the top ten in scoring defense in all of Division I. In 1989-90 the Bulldogs finished seventh nationally, while the following year they finished third. In 1991-92, coach Manchel was part of a staff that finished 10th in the country.  Manchel began his coaching career at Slippery Rock, where he served as a graduate assistant for two seasons. A native of Burlington, Vt., Manchel is a 1985 graduate of the University of Vermont, where he lettered three years for the Catamounts. Manchel holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Vermont and a master's degree in education (sports administration) from Slippery Rock. Manchel's Career Record Gary Manchel Head Coach Accomplishments while at Mercyhurst:             2003-04= 4th (59.1)             2012-13 = 7th (60.2)             2013-14 = 2nd (60.3)             2014-15 = 8th (62.2)             2015-16 = 1st (60.3) Gary Manchel, the eighth head coach in the history of the men's basketball program, enters his 14th season as the Lakers' head man. Manchel has revitalized the Laker program and continues to build on his impressive resume that includes 354 career wins. Mercyhurst ended the 2015-16 season with a 22-9 record, advancing back to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament for the second consecutive season. The 22 wins is the most during Manchels tenure at Mercyhurst, while it is also the second most wins in program history. The winning season is the programs 11th straight; a school record, all coming under the Manchel era. Before reaching the NCAA Tournament, Manchel directed his team to a seventh straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament appearance. East Stroudsburg and IUP are the only other programs to reach the conference playoffs in each of the last seven years. The Lakers finished the regular season second in the PSAC Western Division; the third time ever placing second in the conference (2nd in 2010-11 and 2014-15). Mercyhurst went on to defeat Clarion, 84-68, in the PSAC Quarterfinals, before knocking off Shippensburg, 79-68, in the Semifinals, advancing to their first ever PSAC Tournament Championship. The Lakers went on to beat West Chester, 70-67, on their home floor, awarding them with the programs first conference title since joining the PSAC back in 2008. The PSAC Tournament Championship helped the Lakers receive an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Mercyhurst was faced with the challenge of playing the top-ranked team in the Atlantic Region, nationally fourth-ranked Wheeling Jesuit. The Lakers went on to defeat Wheeling Jesuit, 66-65, marking the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. As the season came to a close in the NCAA Second Round, Mercyhurst finished the season first in the country in scoring defense, holding opponents to 60.3 points per game. It was also the first time that the Lakers finished first nationally in that category. Since joining the PSAC in the 2008-09, Mercyhurst has not allowed more than 67.6 points per game. After finishing second nationally in 2013-14, the Lakers lowest scoring margin recorded in a year was in Coach Manchel's first season at Mercyhurst in 2003-04, allowing 59.1 points per game, while they were members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Mercyhurst has placed in the top ten nationally in scoring defense the past four seasons. In 2014-15, the Lakers finished 20-7 overall, and advanced to its first NCAA Tournament in school history. The Lakers finished second last season in the PSAC Western Division, as Mercyhurst, then, outperformed their predicted preseason finish for a sixth straight season. In 2013-14, the Lakers were projected third. Mercyhurst also went on to defeat national runner-up Indiana (Pa.) twice during the regular season, once at the Kovalchick Center when the Crimson Hawks were ranked fifth in the country. Mercyhurst was the only team in the country to beat IUP in each of the last six seasons. (Includes win at home during 2015-16 season.) Manchel was honored as the PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year for the second time in 14-15. He was awarded the honor first back in the 2010-11. In the 2013-14 season, Mercyhurst won 17 games and advanced to the PSAC Final Four for the second time in three years. The Lakers allowed 60.3 points per game, second-best in the country. They won a road postseason game for the first time in program history and picked up a win at rival IUP for the first time ever. With a 66-62 win over Bloomsburg December 18, Manchel collected his 300th career win. He guided the Lakers to a fifth straight PSAC Tournament appearance and outdid preseason expectations for a sixth consecutive time. Prior to Mercyhurst, Manchel worked for two years on the Ohio University coaching staff under Tim O'Shea. Manchel was a member of O'Shea's first coaching staff in 2001-02. That first season, the Bobcats posted a 17-11 record and followed that with a 14-16 mark in 2002-03. Manchel also spent nine years as head coach at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, compiling a 131-125 record during his stay. He enjoyed three 20-win seasons over his last five years, including a 45-17 mark during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons combined. Manchel was named Northeast-10 Coach of the Year after leading the 2000-01 River Hawks to a 24-7 record that included an appearance in the league's championship game and a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament where the squad advanced into the second round. Two times during his stay at UMass Lowell his squads reached the finals of the ECAC Division II Championships. His 1999-00 team posted a 21-10 record and finished as the runner-up, and in 1996-97, he led UMass Lowell to a 20-10 mark and an ECAC Division II Championship. Before UMass Lowell, Manchel served as an assistant coach at Yale from 1987-92. During his time at Yale, he was a part of three teams that finished in the top ten in scoring defense in all of Division I. In 1989-90 the Bulldogs finished seventh nationally, while the following year they finished third. In 1991-92, coach Manchel was part of a staff that finished 10th in the country.  Manchel began his coaching career at Slippery Rock, where he served as a graduate assistant for two seasons. A native of Burlington, Vt., Manchel is a 1985 graduate of the University of Vermont, where he lettered three years for the Catamounts. Manchel holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Vermont and a master's degree in education (sports administration) from Slippery Rock. Manchel's Career Record