Notables

Mike Daley, the longest tenured coach in the history of the Nazareth athletic department, is retiring as head coach of the men’s basketball team.

Daley recently completed his 23rd season as the Golden Flyers’ coach, during which time he has compiled an overall record of 318-284. He coached his final game Sunday at Ithaca in the Empire 8 Conference championship game as the Golden Flyers lost to RIT, 76-71 in overtime. His last win was an 82-76 upset of top-seeded and eighth-ranked Ithaca on Saturday. Nazareth finished 13-14 overall in 2008-09.

"Our emotions naturally are mixed," said Nazareth athletic director Pete Bothner. "Mike has been a huge part of our community for a long time and has touched the lives of a countless number of student-athletes, but we wish him well in the next chapter of his life."

A national search will be conducted to find a replacement for Daley, 64, who cited health concerns and a willingness to spend more time with his family as reasons for his retirement. He suffered a heart attack prior to the start of the 2005-06 season, but never missed any games. He also has three grown children -- sons Brian and Shawn and daughter Lea -- and three grandchildren. He and his wife Debbie have been married for 27 years.

Daley has been the catalyst behind Nazareth’s foremost achievements in men’s basketball over the past two-plus decades. The Golden Flyers captured the Empire 8 Conference championship in 2008 with a 20-8 overall record and gained an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time in 10 years. Nazareth also reached the NCAAs under Daley’s direction in 1987, 1990 and 1998. The Golden Flyers won the ECAC Upstate championship in 1997 and JPMorgan Chase Tournament titles in 1987 and 2003.

Daley twice has been honored as Empire 8 Conference Coach of the Year and in 2002-03 was the national recipient of the Schoenfeld Sportsmanship Award from the College Basketball Officials Association. The award is presented annually to the team that best exemplifies sportsmanship, character and ethics – traits that Nazareth teams have consistently exuded under Daley’s direction.

Daley came to Nazareth in 1986 after serving as an assistant coach at Niagara for six seasons. Prior to that, he coached high school basketball in Ohio for 14 seasons. Well respected by his peers, Daley has been invited to speak at numerous camps and clinics over the years and has been director of the popular Nazareth College Basketball Camp during the summer.