AMHERST, N.Y. – Mike MacDonald, the sixth head coach of the Daemen University men's basketball team, will step down from his position in order to accept the head coaching position at St. Bonaventure University, Vice President of Athletics Traci Murphy announced today.

"On behalf of Daemen University, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and deepest gratitude to Mike MacDonald as he accepts the head coaching position at St. Bonaventure University. While we are losing a head coach, we are celebrating a historic tenure. MacDonald leaves a historic legacy at Daemen, having transformed the Wildcats into a national powerhouse. He is the only coach in NCAA history to record 100 wins at the Division I, II, and III levels – a feat that speaks to his status as one of the most respected tactical minds in the game. During his 12-year tenure, MacDonald amassed a remarkable 265–86 record, highlighted by a perfect 25–0 regular season, a #1 national ranking, and two Elite Eight appearances," VP of Athletics Traci Murphy said.

" "Coach Mac" has been so much more than a basketball coach to Daemen; he has been a mentor, a leader, and a tireless advocate for our community. Mike's true legacy lies in the lives he touched and the players he mentored into leaders. He is a rare leader who understands that basketball is a vehicle for something much greater. While we will miss his presence courtside, we are incredibly proud to see him return to his alma mater," Murphy said.

A staple in collegiate men's basketball in Western New York who has served as a head coach in all three NCAA Divisions over the past three decades, MacDonald served as the bench boss for the Wildcats for the past 12 seasons. Under his leadership, Daemen compiled an impressive 285-86 overall record and a 161-40 record in East Coast Conference play since joining the Daemen staff in 2014.

MacDonald also led the Wildcats to the USCAA Division I National Championship (2014-15), six NCAA Division II Tournament berths (2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026), three ECC regular season championships (2018-19, 2024-25, 2025-26), two ECC Tournament titles (2025, 2026), two NCAA Division II East Region Championships (2021, 2026) and two trips to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight (2021, 2026).

"My family and I are blessed to have spent the last 12 years at Daemen. This is a special place filled with friends and colleagues that we will always cherish. The leadership team that hired me, led by Bridget Niland and Dr. Olson, will always hold a special place in my heart. In addition, the leadership team that is in place now with Traci Murphy, Suzie Yormick-DeNillo, Laura Edholm, Mike Miranto, Jeff Sage and Mary Margaret Johnson have been a major part of the success we have had," Mike MacDonald said.
 
"As I move on to the next chapter of my coaching career, I will always be grateful for my time at Daemen and I will ALWAYS be a Wildcat!"
 
After coming close to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament bid in each of his first four seasons, MacDonald and the Wildcats made history in 2018-19 when they went 24-8, claimed the ECC regular season title and earned the program's first-ever NCAA tournament bid. Under MacDonald, Daemen made their NCAA tournament debut on March 16, 2019, falling to fourth-seeded New Haven in an opening round contest played in Manchester, N.H.

MacDonald led the Wildcats to their first ever East Region championship in 2021, going 10-6 in the shortened season. As the No. 2 seed in the regional tournament, Daemen beat St. Thomas Aquinas 71-70 in the regional final to claim their first East Region title. The Cats fell to top-seeded West Texas A&M in the Elite Eight tournament.

Most recently, MacDonald and the Wildcats put together a historic run for the ages, totaling a 61-3 record over the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. Daemen catapulted to the top of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) national polls in the 2024-25 season, earning the program's first ever No. 1 national ranking after going undefeated during the regular season for the first time in program history and finished with a 28-1 record in the NCAA Division II East Region semifinals. The Wildcats rebounded from their early exit from the previous postseason, posting a 33-2 record during the 2025-26 season, including their second straight undefeated ECC regular season, and won the East Region title for the second time in program history after cruising through the regional tournament with victories of 111-78 (vs. #8 seed Goldey-Beacom), 85-62 (vs. #5 seed Saint Michael's) and 94-68 (vs. #3 seed Saint Anselm in the regional championship) to advance to the Elite Eight where they lost in a three-point heartbreaker, 74-77, to #5 seed Lander on March 25.

In his 12-year tenure at Daemen, MacDonald has earned the Clarence "Big House" Gaines Award presented by collegeinsiders.com to the top Division II men's basketball coach, has been named the ECC Coach of the Year three times, coached three consensus All-Americans (Andrew Sischo in 2021 and 2022, Benjamin Bill in 2025, Zach Philipkoski in 2026) and coached 41 ECC All-Conference players and 12 ECC major award winners.
 
"Beyond the court, Mike served as Senior Associate Athletics Director, raising significant resources for the university and championing vital local initiatives. We thank Mike, his wife Maura, and their four sons for their 12 years of dedication to the Daemen family. We wish him nothing but the continued success he deserves as he transitions to the Atlantic 10. Thank you, Coach, for everything," Murphy said of MacDonald.
 
The search for the seventh head coach in Daemen men's basketball history will commence immediately.