| Gary Manchel | |
| Current Title: | Head coach |
| Current Team: | Mercyhurst |
| Current Conference: | NEC |
| Current Record: | 373–219 |
| Birth Date: | 29 November 1962 |
| Birth Place: | Burlington, Vermont |
| Player Years1: | 1982–1985 |
| Player Team1: | Vermont |
| Coach Years1: | 1985–1987 |
| Coach Team1: | Slippery Rock (assistant) |
| Coach Years2: | 1987–1992 |
| Coach Team2: | Yale (assistant) |
| Coach Years3: | 1992–2001 |
| Coach Years4: | 2001–2003 |
| Coach Team4: | Ohio (assistant) |
| Coach Years5: | 2003–present |
| Coach Team5: | Mercyhurst |
Gary Manchel (born November 29, 1962) is an American basketball coach who is the current head coach of the Mercyhurst Lakers men's basketball team.[1]
Growing up in South Burlington, Vermont, Manchel played high school basketball at South Burlington High School. The son of a University of Vermont professor, Manchel enrolled at UVM, where he was a member of its men's basketball team from 1982 to 1985 under Bill Whitmore, appearing in 27 games.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
After graduation, Manchel served as an assistant coach at Slippery Rock for two seasons before joining the coaching staff at Yale under Dick Kuchen for five seasons.[7] In 1992, Manchel would become the head coach at then-Division II UMass Lowell, where he replaced Stan Van Gundy, who coached Manchel while he was an assistant at Vermont.[4] While coach of the River Hawks, Manchel compiled a 131–125 overall record, including a NCAA Division II tournament appearance in 2001, a season in which he was named NE-10 Coach of the Year.[8] [9]
In 2001, Manchel would join Tim O'Shea's staff at Ohio for a pair of seasons before taking the head coaching position a Mercyhurst.[10] [11] In 21 seasons at the helm, Manchel has guided the Lakers to seven NCAA Division II tournament appearances, reaching the Elite Eight in 2019.[12] On February 7, 2024, Manchel notched his 500th career win as a head coach.[13]