Brendan Fitzpatrick enters his first season as an assistant coach with the Mercyhurst University men's basketball program. He brings collegiate coaching experience across multiple levels, a strong background in recruiting and player development, and significant experience in grassroots basketball. His responsibilities include recruiting, player development, scouting, academic monitoring, and assisting with the program's day-to-day basketball operations.
Fitzpatrick joins the Lakers after spending the 2025-26 season as the top assistant coach at Tufts University. He helped guide the team to a 23-6 record and an NCAA Elite Eight appearance. The team's 23 wins tied the most in program history, while Tufts reached as high as No. 4 in the national rankings. Fitzpatrick also played a key role in the development of First Team All-American Scott Gyimesi and two additional All-NESCAC selections.
Prior to his time at Tufts, Fitzpatrick spent time at the University of Hartford, SUNY Oswego, and SUNY Cortland. At Oswego, Fitzpatrick helped lead the Lakers to a 26-3 record during the 2023-24 season, earning the highest national ranking in program history at No. 4 in the country while advancing to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Fitzpatrick and the Lakers coaching staff were recognized as the SUNYAC Coaching Staff of the Year for their efforts.
During his three years coaching and recruiting in the SUNYAC, Fitzpatrick helped develop 12 players who earned All-Conference honors, including two All-Americans, three SUNYAC Players of the Year, and two SUNYAC Rookies of the Year. Two of his former players, Jeremiah Sparks and Kendall Arcuri, have gone on to continue their professional careers overseas, with Sparks playing in Germany and Arcuri in Portugal.
Fitzpatrick began his coaching career at SUNY Farmingdale, where he served as an assistant coach during the 2020-2021 season.
In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Fitzpatrick has worked at numerous prestigious basketball camps, including camps hosted by Harvard University, Brown University, Yale University, Dartmouth College, Columbia University, and Hofstra University. He also served as an intern coordinator for Maximize Basketball Development and coached with the Level Up Long Island AAU program.
As an undergraduate at SUNY Cortland, Fitzpatrick played four seasons for the men's basketball program, serving as a team captain and earning SUNYAC All-Conference and Scholar-Athlete honors. A native of Plainview, New York, Fitzpatrick graduated from Cortland in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management.
