Phil Gaetano joined the Merrimack College men's basketball staff as an assistant coach in the summer of 2018, and will start his third season on the Merrimack sidelines in 2020-21.

Gaetano’s contributions were critical to the team’s historic 2019-20 campaign, which resulted in winning the 2019-20 NEC Regular Season Championship. Merrimack became the first program to win a conference championship in its first season of Division I membership. Merrimack’s accomplishments also included history such as the team’s win over Northwestern - becoming the second NEC team ever to win against a Big Ten opponent - and the program’s 17th victory of the year at St. Francis Brooklyn set a new wins record for a first-year program transitioning to Division I.

In terms of team accolades, Gaetano and the Merrimack coaching staff put together one of the top defensive units in the country. Merrimack led the conference in scoring defense, three-point field goal percentage, steals per game and turnover margin. Gaetano’s work with Merrimack’s backcourt helped senior guard Juvaris Hayes to a NEC Defensive Player of the Year honor, all-conference first team selection and the Lefty Driesell Award recipient as the top defensive player nationwide.
Enjoying an impactful debut season, Gaetano helped Merrimack win the 2018-19 NE10 Championship to claim the program's third conference title ever and first in 19 years. The Warriors won 22 games in total, tying the school record for wins in a season, with Gaetano being instrumental in the day-to-day success of the program. The Warriors reached their third straight NCAA Tournament as the East Region's second seed, the highest seeding the program ever received. The former Division I guard helped elevate Juvaris Hayes to win the NE10's Defensive Player of the Year, and aided sharp-shooting senior Ryan Boutler to the first season of at least 100 3-pointers made for a Merrimack player in 23 years. 

Gaetano arrived at Merrimack after spending the 2017-18 academic year on staff at Coppin State University. His responsibilities included recruiting coordination, practice plan and scouting report development as well as leading individual and team film sessions. Prior to his time at Coppin State, Gaetano served as an assistant with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League (G-League) in 2016-17. The Red Claws posted a 29-21 record that season and won the Atlantic Division.

As a student, Gaetano played at Sacred Heart University from 2011-15 and graduated as one of the most decorated point guards in program history. He remains the Pioneers all-time assists leader (730) in their Division I history as well as distributing the third most assists in Northeast Conference (NEC) history.

In addition to his on-court accolades, Gaetano became the first-ever three-time NEC Scholar Athlete of the Year (2013-15), graduating with a degree in business administration in 2014. He went on to earn his master’s degree, also in business administration, in 2015. Gaetano and his wife, Blair, reside in Andover, Mass.