Hofstra acting men’s basketball head coach Mike Farrelly proposed to his wife by putting a ring in a cereal box. He scored seven career points at Saint Joseph’s University as a walk-on. He can cook a killer grilled cheese for his two sons, M.J. and Ryan.

Farrelly is a unique man, but to his players, he is just there to help.

“Whatever these guys need is what I provide,” Farrelly said. “I figure that out and I do it. I try to make my players comfortable. I want them to approach me, hang out in my office and have conversations outside of basketball.”

This includes some unconventional tactics. Farrelly’s motivational tools include slamming the floor, joining his bench in chants and even hugging players mid-game.

“I have to be who they need me to be,” Farrelly said. “We have gotten to the point where the team needs me to be more energetic. I will pound on the floor if we need a big defensive stop. I try to motivate and have that energy so they can feed off it.”

Perhaps the best example of this took place during the Pride’s 73-71 loss to Drexel. Tareq Coburn struggled early, but three minutes into the second half, he grabbed a series of offensive rebounds, prompting Farrelly to summon Coburn for a warm embrace.

“The hug? I don’t know man,” Farrelly said. “That was just a spur of the moment thing. I was so proud of him. He did exactly what we needed him to do. That was a pretty cool moment.”

It worked. Seconds later, Coburn drilled a three-pointer and the Pride was back in the game after a slow start.

“I told him, ‘How does it feel that there are nine guys on the court and they could not do anything? You did whatever you wanted,’” Farrelly said. “That is an amazing thing.”

Farrelly cites a famous Warren Bennis quote — “leadership is the capacity to translate a vision into reality” — when describing his role. Farrelly is the conductor, guiding his crew to success.

“We put these guys in positions to be successful,” Farrelly said. “As a coach and a leader, you have to get the players to be who you want them to be.”

In his eight seasons at Hofstra, Farrelly has coached many great teams. However, none dealt with a global pandemic that changed daily life.

Gone are the days of large gatherings, parties or even playing video games in the dorms. COVID-19 has impacted so many and that does not exclude the Pride.

 “We lost the NCAA Tournament last year,” Farrelly said. “We do not want that to happen again. They behave the right way.”

The men’s basketball team normally conducts summer workouts for six or seven weeks and team workouts in September and October. They did not play five-on-five scrimmage until Oct. 16, 2020, a month before their first game.

“Getting to play basketball is amazing,” Farrelly said. “We appreciate every opportunity. The NCAA required that we play 13 games to play in the Tournament and we were scared we would not hit that number.”

A cast of many contributes to overcoming this challenge.

Rachel Peel-Macandrew has worked at Hofstra since 2003 and guides Farrelly’s athletes on and off the court.

“[Peel-Macandrew] helps the guys get comfortable from an academic perspective,” Farrelly said. “She is the G.O.A.T and is as good as they come.”

The men’s basketball team earned a combined 3.27 GPA and sent 10 players to the Colonial Athletic Association Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. Peel-Macandrew is a big reason why.

“It is the most unusual year of college ever,” Farrelly said. “When it is just school and basketball all the time, it can get hard. She helps guide the players.” 

In the weight-room, Jimmy “Weights” Prendergast has led the Pride for over a decade. Every home game, he cheers the team on from the bleachers.

“[Prendergast] is awesome,” Farrelly said. “He pours his heart and soul into the program.

If someone makes a big play, Prendergast’s screams will echo through the empty David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. You can hear them all the way down Hempstead Turnpike.

“He does such an unbelievable job,” Farrelly said. “He motivates the players and has become a leader for our program.”

On the court, there are many under-the-radar players that make the team what it is. 1,366 days separated the final game of Kvonn Cramer’s high school career to his Pride debut. Two major knee surgeries and a redshirt season could not bring him down.

“This is becoming [Cramer’s] program,” Farrelly said.

The Wilmington, Del. native is averaging 9.2 points per game on 60 percent shooting and has entered the starting lineup. The sky’s the limit.

“He has these tools, gifts and energy,” Farrelly said. “How can he add to that and how much work will he put into it? What level does he want to reach? He has a very exciting future.”

And don’t forget the spark plug.

“Kevin Schutte is our unsung hero,” Farrelly said. “He has had some really big plays. He can be the heart and soul of our defense. He always brings the energy and plays hard.”

The junior marketing major is frequently the one leading chants and contributing key defensive stops, but he is a leader in the classroom, as well.

“We target really good kids,” Farrelly said. “We want guys that will represent our program on and off the court the right way… I always say, ‘Know your role, embrace your role and perfect your role.’”

Coaching is more than just winning. To Farrelly, it is about guiding, inspiring and nurturing.

“We want to win basketball games and we need to win basketball games,” Farrelly said. “But the relationships make it so much more meaningful.”

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics