Coach Mike Gaffey comes to Penn State Harrisburg as the men’s basketball coach after coaching sixteen years in the high school ranks in central Pennsylvania.

A Bishop McDevitt High School graduate, Gaffey holds a degree in Telecommunications from Penn State and Elementary Education from Wilson College. He was a standout player at Penn State Du Bois where he was the team MVP and a Pennsylvania Commonwealth East-West All-Star participant in 1984.

Gaffey started his head coaching career at Susquenita High School and then quickly moved to the head coaching position at Palmyra High School, where he stayed for ten years. There, Gaffey became a very prestigious coach as he took Palmyra to three state tournaments along with five "Elite 8" finishes in districts, including a P.I.A.A. District III AAA Championship in 1996. Along with making Palmyra a force to be reckoned with on the court, Gaffey was a three time Sportsmanship Award winner there. Following his ten year stint, Gaffey spent a year as the Head Junior Varsity Basketball Coach at Alvernia College. Following that, Gaffey was named the varsity basketball coach at Annville-Cleona High School, where he coached there for the next five years. In 2007 he was named the Lancaster League Coach of the Year.

Coaching Philosophy

It is my belief that basketball cannot only shape and mold great student-athletes, but also contribute to the knowledge and skills for them to be successful citizens.

I am a dedicated, hard working, role model. I expect my team of players and coaches to carry themselves the same way. When associated with a team you are no longer just representing yourself and your family, you now have an extended family. Therefore, you must carry yourself with dignity and respect.

Offensively, I believe in ball control. We will be a team that takes good shots and productive possessions. Defensively, I prefer an up tempo style combined with a Motion Offense. We will force teams into turnovers or give teams one shot at best.

As a coach, I will make practice fun and effective. When practice becomes boring and monotonous, players lose interest and focus. Practices will be challenging, energetic, and done with a purpose.

Finally, these student-athletes will learn and take with them discipline, teamwork, and character to whatever they choose to do in their lives.