SUNY Potsdam Hall of Fame men's Basketball Coach and former Athletic Director Jerry Welsh passed away on December 30, 2025. The Massena native was 89.
"Coach Jerry Welsh's impact on SUNY Potsdam and the world of college basketball is immeasurable. He was a visionary leader who built a program that inspired generations of student-athletes and elevated our institution to national prominence. Beyond his remarkable record, Coach Welsh embodied integrity, humility and an unwavering commitment to excellence. We mourn his loss as a campus, and celebrate a life that truly changed the game," said SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Suzanne R. Smith.
When Welsh arrived at Potsdam for the 1968-69 basketball season, he was already an accomplished coach. A 1958 graduate of Ithaca College, Welsh guided the Massena High School varsity team to a 146-32 record from 1960-68. In May of 1968, he was hired as the Bears' head coach while fellow Potsdam Hall of Famer Lou LaGrand was on a one-year sabbatical. After assisting LaGrand for the 1969-70 season, Welsh became the program's permanent head coach for the 1970-71 campaign, a position he held for 22 seasons.
Welsh's efforts saw quick results, with the Bears qualifying for the NCAA Tournament during the 1972-73 and 1973-74 campaigns. The 1977-78 season saw Potsdam begin a run of 13 consecutive years where the Bears reached the national tournament. They also claimed eight State University of New York Athletic Conference titles during the stretch (1974, 1977-80, 1983, 1986, 1987). In NCAA play, Potsdam won nine East Region Championships and reached the title game five times in eight years (1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986). Welsh led the Bears to National Championships in 1981 and 1986, earning National Coach of the Year honors in both seasons. The 1985-86 team was 32-0 and extended its winning streak to 60 games during the following season. He closed out his time at Potsdam with a victory over No. 1 Hamilton College in the 1991 ECAC Upstate Tournament Championship.
Welsh guided the Bears to a 494-143 record and a .776 winning percentage in his 22 seasons. In SUNYAC play his teams were 184-49 (.790). Eight of Welsh's players earned All-American status, five claiming the honor twice, and 42 were named All-SUNYAC.
Welsh became Potsdam's athletic director in April 1977 and oversaw the athletic department for the rest of his Bears career. He helped found the Potsdam Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and was inducted in 1992. He started the College's annual summer basketball camp in 1971 and returned frequently to instruct its young participants.
After leaving the North Country, Welsh served as the head coach for Division I Iona University from 1991-1995. In retirement he and his wife Cathy relocated to North Carolina, where he served on the faculty at Duke University. At Duke he taught Theory of Basketball Coaching for 23 years and had many future NBA and WBNA players pass through his class.
In addition to the Potsdam Hall of Fame, Welsh also belonged to the Ithaca College, Massena High School, North Country Sports and New York State Basketball Halls of Fame.
Welsh returned to Potsdam's campus a final time in the Fall of 2022 for the debut of the documentary "The Bodacious Bears." The film highlighted his program's championship seasons. He claimed a final honor in February 2025 when he was named a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Welsh's wife Cathy (Zappia) is a 1957 Potsdam graduate. The couple had three children. Daughters Mary Kay Wells and Anne-Marie Sales. Son Tim is a 1984 Potsdam graduate as well as an analyst for ESPN and a former Division I coach.
"To say that Coach Welsh is a legend, an icon, doesn't even come close to doing him justice," said Potsdam Director of Athletics Mark Misiak. "Whenever I walk by the gymnasium which bears his name, I'm inspired to be better and do better for our student-athletes and our institution. He took us to the very pinnacle of college athletics, and he did it all with class. Everyone who met Coach Welsh came away saying he was an even better person than a coach, and as a coach, he was the best."
"Coach Welsh was an absolute treasure to both the college and the North County community," said former Welsh assistant and Bears head coach Bill Mitchell. "It's impossible to convey the lasting impact of his life in just a few sentences. From what I witnessed over the years, his most special gift was how he treated anyone and everyone who crossed his path. As simple as this may sound, a quick smile and a few encouraging words from Coach would make anyone feel that much better. He set a daily example of how to help others and live a full and meaningful life. We all lost a great friend. How truly lucky we all were to have him in our lives."