Joseph Niland (1917-2007)
Teams coached: Gannon Knights, Canisius Golden Griffins
Gannon record^: 8-14 (.364)
Canisius record: 72-53 (.576)
Overall record^: 80-67 (.544)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- Western NY3 Regular Season Champion: 2 (1950, 1952)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 1948-1953 | Canisius |
| 1947-1948 | Gannon |
Joseph Niland Facts
- Joseph Patrick Niland
- Born October 24, 1917
- Died February 18, 2007
- Hometown: Tonawanda, New York
- Alma Mater: Canisius College (BA, 1942)
- The NY-native was a three-time captain at Canisius and earned All-American honors as a senior in 1942
- Inducted into the Canisius Sports HOF in 1964 and the Greater Buffalo Sports HOF in 2001
- After graduation, Niland served during World War II in the US Army’s 20th Armored Division
- Upon his return to the States, Niland became the head basketball coach at Gannon University in Erie, PA
- The program was not NCAA affiliated at the time; Niland went 8-14 in one season with the Knights
- Returned to his alma mater, Canisius, in 1948 and led the Griffins for the next five seasons
- Went 72-53 overall and won two Western NY3 regular season titles as head coach
- His sons, Joseph Jr. and David, both went into college coaching; he was an uncle to long-time collegiate head coach John Beilein and a great-uncle to John’s son, Patrick Beilein
Joseph Niland Coaching Tree
- Bob MacKinnon (New Jersey Nets, Spirits of St. Louis, Canisius)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA and Non-NCAA collegiate levels
