PURCHASE, N.Y. -- The Manhattanville University Department of Athletics and Recreation and Associate Vice President of Athletics and Recreation Julene Caulfield has announced the hiring of Jon Merceus as head coach for the Manhattanville University men's basketball team.

Merceus joins the Valiants after a stellar six-season run as assistant coach at Division II Pace University, where he helped lead the Setters to 117 wins. Working on Head Coach Matt Healing's staff from 2018 to 2025, Merceus helped the Setters to three NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022, 2023 and 2025 and a Northeast-10 Conference Regular Season Championship in 2023.

In most recent success, Merceus helped Pace cap off one of its more historic seasons in program history in 2024-2025, finishing off the year with a 24-8 record. The Setters got off to an undefeated 13-0 start and were nationally ranked for 14 straight weeks, reaching as high as #7 in the NABC Men's Basketball Coaches Poll.

"I am extremely excited and thankful for this opportunity to take over a program at a University like Manhattanville," Merceus said. "I've gained so much experience and knowledge over the years under Head Coach Matt Healing as an assistant at Pace University and I'm ready to apply all the aspects I've learned and more on what it takes to build a successful program!"

Merceus and the Setters gained widespread attention in 2023 when Pace defeated Division I St. John's 63-59 in a scrimmage contest in Rick Pitino's debut as the Red Storm's new head coach.

In addition to gameday coaching responsibilities, Merceus helped develop 13 different players to All-NE10 Conference status during his tenure with the Setters, five of whom were named to the First Team. Merceus also worked with four All-NE10 Defensive Team selections, two All-Metropolitan Player of the Year Award winners, one NE10 Player of the Year, and one NCAA Division II All-American. In the classroom, the Setters earned the NE10's Team Academic Excellence Award for holding the highest GPA in the conference and earned the Academic Excellence Award from the NABC Honors Court all six years with Merceus on the staff.

Prior to coaching, Merceus was a standout on the Setters' roster himself, playing for Pace from 2010 to 2014. A two year captain for the Setters, Merceus scored 1,175 points and totaled 705 rebounds for his career. Merceus was an All-NE10 Conference honoree in his senior season in 2013-14 while also being named to the All-Met Second Team that same year. Merceus was also a member of Pace University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Captains Committee from 2012 to 2014.

"After my first time entering and driving through such a beautiful Manhattanville campus and receiving a warm welcome from staff and administration, I knew right away that this was the place for me," Merceus said. "The previous head coach Chris Alesi did an awesome job during his tenure with some great seasons to show for it, so after a down year last season I have no doubt in my mind that we can get this thing back up and running! Valiant Nation, let's get to work!"

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