Joe Pawlak was named Villa Maria College Head Women's Basketball Coach in the summer of 2026.
Pawlak has nearly two decades of basketball coaching experience with both men's and women's teams.
He spent six seasons at Medaille University in various roles, including Head JV Coach, Assistant Varsity Coach, Director of Operations, and Team Manager. In the latter role, he received the Men's Basketball Team's First Award for managerial excellence.
During his final season at Medaille, Pawlak served as both Men's Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach and Men's JV Basketball Head Coach while completing his Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership.
Pawlak comes to Villa after spending last season at Oakfield-Alabama High School as the Women's Varsity Basketball Team's Assistant, helping the Hornets win the 2026 Genesee Region League Championship.
Prior to Oakfield-Alabama, Pawlak served as the Men's Varsity Basketball Head Coach at the Royalton-Hartland Central School District, earning numerous accolades, including the Niagara-Orleans League Championship, Section Champion Runner-Up, and the Niagara-Orleans Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Coach of the Year.
Pawlak has served as a basketball instructor at numerous camps and clinics at collegiate venues, including Niagara University, Daemen University, Canisius University, Medaille University, and Buffalo State University.
In addition to BCANY, Pawlak is affiliated with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the National High School Basketball Coaches Association (NHSBCA), and is licensed by USA Basketball (USAB) as a Gold-level Coach.
Pawlak and his wife, Gabriella, live in Medina with their three children, Michael, Julian, and Noah.
