MIDDLETOWN, PA - Veteran area high school coach Mike Gaffey will move to the college level for the 2008-09 season when he takes the reins of Penn State Harrisburg's men's basketball team.

Gaffey, a resident of Annville, joins Penn State Harrisburg after serving as varsity basketball coach at Annville-Cleona High School for the past five seasons.

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.

Before coaching at Annville-Cleona, Gaffey was the varsity basketball coach at Steelton-Highspire High School during the 2001-02 season, Palmyra High School from 1991 to 2001, and Susquenita High School in 1990-91. During his time in the high school ranks, Gaffey coached his teams to a PIAA District 3 Championship, two District Final Four's, five District Elite 8's, three PIAA State Tournament appearances, and two State Sweet 16 appearances. In 2007, he was named the Lancaster-Lebanon League Coach of the Year. Gaffey also won several Sportsmanship Awards while coaching as well.

Gaffey is a dedicated, hard working, role model and expects his team and coaches to carry themselves the same way on and off the court. He believes in a strong transition game, with a motion offense.

Penn State Harrisburg Athletic Director Rahsaan Carlton said "We are extremely excited to bring Mike on board. We know he will bring a lot of energy to the program and represent our institution in the best possible way. He has a ton of connections in regard to local players and coaches and we think that will help us as we continue in our efforts to recruit quality student-athletes."