Sacred Heart’s Mike Gilroy is looking like his Hobey Baker-winning brother

When Sacred Heart head coach C.J. Marottolo watches Mike Gilroy skate, he can’t help but notice similarities to a former Hobey Baker Award winner.

“I don’t think the apple fell too far from the tree,” Marottolo said.

Marottolo is referencing to Matt Gilroy, Mike’s older brother, who was named the country’s top hockey player and won a national championship while at Boston University in 2009.

Mike was just 12 when his brother led the Terriers to a title. Now a sophomore defenseman for the Pioneers, Gilroy is out to make a name of his own.

Gilroy, born in 1996, was one of 10 children Frank and Peggy Ann Gilroy raised in North Bellmore, N.Y. The ninth child in the family, Mike always had something to do in a packed house.

“The household itself was crazy; you’re never bored,” Gilroy said. “You want to go shoot pucks or throw a ball, there’s always someone there who wants to play with you. The whole thing was just a lot of fun. Definitely never a dull moment. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Gilroy’s father played basketball at St. John’s University and was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1981 NBA Draft. Frank, who Mike calls his biggest role model, never pushed his kids into playing sports, but he was an example of determination for his children.

“He’s a spitting image of hard work and dedication,” Gilroy said of his father. “His biggest message is if you work hard, you can make it. He’s obviously a little hard on us, but everything he does is in our best interest.”

What got Gilroy interested in sports were his older brothers. Frank Jr., the oldest sibling, played basketball at Saint Anselm College, and Matt, Timmy and Kevin all participated in youth hockey.

“They were always really involved in sports,” Gilroy said. “I always tried to model myself and take after them, the competitiveness and the athleticism.”

Gilroy started playing hockey when he was 8, though he originally had more interest in lacrosse as a middle schooler. Watching his older brothers excel on the ice ultimately got Gilroy hooked on hockey.

“Seeing the success my brothers had, it really made me gravitate toward hockey and fall in love with it,” Gilroy said.

In 2009, the whole Gilroy family made the five-plus-hour trip from Long Island to Washington, D.C., to watch Matt and Kevin play in the Frozen Four. It was a thrilling victory for the Terriers, as they defeated Miami (Ohio) 4-3 in overtime despite trailing by two goals with a minute left in regulation. Matt assisted on the game-tying goal.

“It solidified in my brain that this is what I want to do, that I wanted to play in college and hopefully play afterwards,” Mike said. “That weekend in a whole definitely solidified it. It was awesome.”

After high school, Gilroy played two seasons with the P.A.L. Junior Islanders of the United States Premier Hockey League. He totaled 50 points on the blue line and captained the team in the 2016-17 season.

When searching for the right collegiate fit for him, Gilroy leaned toward Sacred Heart, a university only an hour and 15 minutes from North Bellmore. The exercise major goes to a strong science school while staying close to his siblings and parents.

Marottolo knew Gilroy had the potential to be a great skater as soon as the head coach met the prospect. Marottolo believes he has a similar skill-set to that of his brothers, including Matt, who now skates for the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the Switzerland National League.

“He’s cut from the same cloth as those guys. He’s got that athletic gene with him,” Marottolo said. “He’s able to clothesarm people with his skating and use his reach to move people out of scoring areas. He’s getting stronger every day and he can really get into people.”

In his freshman year with the Pioneers, Gilroy played just 16 of 39 contests, but Marottolo is a fan of the blueliner’s skating ability and 6-foot-3 frame. On top of that, the head coach calls Gilroy “a wonderful kid.”

“He’s a selfless young man, his teammates love him, the coaching staff loves him, he’s easy to coach,” Marottolo said. “He comes to the rink every day with a smile on his face ready to work. He’s just a complete pleasure to be around.”

Gilroy should have more playing time for the Pioneers with a season under his belt, and he’s excited for a new year in Atlantic Hockey.

“I think we’re going to be a good team this year,” Gilroy said. “We returned a lot of the core. We have a good group of leadership. A lot of the new guys coming in, they’re hungry, they’re ready to go. Everyone’s really excited. There’s a good attitude and drive in the room.”

No matter where Gilroy’s career takes him, he’ll put his family first and foremost. While he was home this offseason, Mike helped his father run the Timmy Gilroy

Memorial Basketball League, a recreational league for neighborhood kids.

The league is named after Mike’s older brother, who died from a bicycle accident at age 8, three years before Mike was born. Frank founded the organization in 1994 and runs pickup basketball in a local church parking lot, mimicking his childhood nights growing up in Queens.

This past summer, more than 2,000 kids ranging from first graders to high school seniors participated in the Timmy League — the biggest year ever. Mike helped run the event every weekday evening with his parents and whatever siblings were in North Bellmore at the time.

“It was crazy. It’s like a full-time job over the summer,” Gilroy said. “We do set-up, we do breakdown, we coach, we referee, we do registration. It’s a full team effort from everyone in the family.”

The Timmy League is a big deal in the North Bellmore community, bringing residents together and putting a smile on the kids’ faces.

“You see the same kids each summer. You watch them grow not only as basketball players but as kids, too,” Gilroy said. “It’s really cool. You form a relationship with the kids and the parents. It’s nice to see them come back every year.”

When he wasn’t coaching or refereeing pickup games in his hometown, Gilroy was working out and preparing for a larger role with the Pioneers. He hopes to play professional hockey one day, just like his brother.

Matt Gilroy, originally a walk-on at Boston University, went on to become a two-time All-American in college. He played six seasons in the NHL for four different teams, totaling 48 points in that span as a defenseman. It took a while for Matt to find his footing at the collegiate level, and Mike is no different. He’ll look to make the most of his role this season in Atlantic Hockey.

“Everybody contributes in their own way,” Marottolo said. “We’re not looking for him to put up points every night. If he can become a really good shutdown defenseman and chip in when he can, that’s a pretty good role for him.”