To replace the winningest football coach in school history, St. Joe's will promote from

within.

Longtime JV coach and varsity assistant Dennis Gilbert will be announced as the next coach

at St. Joe's on Monday, The Buffalo News has learned.

Gilbert, a 1984 graduate of the Kenmore Avenue school, follows Bob O'Connor, who stepped

down as football coach last November after a 29-year career that included 169 wins and 13

league championships.

Gilbert, who was chosen from a field of 15 candidates, was part of those victories as an

assistant and a player.

He was a sophomore defensive back for the Marauders in 1981 when O'Connor was named head

coach. After a senior season in which Gilbert earned All-Catholic honors as a

quarterback/cornerback, he was hired by O'Connor to fill the junior varsity team's head

coaching vacancy.

Gilbert would go on to win 16 Monsignor Martin JV titles in 20 years. At the 1996 Western

New York High School Football Awards banquet run by Dick Gallagher, Gilbert was named the

Frank A. Constantino JV Coach of the Year. He was elected into the St. Joe's Sports Hall of

Fame in 2002.

Gilbert served as the head coach at St. Mary's in 2007. The Lancers went 8-3 that season,

losing twice — including in the Monsignor Martin League A championship game — to a

Cardinal O'Hara squad which finished the season as a unanimous No. 1 in the small school poll

and featured Buffalo News co-Players of the Year Reggie Garner and Jackie Feggans.

Gilbert returned to St. Joe's and served as JV head coach and varsity assistant the Last

two seasons.

Gilbert is a Canisius College graduate and City of Buffalo police officer. His father,

Richard, and three brothers also graduated from St. Joe's.

St. Joe's finished 6-5 in the final season for 1965 alum O'Connor, losing to Canisius in

the Monsignor Martin League AA championship game at Ralph Wilson Stadium.