Biography
PRE-BHSU
Gallagher joins Yellow Jackets as a redshirt sophomore following two seasons at perennial NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State University. Recruited to Maryville by Ben McCollum, the 2025 recipient of the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year award for the top first-time head coach in NCAA Division I men's basketball, Gallagher redshirted the 2023-24 season before playing in 24 games and making five starts in 2024-25. In an average of 17.8 minutes per game he provided 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game for the Bearcats this past season, while shooting the ball 39.8 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the free throw line. He reached double figures on four occasions, scoring a career-high of 12 points twice against Rogers State and UCCS. Additionally, in the battle against the Mountain Lions he knocked down a career-high four 3-pointers and grabbed a career-best five rebounds. In one other outing against Southwest Minnesota State, he was able to match his five board output. Prior to making the trip to The Show-Me State, the Dyersville, Iowa, native became just the fourth player in Beckman Catholic High School history to eclipse 1,000 career points as he scored all but two of his 1,320 career points in three seasons to rank second in Trailblazer history. His final time playing in the green and gold was as a part of the 2023 IBCA Pizza Ranch All-Star Game as a part of the Northeast team and earning all-tournament recognition. He closed his prep career as the 2023 Class 2A Player of the Year by the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association and the 2023 Dubuque Telegraph-Herald Player of the Year after averaging 22.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting the ball 52 percent from the field, 44 percent from 3-point range, and 88 percent from the free throw line. The stellar senior campaign helped lift the Trailblazers to their first outright league title in school history, winning the River Valley North. It was his second consecutive year of averaging 20 or more points as he averaged 20.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 51 percent from the field, 42 percent from beyond the arc, and 86 percent from the charity stripe as a junior. He helped lead Beckman Catholic to their first IHSAA Class 2A State Tournament appearance in 14 years as a sophomore in 2021, averaging 13.6 points and 5.5 rebounds on 50 percent shooting from the field, 43 percent shooting from 3-point range, and 75 percent shooting from the free throw line. Gallagher was the first-ever 3-time all-state selection in BCHS history, earning First Team All-State honors in 2023 after being named Second Team All-State in 2021 and 2022 by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association. Along with being named the 2022 WaMac Player of the Year, he was also a 2-time unanimous first team all-conference selection, earning the honors in the RVC North in 2023 and WaMac in 2022, he also earned second team all-conference honors in the WaMac in 2021. Gallagher twice was named to all-substate teams, earning IBCA All-Substate 4 honors in 2023 and All-Substate 5 honors in 2022. Lastly, adding to his stacked prep resume, he collected First Team All-Area recognition by the Telegraph-Herald in 2022 and was Second Team All-Area in 2021. In addition to holding the single season school record of 78 made 3-pointers in 2022-23, he also holds the BCHS single game records for points and 3-pointers in a game, pouring in 45 points on 15-of-20 shooting from the field and 8-of-9 from beyond the arc against Wilton on January 30, 2023. He also played on the AAU circuit for the Martin Brothers program. Padraig is the son of John and Beth Gallagher, and has five siblings, Mary, Erin, Shannon, Colleen, and Katie. His sister Colleen played collegiate soccer at the NCAA Division I level at the University of Northern Iowa.
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