When it comes time for looking for Basketball Coaches, a program makes sure that they find someone who can guide their student-athletes, connect with them in a way that can ensure their success both on and off the court and leave a legacy within that program.
St. John’s University was able to find just that by naming Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Pitino as the head coach of the Men’s Basketball Team. Pitino has been able to coach two national championship teams, in addition to taking three different programs to the Final Four.
Brining in a stellar reputation in 35 seasons as a Coach, Pitino has been able to bring excellence both on and off the court. Also Pitino cares about the student-athletes and their success as he has been able to dedicate his career to the success of those on his roster.
Holding a 834-293 career coaching record, Pitino has been able to make 23 NCAA tournament appearances with five different schools, while also advancing to the Final Four seven times.
Pitino, who is no stranger to making history is the first coach to take three different schools to the Final Four and the first coach to win an NCAA Championship with two different schools. The Coach has a 54-21 record in the NCAA, which is the third-highest winning percentage in the NCAA Tournament games (.720) among active coaches.
Most recently Pitino has been able to lead Iona university to three-straight post season appearances, along with two trips to the NCAA Tournament. Rick was also at the helm of the great University of Louisville team (2001-2017) that won the 2013 NCAA Championship, the University of Kentucky (1989-1997, winning the 1996 NCAA Championship), along with helping to lead many other programs to the Big Dance.
Pitino who is a native of New York City and was the team captain at St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay in Long Island was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2013, for his many achievements on the basketball court.
To be able to learn more about the St. John’s Athletics Department fans are encouraged o click on the link seen here: