Rick Pitino Leads St. John’s to NCAA Tournament Second Round in Historic Season

The Hall of Fame coach has revitalized St. John’s basketball, achieving a 30-4 record, Big East titles, and national recognition in just his second season.

Rick Pitino has become the first coach in NCAA history to lead six different schools to the NCAA Tournament, marking a historic milestone in his career.
St. John’s earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance in six years as a No. 2 seed, defeating Omaha in the first round to advance to face Arkansas.
Pitino was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s national coach of the year, receiving the prestigious Henry Iba Award.
Leveraging the transfer portal and NIL opportunities, Pitino brought in a top-rated transfer class and built a team ranked No. 1 nationally in defensive efficiency.
Pitino’s career resurgence at St. John’s has drawn praise from coaching legends like Jim Boeheim, who called him the best at developing players and turning programs around.