Overview

• 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.