Rick Pitino has signed a new deal st johnsThe school confirmed it Sunday, signaling a parallel renaissance in the coach’s career amid a once-moribund program and a journey back to the top of the game.
The deal includes an additional year through the 2029-30 season and a significant pay raise to make the 73-year-old Pitino the Big East’s second-highest-paid coach, sources told ESPN. YukonDan Hurley.
“We are thrilled that Coach Pitino has signed a new agreement to remain at St. John’s, an agreement that will keep him in Queens through the end of the decade,” athletic director Ed Kull said in a statement. “This extension reflects our strong confidence in his leadership, vision and commitment to our student-athletes.
“Coach Pitino has transformed the culture of our community and we want his presence to be felt on this campus for years to come. We look forward to more Big East championships and NCAA Tournament appearances under Coach Pitino’s leadership.”
The Red Storm, making their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999, are the fourth program Pitino has taken to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. St. John’s lost ruler On Friday, it was only the second loss in 14 trips to the Sweet 16 for Pitino — and only the second loss in his final 23 games for the Red Storm this season.
The new deal comes in the wake of St. John’s historic back-to-back seasons, becoming the first program in Big East history to win both the regular season and the Big East Tournament in consecutive years.
Pitino is in his third year at St. John’s, where he has an 81–25 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances. St. John’s has won 20 or more games in all three of Pitino’s seasons and 30 or more games in each of the last two.
The return of St. John’s has made the program relevant in New York. The Johnnies have regularly played in front of sold-out Madison Square Garden and brought an energy to the program that had not been felt in almost a generation.
All this in the wake of Pitino rebuilding his career following his firing louisville Following a federal investigation into college basketball in October 2017. He coached professionally before returning to Greece Iona in 2020–21 and led the Gaels to two NCAA appearances in three seasons.
The commitment to St. John’s is significant, as it shows confidence in Pitino and continued investment in the program. St. John’s victory under Pitino demonstrated the importance of revenue share and investment in the void to secure a top roster.
St. John’s finished 30–7 this season and were ranked 5th in the nation.
