Cragg out as St
-
Jeff Borzello, ESPN Personnel WriterJun 17, 2024, 04:38 PM ET
Close
- Basketball recruiting expert.
- Signed up with ESPN in 2014.
- Graduate of University of Delaware.St.
John’s and athletic director Mike Cragg are parting ways after six years, the school revealed Monday.Cragg’s period will end June 30.”It has actually been an honor to lead the
athletic department at St. John’s University,” Cragg said. “I am proud of what we have actually accomplished together and am confident that the department is in a strong position for ongoing success.” As I bid farewell to St. John’s, I extend my thankfulness to our passionate fans and faithful alumni whose assistance has actually been the bedrock of our community. I am exceptionally appreciative for the dedicated and amazing staff of administrators and coaches whose dedication has actually moved us forward. Most significantly, I commemorate our remarkable student-athletes, whose hard work and spirit have been a continuous source of inspiration. Together, we have achieved great things, and I will forever cherish our shared journey. “Cragg took control of in 2018 after more than thirty years at Duke, where he worked closely with Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils basketball program. During his six years in charge in New York City, St. John’s won six Big East champions as well as a pair of individual national championships in fencing.The school’s athletic programs also returned to Nike in 2019 after being equipped by Under Armour for six years.Cragg’s most significant moves can be found in the men’s basketball program, where he managed two considerable coaching changes. Red Storm legend and Hall of Famer Chris Mullin resigned as the group’s head coach in 2019, with Cragg turning to Mike Anderson as his replacement. After Anderson went 4 years without an NCAA competition appearance, Cragg fired him after the 2022-23 season.That opened a course for St. John’s to pursue Hall of Famer Rick Pitino, a New york city native and somebody the fanbase had actually desired given that the 1980s. He was quickly hired, and the Red Storm directly missed the NCAA competition in his first season.St. John’s stated it will carry out a national search for Cragg’s replacement, although one name sources anticipate to be included is Fordham athletic director Ed Kull, who earned his MBA from St. John’s and worked in the athletic department there for several years.