St. John’s Director of Athletics Chris Monasch announced that Joe Tartamella- whose nine-year coaching tenure as an assistant at St. John’s included four NCAA Tournament appearances – will be the eighth head women’s basketball coach in St. John’s University’s 38-year program history.

Regarded as one of the top up-and-coming mentors in women’s basketball, Tartamella’s coaching career has been forged over a nine-year tenure assisting St. John’s all-time winningest coach Kim Barnes Arico(2003-12). Beginning as a Red Storm graduate assistant in 2002, Tartamella worked his way through the ranks and served as Barnes Arico’s associate head coach since 2008. He has been an integral part of a staff that has been to four NCAA Tournaments, with an undefeated record in the First Round, including St. John’s run to its first-ever NCAA Sweet 16 in 2012. As a program, St. John’s has been to the NCAA Tournament seven times, four with Tartamella on staff.

The official press conference was held this morning.