Head Coach Joe Tartamella and the St. John’s women’s basketball team officially announced on Monday that veteran assistant coach Jonath Nicholas has been elevated to the Red Storm’s associate head coach.
“I would like to thank Coach Tartamella and the administration for believing in me,” Coach Nicholas said. “I have had some very memorable seasons over my time at St. John’s and I am very thankful for the promotion and for being a part of the St. John’s family. It is always great when your hard work pays off.”
Nicholas brings more than 30 years of coaching experience to the St. John’s women’s basketball program. He served as assistant coach with the Red Storm from 2004-08 and again from 2012 until now. Over his time with the Johnnies, Nicholas has contributed to 173 program victories.
The Brooklyn native has been part of nine postseason runs with St. John’s. Most recently coming off a historic 2017-18 season that saw the Johnnies reach the quarterfinal round of the WNIT for the first time in program history.
During Nicholas time with the organization, the Red Storm has earned four NCAA (2006, 2013, 2014, and 2016) invitations and five trips to the WNIT (2005, 2008, 2015, 2017, and 2018). In addition, Nicholas has helped lift the Johnnies to six 20-win seasons.
Over his second term with St. John’s (2012-present), Nicholas helped guide the Johnnies to great success under the helm of head coach Tartamella. This includes three trips to the NCAA tournament in just six seasons (2013, 2014 and 2016).
“It is with great pleasure that we announce that Jonath has been elevated to Associate Head Coach,” Coach Tartamella said. “He has meant a great deal to our program and my family. There is no one more deserving of this position. His efforts have played a large part of our success and his impact will continue in his new role.”
Nicholas made a notable return to the Red Storm in 2012, helping guide the team to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. The Brooklyn native contributed to the squads stellar 2013-14 campaign that saw the team finish with a 23-11 overall record, advancing the second round of the NCAA tournament for the sixth time in program history.
In 2016, Nicholas helped the Johnnies capture their first BIG EAST Championship since the 1988 team with a 50-37 triumph over Creighton. The victory gave St. John’s their third NCAA appearance in four seasons.
Over his time with the Red Storm, Nicholas has played an instrumental role in recruiting some of St. John’s most talented players. Upon his return to St. John’s in 2012, Nicholas immediately made an impact to the team in recruiting former St. John’s standout, Danaejah Grant. The Piscataway, N.J., native was one of four players in program history to be drafted in the WNBA.
In his first stint with the Johnnies (2004-08), Nicholas recruited one of the most-decorated Red Storm student-athletes in program history, Da’Shena Stevens. The former St. John’s forward garnered a collection of accolades during her four-year term including BIG EAST Freshman of the year and BIG EAST Scholar Athlete of the Year.
Over his duration with the program, Nicholas has helped 17 different players garner postseason BIG EAST awards. At the close of the team’s most recent campaign, Nicholas saw two of his recruits garner conference honors. Qadashah Hoppie was named BIG EAST Freshman of the year, while both Hoppie and Tiana England received unanimous selection to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
Between his first and second term with St. John’s, Nicholas spent four years at Providence, first as an assistant coach before being named to associate head coach in 2010. Prior to his time with the BIG EAST, Nicholas spent two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama-Birmingham along with serving as Associate Head Coach at Southwestern Community College in San Diego, Calif. from 1988-99.
Photo Courtesy St. John’s Athletics
http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/061118aaa.html
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