St. John's University Athletics
Getting To Know...Coach Persico
5/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
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QUEENS, N.Y. - If you haven't had the distinct pleasure of meeting Joanne Persico, then you are missing out.
Persico is the definition of a renaissance woman as she is involved in several activities and organizations outside of serving as St. John's head volleyball coach. She sits on the Board of Trustees for her high school alma mater (St. Francis Prep) and has served as the President of the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) for Brooklyn and Queens. Persico still plays volleyball competitively and will participate at the 2016 USA Volleyball Open National Championships from May 27 - June 1 in Orlando, Fla.
Before embarking on a remarkable coaching career that has expanded for more than 20 years, the Queens-bred head coach earned a dual degree in only three years from Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications and the Maxwell School of Business in 1987, while lettering three years on the Orange's volleyball team.
Persico was one of the first New York City volleyball players to receive a scholarship at SU and capped her outstanding career with an induction into the Orange Plus Hall of Fame in 1988. The former setter was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and team MVP following her senior campaign in 1986. Persico has since obtained her M.B.A. from St. John's in 1991, holds her professional diploma and is currently a doctoral candidate in instructional leadership at SJU. Persico was also selected as an inaugural member of the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) Hall of Fame in 1991 and in 2004 she was inducted into both the New York State Hall of Fame and the St. Francis Prep High School Hall of Fame.
The coach's high academic standards have made a consistent impact on all of her Red Storm squads. Dating back to the team's inception in 1994, the squad has held a grade point average of 3.0 or higher every year.
On the court, Persico has demonstrated how to build a team and bring it to national prominence. She has led the Red Storm to three BIG EAST Conference regular season titles (2006-08) and added its first-ever BIG EAST Conference Tournament Title in 2007. She is the BIG EAST Conference's active leader in wins with 424 and has a winning percentage of .598.
Under Persico, the Red Storm celebrated its most decorated season in 2007, as the squad finished a program-best 33-4, made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament Round of 16, and finished the season with a national ranking of No. 13 in the AVCA Top 25 Coaches' Poll.
Click here to watch Persico's interview with SJU-TV.
