St. John's University Athletics
Joe Tartamella Named BIG EAST Coach of the Year
3/2/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
After a record-breaking season, Tartamella earns his first BIG EAST Coach of the Year award
NEW YORK— After leading St. John's to a remarkable turnaround in 2022-23, St. John's Women's Basketball Head Coach Joe Tartamella was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year, the conference office announced on Thursday.
This marks the first time three St. John's players and a coach have been recognized in the league's awards since 2011-12, when the Red Storm made a run to the Sweet Sixteen, its best finish in program history.
Tartamella earns the prestigious honor for the first time in his head coaching career after leading St. John's to a 22-7 overall record and a 13-7 mark in BIG EAST play during the 2022-23 regular season.
After winning 20 combined games over the previous two seasons, Tartamella led the team to 22 regular season victories, the highest total of his career and best mark for the program since 2009-10.
The 13 BIG EAST victories matched the school's highest total since 2013-14. After being picked seventh in the conference's preseason poll, the Red Storm finished tied for fourth place in the league standings, marking the sixth time in 11 seasons Tartamella has led his teams to a top-four finish or better.
The increase in win percentage from this year to last ranks ninth in NCAA Division I out 351 teams. St John's has won 75.8 percent of its games this season, up 37.2 percent from its mark in 2021-22.
Tartamella mentored a new-look roster that welcomed five new players, including three transfers that started nearly every game. Under the direction of Tartamella, Pittsburgh transfer and unanimous 2022-23 All-BIG EAST First Team selection Jayla Everett currently holds the highest scoring average of her five-year career. The shooting guard is currently averaging 16.1 points per game, the highest mark for a Red Storm player in their first-year with the team since Tawana Jackson in 1994-95.
The Red Storm got off to its best start in program history, winning its first 13 games and surpassing the previous record of 11-0 set by 2004-05 squad. Another record was shattered on Jan. 25 during a 67-65 win over Butler, as St. John's won its 13 consecutive game inside the friendly confines of Carnesecca Arena. The Johnnies concluded the regular season with a 14-2 mark at their home arena.
On Feb. 21, Tartamella earned highest ranked win of his career at No. 4/5 UConn, 69-64. On a magical night in Hartford, the Red Storm rallied from an eight-point third quarter deficit to shock the 11-time National Champion Huskies at home. The Red Storm is one of three conference opponents to defeat UConn in the last 10 years.
In early December, the Johnnies picked up their first marquee victory over then-No. 13/14 Creighton, 66-62, on Dec. 4. St. John's owns two wins over top-15 teams for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
In a year full of milestones, the head coach earned his 200th career victory with a 73-52 win over Xavier at the Cintas Center. He is one of four active BIG EAST head coaches to boast 200 or more wins at their current school.
In the national landscape, the 11th-year head coach led the Johnnies to their first ranking in both national polls in seven years. On Dec. 19, 2022, St. John's checked in at No. 25 in the Associated Press (AP) poll. The following day, the Red Storm were named the U.S. Basketball Writers' Association National Team of the Week.
The Johnnies enjoyed three weeks ranked in the AP poll for the first time since 2012. Overall, St. John's was ranked or receiving votes in one of the two national polls for nine-consecutive weeks from Dec. 5, 2022- Feb. 7, 2023.
Tartamella is the fourth head coach in the program's history to ever garner the league's top coaching honor. He joins Kim Barnes-Arico (2005-06, 2011-12), Joe Mullaney Jr. (1990-91) and Don Perelli (1982-83) in receiving the award.
Tartamella has spent almost all of his professional career in Queens, starting as a graduate assistant over 20 years ago, rising through the coaching ranks and now owns his first BIG EAST Coach of the Year award.
St. John's now turns its attention to the postseason, as the fourth-seeded Red Storm will face fifth-seeded Marquette on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the BIG EAST Quarterfinal at Mohegan Sun Arena.
2022-23 BIG EAST Awards
Player of the Year
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
Coach of the Year
Joe Tartamella, St. John's
Freshman of the Year
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Defensive Player of the Year
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Most Improved Player
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F
Sportsmanship Award
Graceann Bennett, Georgetown, Sr., F
Sixth-Woman of the Year
Unique Drake, St. John's, Sr., G
All-BIG EAST First Team
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F*
Lou Lopez Senechal, Connecticut, Grad., G/F*
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Jr., G
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Jr., G/F
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul, So., F*
Jordan King, Marquette, Sr., G*
Chloe Marotta, Marquette, Sr., F
Jayla Everett, St. John's, R-Sr., G*
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall, Sr., G*
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Dorka Juhasz, Connecticut, Grad., F
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Darrione Rogers, DePaul, Jr., G
Sidney Cooks, Seton Hall, Grad., F/C
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, So., G
Honorable Mention
Aubrey Griffin, Connecticut, R-Jr., F
Emma Ronsiek, Creighton, Jr. F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Jr., G
Kadaja Bailey, St. John's, R-Sr., G
All-Freshman
Jessica Carrothers, Butler, Fr., G
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Mackenzie Hare, Marquette, Fr., G
Emily La Chapell, Marquette, Fr., G*
Fernanda Ovalle, Xavier, Fr., G
This marks the first time three St. John's players and a coach have been recognized in the league's awards since 2011-12, when the Red Storm made a run to the Sweet Sixteen, its best finish in program history.
Tartamella earns the prestigious honor for the first time in his head coaching career after leading St. John's to a 22-7 overall record and a 13-7 mark in BIG EAST play during the 2022-23 regular season.
After winning 20 combined games over the previous two seasons, Tartamella led the team to 22 regular season victories, the highest total of his career and best mark for the program since 2009-10.
The 13 BIG EAST victories matched the school's highest total since 2013-14. After being picked seventh in the conference's preseason poll, the Red Storm finished tied for fourth place in the league standings, marking the sixth time in 11 seasons Tartamella has led his teams to a top-four finish or better.
The increase in win percentage from this year to last ranks ninth in NCAA Division I out 351 teams. St John's has won 75.8 percent of its games this season, up 37.2 percent from its mark in 2021-22.
Tartamella mentored a new-look roster that welcomed five new players, including three transfers that started nearly every game. Under the direction of Tartamella, Pittsburgh transfer and unanimous 2022-23 All-BIG EAST First Team selection Jayla Everett currently holds the highest scoring average of her five-year career. The shooting guard is currently averaging 16.1 points per game, the highest mark for a Red Storm player in their first-year with the team since Tawana Jackson in 1994-95.
The Red Storm got off to its best start in program history, winning its first 13 games and surpassing the previous record of 11-0 set by 2004-05 squad. Another record was shattered on Jan. 25 during a 67-65 win over Butler, as St. John's won its 13 consecutive game inside the friendly confines of Carnesecca Arena. The Johnnies concluded the regular season with a 14-2 mark at their home arena.
On Feb. 21, Tartamella earned highest ranked win of his career at No. 4/5 UConn, 69-64. On a magical night in Hartford, the Red Storm rallied from an eight-point third quarter deficit to shock the 11-time National Champion Huskies at home. The Red Storm is one of three conference opponents to defeat UConn in the last 10 years.
In early December, the Johnnies picked up their first marquee victory over then-No. 13/14 Creighton, 66-62, on Dec. 4. St. John's owns two wins over top-15 teams for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
In a year full of milestones, the head coach earned his 200th career victory with a 73-52 win over Xavier at the Cintas Center. He is one of four active BIG EAST head coaches to boast 200 or more wins at their current school.
In the national landscape, the 11th-year head coach led the Johnnies to their first ranking in both national polls in seven years. On Dec. 19, 2022, St. John's checked in at No. 25 in the Associated Press (AP) poll. The following day, the Red Storm were named the U.S. Basketball Writers' Association National Team of the Week.
The Johnnies enjoyed three weeks ranked in the AP poll for the first time since 2012. Overall, St. John's was ranked or receiving votes in one of the two national polls for nine-consecutive weeks from Dec. 5, 2022- Feb. 7, 2023.
Tartamella is the fourth head coach in the program's history to ever garner the league's top coaching honor. He joins Kim Barnes-Arico (2005-06, 2011-12), Joe Mullaney Jr. (1990-91) and Don Perelli (1982-83) in receiving the award.
Tartamella has spent almost all of his professional career in Queens, starting as a graduate assistant over 20 years ago, rising through the coaching ranks and now owns his first BIG EAST Coach of the Year award.
St. John's now turns its attention to the postseason, as the fourth-seeded Red Storm will face fifth-seeded Marquette on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the BIG EAST Quarterfinal at Mohegan Sun Arena.
2022-23 BIG EAST Awards
Player of the Year
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
Coach of the Year
Joe Tartamella, St. John's
Freshman of the Year
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Defensive Player of the Year
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Most Improved Player
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F
Sportsmanship Award
Graceann Bennett, Georgetown, Sr., F
Sixth-Woman of the Year
Unique Drake, St. John's, Sr., G
All-BIG EAST First Team
Aaliyah Edwards, Connecticut, Jr., F*
Lou Lopez Senechal, Connecticut, Grad., G/F*
Lauren Jensen, Creighton, Jr., G
Morgan Maly, Creighton, Jr., G/F
Aneesah Morrow, DePaul, So., F*
Jordan King, Marquette, Sr., G*
Chloe Marotta, Marquette, Sr., F
Jayla Everett, St. John's, R-Sr., G*
Lauren Park-Lane, Seton Hall, Sr., G*
Maddy Siegrist Villanova, Sr., F*
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Dorka Juhasz, Connecticut, Grad., F
Nika Muhl, Connecticut, Jr., G
Darrione Rogers, DePaul, Jr., G
Sidney Cooks, Seton Hall, Grad., F/C
Lucy Olsen, Villanova, So., G
Honorable Mention
Aubrey Griffin, Connecticut, R-Jr., F
Emma Ronsiek, Creighton, Jr. F
Kelsey Ransom, Georgetown, Jr., G
Kadaja Bailey, St. John's, R-Sr., G
All-Freshman
Jessica Carrothers, Butler, Fr., G
Kennedy Fauntleroy, Georgetown, Fr., G*
Mackenzie Hare, Marquette, Fr., G
Emily La Chapell, Marquette, Fr., G*
Fernanda Ovalle, Xavier, Fr., G
Players Mentioned
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