Joe Rutigliano - Staff Directory

Joe Rutigliano

Title:
Assistant Coach & Chief Strategist
Email:

Joe Rutigliano returned to the St. John’s women’s basketball program in May 2025, beginning his second stint in Queens as Assistant Coach and Chief Strategist.

In his new role, Rutigliano will serve as an assistant coach and chief strategist will be tasked with player development, scouting, recruiting, NIL management and much more.

Entering the 2026-27 campaign, Rutigliano will look to build on a successful first season back with the Red Storm, which saw the Johnnies post 22 wins and earn a postseason WBIT berth. St. John’s welcomes back five players from last year’s squad, highlighted by 2026-27 Preseason All-BIG EAST selections Brooke Moore and Sa’Mya Wyatt.

During the 2025-26 season, Rutigliano played an instrumental role in the development of several Red Storm standouts, including Wyatt, who earned All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention recognition following an impressive first season in Queens. The sophomore forward started all 34 contests, averaging 10.9 points per game while shooting 50.7% from the field and 75.6% from the free-throw line.

Prior to his return, Rutigliano spent three seasons on the St. John’s staff from 2021-24, serving as an assistant coach during his final two years. He rejoined the Johnnies following a season as the lead assistant coach at New Hampshire. With additional coaching stops at Louisville, Cornell and Saint Francis, Rutigliano brings eight years of Division I women’s basketball experience to the Red Storm bench.

While at UNH under first-year Head Coach Megan Shoniker, Rutigliano helped guide the Wildcats to their first double-digit win season in five years. He played a major in developing the offensive scheme and mentoring America East Newcomer of the Year and First Team selection Eva DeChent. The sophomore led the league averaging 17.9 points per game including 10 contests with 20 points or more.

Rutigliano spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Red Storm from 2022-24 as the Johnnies made a pair of postseason appearances in that span, including a victory in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. As a member of Tartamella's staff, he primarily worked with the post players a unit that two forwards rank top-eight in the BIG EAST in rebounding in Jillian Archer and Rayven Peeples in 2022-23. The following season, Archer set the new single-season program record for field goal percentage shooting 59.8 percent from the floor.

Prior to his arrival in Queens, Rutigliano spent on season at Louisville as the Assistant Video Coordinator. During his time with the Cardinals he assisted in all aspects of the program including film breakdown and scouting reports.

Before his stop in Kentucky, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Cornell in 2019-20. During his time with the Big Red, Rutigliano assisted in coaching many successful student-athletes, including All-Ivy League Honorable Mention Laura Bagwell-Katalinich.

He began his coaching career at Saint Francis in Pennsylvania as a graduate assistant from 2017-19, where the Red Flash posted a 40-27 record during his tenure and qualified for the 2018 NCAA Tournament. He received his master's degree in sports manager from Saint Francis in 2019.

Rutigliano is a native of Geneseo, N.Y. and graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications from Canisius University in 2015. He and his wife Lena reside in Queens, N.Y.