Newly minted St. John’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mike Anderson has announced the additions of Will Bartlett and Chris Huey to his staff in Queens. A member of Anderson’s staffs at Arkansas and Missouri, Bartlett brings nearly a decade of high major Division I experience to his role as the Red Storm’s director of player development. Huey will return as the Johnnies’ director of basketball operations, a position to which he was appointed prior to the start of the 2018-19 campaign after serving as a graduate assistant for two years.
In his role as the director of player development at St. John’s, Bartlett will serve as the chief of staff for the head coach and provide day-to-day administrative support within the men’s basketball program. He will serve as the program’s liaison for athletic administrative areas as well as with community service. Bartlett will also oversee the academic progress of basketball student-athletes and coordinate off-the-court player responsibilities. In addition, Bartlett will be involved in team travel and video operations and analysis.
“Will is a tireless worker who has been a valuable member of my staff for many years, so we are excited for him to be part of this next chapter at St. John’s,” said Anderson. “Will has a natural ability to connect with players and serve as a mentor. His diligence and organizational skills will be vital in contributing to an environment where our team can be successful.”
Bartlett signed on to join Anderson’s staff at Arkansas in the summer of 2011 and played a key role in elevating the Razorbacks to national prominence over his eight seasons in Fayetteville. He was promoted to the role of Special Assistant to the Head Coach for his final season at Arkansas. Prior to that, he served as the program’s coordinator of basketball operations from 2011-13 and the team’s video coordinator from 2013-18.
During Bartlett’s time at Arkansas, the Razorbacks made five postseason appearances, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Bartlett helped guide Arkansas to the postseason five times in the last six years and turn in four efforts of 20-plus wins. The Razorbacks’ high-water mark with Bartlett on staff came when the 2014-15 team, led by eventual First Round NBA Draft Pick Bobby Portis, won 27 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“I am thrilled to join the St. John’s family and have this opportunity to continue working with Coach Anderson,” said Bartlett. “St. John’s has such a rich basketball tradition and it is an iconic BIG EAST program, so it is a dream come true to help shape the future of this program. I admire Coach Anderson’s vision and share his passion to positively impact the young men who will represent St. John’s.”
Anderson has counted on Bartlett as a member of his staff since his first season at Missouri, where Bartlett was a four-year student manager before being retained as a graduate assistant. As a graduate assistant with the Tigers, Bartlett coordinated film exchange, organized the video editing process, assisted with scouting reports, oversaw the recruiting database and helped organize summer camps.
As the head student manager at Missouri, Bartlett helped coordinate visiting team practices, supervised summer camps, set up a training program for new managers and assisted with player workouts.
A native of Macomb, Ill., Bartlett and his wife Ashton were married in June 2016.
Huey, who recently wrapped up his third season with the program in 2018-19, will maintain his position as the director of basketball operations on Anderson’s staff. In this capacity, Huey will provide administrative support for the program and assist in organizing on-campus recruiting activities. His responsibilities also include coordinating travel, managing gameday operations and maintaining the team’s calendar.
“Chris is committed to the St. John’s basketball program and has first-hand knowledge about what it takes for our team to be successful,” said Anderson. “He has a tremendous work ethic and an unmatched knowledge of our institution. He is also familiar with New York City and the BIG EAST Conference, so I believe Chris will strengthen our program in a variety of areas.”
Prior to assuming his current role, Huey served two years as a graduate assistant with the program. In this capacity, Huey played a key role in the program’s video operations while providing statistical analysis and assisting the staff in the preparation of scouting reports.
“I am very grateful to have the opportunity to stay on staff and work for Coach Anderson,” said Huey. “Coach Anderson has great energy that people in New York will love and enjoy. I am excited about the direction our program is headed and look forward to being part of it.”
Before arriving in Queens, Huey spent a year on the West Coast as the video coordinator at Santa Clara under Head Coach Kerry Keating.
A 2014 graduate of the University of Kansas, Huey spent several seasons assisting the staff of Hall of Fame Coach Bill Self, first as a student manager and later as a video intern. He was part of three Big 12 regular-season championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances with the Jayhawks, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2013. On Feb. 21, 2015, he became the first manager of the Self Era to suit up for a game, playing the final 35 seconds of an 81-72 victory over TCU at Allen Fieldhouse.
A Kansas City, Kan., native, Huey and his wife Allison were married in September 2018.
St. John’s Administrative Basketball Staff Update
