Iona officials have released a statement of the resignation of Rick Pitino, who has become the new head basketball coach at St. John’s:

Iona University Director of Athletics Matthew Glovaski announced the resignation of men’s basketball head coach Rick Pitino to accept a position at another institution. Pitino completed his third season in New Rochelle, leading the Gaels to a 64-22 overall record, 40-9 in MAAC play with two regular season championships, two tournament championships and two NCAA tournament appearances.
 
“Coach Pitino was with Iona during a pivotal time in our history, and we were glad to be with him during a critical point in his career,” said Glovaski. “Iona’s basketball program has a long history of success before his arrival, and the recent momentum as a growing University sets us up to elevate even further in the next chapter ahead. Our search for a new head coach is well underway and we expect to move quickly. We wish Coach all the best in his next step.”
 
“We set out on a mission to elevate the Iona experience and hiring Rick Pitino was part of that strategy – which has proven to be successful,” said Diana Costello, Iona University spokesperson. “Coach Pitino not only helped us champion new athletic facilities, but importantly, he also elevated our basketball program both on and off the court. Coach Pitino also brought national attention to Iona at a critical time as we transitioned to a University and expanded our footprint to a new campus in Bronxville. As the New York metropolitan area’s winningest basketball program over the last quarter century, Iona has a long tradition of success on the court, and we look forward to the next chapter ahead. We wish Coach nothing but the best and thank him for his time here.”