Head Coach Mike Anderson announced Friday the addition of Greg Vetrone to the St. John’s men’s basketball program. A Queens native with over 35 years of experience in all facets of the game, Vetrone will serve as an assistant coach on the Red Storm staff after spending the past seven seasons at Rutgers.
“Greg is a great addition to our staff here at St. John’s,” said Anderson. “His experience, knowledge of the game and recruiting network will be important for our basketball program. We are excited to welcome Greg back to Queens and to our St. John’s family.”
Vetrone’s resume features two decades of coaching experience in the Division I ranks, including four seasons as head coach at Fairleigh Dickinson. The veteran coach joined the Rutgers staff in 2014, spending his first two years as an assistant coach before assuming the role of director of player development for the past five seasons. Vetrone was part of a staff that helped elevate Rutgers to new heights, culminating in the Scarlet Knights’ first NCAA Tournament trip in 30 years this past season.
“This is an incredible opportunity to be part of the St. John’s basketball program, which has always been a special part of life,” said Vetrone. “Throughout my career, I have always admired Coach Anderson, the success of his teams and his style of play. It is an absolute honor to join his coaching staff and work alongside TJ Cleveland, Van Macon and all of the quality people associated with this program.”
Prior to Rutgers, Vetrone was a player development consultant with the Canarias Basketball Academy in Spain for the 2013-14 season. Vetrone served as a mentor to student-athletes during his time at CBA, which is regarded as one of the elite basketball academies outside the United States that has produced top Division I talent.
Vetrone was named the sixth head coach in program history at Fairleigh Dickinson on March 9, 2010 after serving one season as the Knights’ interim head coach. In 2009-10, Vetrone guided Fairleigh Dickinson to a winning record in Northeast Conference play and to the program’s first postseason berth in three seasons.
Vetrone began his coaching career 1985 as an assistant at his alma mater, LIU-CW Post, where he was the program’s chief recruiter while organizing workouts and in-season practice sessions. After his four-year stint at LIU-CW Post, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Fairleigh Dickinson from 1989-91 before holding the same role at the University of California, Irvine from 1991-95.
From 1995-99, Vetrone was an assistant coach at UNLV, where he was responsible for scouting, recruiting and game strategy. He was part of a staff that helped guide the Rebels to the Mountain West Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament in 1998, while also mentoring a pair of NBA lottery picks in Shawn Marion and Keon Clark.
Vetrone’s extensive basketball experience also includes success at the high school level, as he helped lead Port Chester High School in Rye Brook, N.Y., to an 18-6 record and league championship in 2008. He has also served as an NBA scout with the Los Angeles Clippers while holding player development and consulting positions with Aviator Sports and Recreation, Grass Roots Program/Reebok and The Hoop Group.
Vetrone graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from LIU-CW Post, where he was a two-year starter on the hardwood and helped the team to an NCAA East Regional championship.
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