St. John’s University president Rev. Brian J. Shanley was named the chair of the Big East Conference board of directors on Monday, the school announced.
Shanley was elected to the position last week at the Big East board of directors meeting, which is comprised of the 11 presidents of the conference’s schools, in New York. He began his two-year stint at the position on June 30.
“I am grateful and excited to serve as Chair of the Big East board of directors and build on the accomplishments of my predecessor, Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J., Ph.D,” Shanley said. “These are challenging and exciting times in the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics. With the rich Big East history, a global brand, and our proven record as a competitive and visionary conference, there are only growth opportunities for our basketball-centric conference now and in the future.”
Shanley took over as president of St. John’s in 2021 as the Queens school’s 18th president after 15 years at the helm of another Big East school, Providence College.
“We look forward to working with Father Shanley in his capacity as newly elected Chair of the Big East board of directors, a leadership role for which he’s perfectly suited,” Big East commissioner Val Ackerman said. “His decades-long experience in higher education, his acute understanding of the values of the conference and our schools, and his commitment to continued Big East success in the sport of basketball will be invaluable as we navigate the shifting terrain in our operating environment.”
Under Shanley’s watch, the St. John’s men’s basketball program has reached heights unseen since the 1980s, which was sparked by the hiring of Hall-of-Fame coach Rick Pitino two years ago. The Red Storm are coming off their best season in 40 years, winning the Big East regular season and Tournament crown, while punching its ticket to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.
