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St. John's Makes Major Rick Pitino Announcement on Tuesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mathey Gibson | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 3:39 PM ET

Rick Pitino is headed to Yankee Stadium—but not for basketball.

On Tuesday, St. John’s announced that the legendary head coach will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Wednesday night’s matchup between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.

It’s a special New York moment for a coach who’s already helped put St. John’s basketball back on the map.

Pitino will take the mound just months after leading the Red Storm to their first BIG EAST regular-season and tournament championships in 25 years.

In just his second season with the program, he helped guide St. John’s to a No. 2 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament—a sign the Red Storm are truly on the rise again.

Coach Pitino will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium! ⚾️

️: https://t.co/dnyaZJsUcT #RedStorm pic.twitter.com/7RiAiZYnHB
— St. John's Men’s Basketball (@StJohnsBBall) June 3, 2025

But for Pitino, this trip to Yankee Stadium is more than just a public appearance. It’s personal.

“As a kid, I used to go watch Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, even reserves like Hector Lopez, Johnny Blanchard, [Tony] Kubek, [Bobby] Richardson, [Clete] Boyer—one of the great third basemen of all time—Whitey Ford on the mound, Yogi [Berra]…” Pitino said in April, reflecting on his childhood in New York. “But I was always a Mets fan of [Jerry] Koosman and [Tom] Seaver… I’m one of the few people who rooted for both teams. Anything with [NY], I’m 100% behind it.”

Now, he gets to return to the stadium with a pitch of his own.

It won’t count toward his coaching record, but for Pitino—and the St. John’s faithful—it’s another New York milestone worth celebrating.

First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET in the Bronx.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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