Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and St. John’s Rick Pitino have made history by sharing the AP Coach of the Year honors, marking the first tie in the award’s history. Both coaches have demonstrated exceptional leadership, transforming their programs into national contenders.
In a recent poll released by the national media panel, Pearl and Pitino each secured 20 votes. Louisville’s Pat Kelsey trailed with eight votes, while Duke’s Jon Scheyer garnered five. Missouri’s Dennis Gates and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo each received three votes, and Drake’s Ben McCollum along with UC San Diego’s Eric Olen received one vote apiece.
Pitino has made history as the first St. John’s coach to earn the AP Coach of the Year award, becoming the sixth coach in Big East Conference history to achieve this honor. Notably, Marquette’s Shaka Smart won the award two years ago.
When Pitino took the reins in 2023, the Red Storm were struggling, having not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2019. Their appearances in March Madness had become infrequent since the late 1990s.
Under his guidance, the Red Storm achieved 20 victories in his inaugural season, reclaiming their place in the national spotlight. This year, St. John’s not only clinched the Big East regular-season title with an impressive 18-2 record but also secured their first Big East Conference Tournament title since 2000.
The Red Storm matched a school record with 31 wins, a feat last accomplished in the 1980s under the legendary Lou Carnesecca. They achieved their highest AP Top 25 ranking in 34 years, reaching No. 5 in the final regular-season poll. As a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, they began with a victory over Omaha but were eliminated by Arkansas in the second round.
Pitino’s rapid success aligns with his historical patterns at previous institutions such as Boston University, Providence, Kentucky, Louisville, and Iona. Remarkably, he is the first coach to guide six different programs to the NCAA Tournament.
“I have been blessed for a long period of time — fifty-plus years of coaching,” Pitino remarked. “It’s going to stop, so why not have a blast? Why not get the most out of it? Laugh, have fun, get great experiences.”
Since taking over at Auburn in 2015, Pearl has embraced this philosophy wholeheartedly.
Before Pearl’s arrival, the Tigers had not participated in the NCAA Tournament since 2003. By his fourth season, he had revitalized the program, leading them to their first Final Four appearance in 2019.
This season, the Tigers have been nearly unstoppable.
With All-American Johni Broome at the helm, Auburn maintained the No. 1 ranking for eight consecutive weeks, clinched the SEC regular-season title, and achieved a school-record 32 wins. As the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, they powered through the bracket, defeating Michigan State 70-64 to secure their second Final Four appearance.
Pearl now joins Cliff Ellis, who won the AP Coach of the Year honors in 1999, as the only Auburn coaches to achieve this distinction. He is also the first SEC coach to win this award since Kentucky’s John Calipari a decade ago.
“You want to be on a great team, you’ve got to make sacrifices,” Pearl stated. “You’ve got to share and you’ve got to hold each other accountable. I think that’s a big part of what this locker room is all about. This is a team of faith.”
With both coaches receiving national recognition, the spotlight shines brightly on Auburn and St. John’s, as they continue to elevate their programs to new heights.
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