St. John's, athletic director Mike Cragg part ways
St. John's AD Mike Cragg. Credit: St. John's University
St. John’s will be seeking a new athletic director, announcing on Monday that Mike Cragg is leaving the position on June 30. The announcement said the parties “mutually agreed to part ways.” Cragg was under contract through the 2025-26 school year.
“It has been an honor to lead the athletic department at St. John’s University,” Cragg said in the announcement. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together and am confident that the department is in a strong position for continued success.”
Cragg served in the position for six often difficult years. He helped the athletic department get through the coronavirus pandemic, oversaw the installation of programs to help athletes negotiate a sports landscape with NIL money and saw several infrastructure improvements implemented. However, his oversight of the signature men’s basketball program was less remarkable.
Cragg ushered the Red Storm through the departure of coach Chris Mullin relatively smoothly. He then hired former Arkansas coach Mike Anderson and, while Anderson’s tenure started well, it ended disastrously.
After the Red Storm finished above .500 in Big East play in 2020-21, Cragg inked Anderson to a long-term deal. St. John’s then fired him after the 2022-23 season for cause, indicating the basketball program was mismanaged. Anderson sued the school for $45.6 million.
Rick Pitino’s hiring in March 2023 was an agreement between the Hall of Fame coach and Rev. Brian Shanley, the university president. Cragg was mostly uninvolved and was never seen as having oversight of Pitino.
The school announcement said that it will be conducting a national search for a new AD; however, it might take a hard look at internal candidates such as John Diffley, the well-regarded deputy athletic director. Ed Kull, a former St. John’s associate athletic director and now AD at Fordham, also could be a candidate.
The announcement said that during Cragg’s six years, Red Storm teams earned numerous citations for excellence in the classroom. He also oversaw some upgrades to Carnesecca Arena, brought back the St. John’s Hall of Fame, negotiated some deals for men’s basketball radio broadcasts and played a role in planning for the soon-to-be-built basketball training facility.
“We thank Mike for his leadership and all of his contributions to the University community,” Shanley said in the announcement.
“He strengthened the foundation for the continued success of St. John’s Athletics and its student-athletes while always representing the University in a first-class manner. We wish Mike all the best in his future endeavors.”
Before coming to St. John’s, Cragg spent more than three decades working in the athletic department at Duke.
Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.
