The position of a women’s college basketball head coach often comes with unpromised coverage and resources. This becomes even more apparent when your program is overshadowed by a Hall of Fame coach like Rick Pitino and his nationally ranked St. John’s men’s squad.
“This is obviously a different beast in terms of Coach Pitino,” St. John’s women’s basketball Head Coach Joe Tartamella said at St. John’s media day on Oct 16. “In terms of a resurgence, I look at where we’ve been the last couple years, and two years ago we were in a tournament, the year before that we finished third in the conference, last year we were probably two games away from another postseason. …I think our program has had sustained success, I’m not sure if the story is fully told all the time.”
Tartamella led the women’s team to the NCAA tournament in the 2022-23 season, which included a first-round win and a 23-9 record. Just two days after the women’s tournament appearance ended, it was announced that the men would be hiring Coach Pitino that spring.
Since Pitino’s hiring, the men’s program has taken the country by storm, winning a Big East championship and earning an NCAA tournament appearance, while advancing to the second round. The Red Storm are built to make a deep run this year, currently ranked fifth in the AP polls. In contrast, the women’s team has missed March Madness since their 2023 appearance and has hovered around .500 for the last two seasons.
The questions surrounding the women’s program don’t end with the mention of the men’s resurgence. Tartamella was repeatedly asked how the women could make more appearances at Madison Square Garden in order to create a bigger spotlight and attract recruits.
Over the last two years, the women’s program has played one game in each season at Madison Square Garden, including wins in both appearances over Villanova and Butler. You would believe the success the women had inside Madison Square Garden would lead to an increase in games players there, but it still proves a tough ask.
“The hardest part in getting in there at times is just the way the schedule lands with the pro teams, the men’s team and how they can turn it over,” Tartamella said. “I think the Big East should be very supportive of us playing there in terms of putting a spotlight on our program and on the Big East on the women’s side.”
The men’s basketball team will participate in 13 Madison Square Garden appearances this season, while the women’s team is looking to secure a single appearance.
Though the attention and noise surrounding the men’s program are likely deafening for the women’s team, there is still a path for them to create their own narrative this season. Truthfully, it’s tough to get support as a women’s college basketball program, and even more so when alongside a Rick Pitino-led program. However, the only way for the Red Storm women to find their own voice would ultimately be through winning games and getting back to the NCAA tournament this year.
“You really don’t know who could pop off,’’ graduate student transfer Shaulana Wagner said during media day, referring to the team’s strengths. “We have a lot of shooters who can score, get to the basket, and our bigs are really tough.”
Wagner transferred in from Xavier, where she ranked fourth nationally in assists, averaging six per game. Having someone who can distribute the ball at a high rate at the guard position in Wagner will be valuable for Coach Tartamella’s group. However, to win close games, everything else around Wagner will need to be in rhythm as well.
Skye Owen will return for her senior season after shooting 38% from three-point range last year and looks to lead the guard position alongside Wagner. Additionally, senior forward Kylie Lavelle will provide a strong paint presence for the Johnnies, helping anchor the defense.
With all the experience Tartamella and his team have, there’s hope they can do more than be “sustainable,” in Tartamella’s words. The current climate of the basketball program is one of dominance across all aspects, and Tartamella carries the weight of Rick Pitino’s absolute winningness. Pitino has attracted a huge spotlight on himself and the men’s team since guiding the program into the elite of college basketball.
The men will continue to flourish in assets if they perform as expected this year, and if that stands true, Tartmella and the women will be alienated like never before.
If the Johnnies’ are going to have their own story to tell, winning a large chunk of games and ultimately creating their own aura surrounding the program will be a must. They will look to start that narrative on Nov. 3 at Carnesseca Arena when they face Le Moyne.
