Mike Cragg is out after six years as St. John’s athletic director

St. John’s and athletic director Mike Cragg are parting ways after six years, the school announced Monday.

Cragg’s term expires on June 30.

“It is an honor to lead the athletic department at St. John’s University,” said Cragg “I am proud of what we have achieved together and confident that the department is in a strong position for continued success.

“As I leave St. John’s, I express my gratitude to our passionate fans and loyal alumni whose support is the foundation of our community. Most importantly, I celebrate our outstanding student-athletes, whose hard work and spirit combine to make the great things we are. achieved and I will forever cherish our journey together.”

Cragg took over in 2018 after more than 30 years at Duke, where he worked closely with Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils basketball program. During his six years in New York City, St. John’s won six Big East championships as well as a pair of national championships in fencing.

The school’s athletic programs also returned to Nike in 2019 after being outfitted by Under Armor for six years.

Cragg’s biggest moves came in the men’s basketball program, where he oversaw two significant coaching changes. With Red Storm legend and Hall of Famer Chris Mullin stepping down as the team’s head coach in 2019, Cragg turned to Mike Anderson as his replacement. After Anderson went four years without an NCAA Tournament appearance, Cragg fired him after the 2022–23 season.

That cleared a path for St. John’s to pursue Hall of Famer Rick Pitino, a New York native and someone the fanbase has wanted since the 1980s. He was quickly recruited, and the Red Storm narrowly missed the NCAA Tournament in his first season.

St. John’s said it will conduct a national search for Cragg’s replacement, though one name sources hope to be involved in is Fordham athletic director Ed Cool, who earned an MBA from St. John’s and worked in the athletic department there for several years.