Xavier Hires St. John's Assistant Greg Youncofski

Richard Pitino brings in familiar face from his father Rick Pitino's coaching staff

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:09pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented basketball game, with sharp planes of Xavier blue and St. John's red colliding in an abstract composition.The coaching rivalry between the Pitino family intensifies as Xavier lures a key assistant from St. John's.Cincinnati Today

Xavier University's head basketball coach Richard Pitino has hired Greg Youncofski away from the coaching staff of his father, Rick Pitino, at St. John's University. Youncofski, who previously worked under Mick Cronin at the University of Cincinnati, will now join Richard Pitino's staff at Xavier.

Why it matters

This move represents an intriguing coaching shakeup within the Big East conference, as Richard Pitino looks to bolster his staff with an assistant who has experience working with his father's successful program at St. John's. Youncofski's hiring could provide Xavier with valuable insights and recruiting connections in the New York region.

The details

Youncofski spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach on Rick Pitino's staff at St. John's, helping the Red Storm reach the Sweet 16 in 2025 and 2026. Prior to that, he worked under Mick Cronin at the University of Cincinnati, where he was part of a coaching staff that compiled a 161-47 record. Now, Youncofski will reunite with Richard Pitino at Xavier, bringing his experience and connections to the Musketeers' program.

  • Youncofski joined the St. John's coaching staff as director of operations in 2024.
  • He was promoted to assistant coach in 2025.

The players

Richard Pitino

The head basketball coach at Xavier University.

Rick Pitino

The head basketball coach at St. John's University and the father of Richard Pitino.

Greg Youncofski

The new assistant basketball coach at Xavier University, previously an assistant at St. John's under Rick Pitino.

Mick Cronin

The former head basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati, where Youncofski previously worked as an assistant.

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What they’re saying

“Sources: Xavier's Richard Pitino will hire St. John's Greg Youncofski as an assistant coach. Youncofski — who was once an assistant at Cincinnati under Mick Cronin — now has the unique distinction of working for both the Bearcats and Musketeers.”

— Jon Rothstein, CBS Sports college basketball insider

The takeaway

This coaching move represents an intriguing family dynamic, as Richard Pitino brings in an assistant with deep ties to his father's program at St. John's. Youncofski's experience and connections in the Northeast could prove valuable for Xavier as they look to compete in the highly competitive Big East conference.