Xavier HC Richard Pitino will get candid on dealing with St. John’s, alma mater Providence: “Not looking down there at the other sideline”

Xavier’s newly appointed trainer, Richard Pitino, brings a centered mindset to his first season within the Big East, brushing apart emotional narratives tied to acquainted combatants.

Asked about dealing with St. John’s, coached by way of his father, Rick Pitino, and Providence College, his alma mater, Pitino addressed the emotional layer of dealing with St. John’s all through Thursday’s interview with Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

“I don’t get real emotional in any of the games, whether it’s playing my dad, whether it’s playing at Providence College or whatever like for me, I understand what my job is,” Pitino mentioned (9:23).

“My job is to go do my very, very best to win and to build a sustainable championship program, and it doesn’t matter who we play, I’m not looking down there at the other sideline. I’m not I’m just worried about Xavier with every game that we play.”

Pitino referred to as the college a “special place” with “amazing memories.” His father additionally coached Providence in 1987, including ancient weight to the relationship.

“I mean, I’ve had amazing memories, whether it’s at Providence College as a student, my dad obviously coaching there in 1987,” he added. “It’s a special place to me. I appreciate it. It shaped me. I’ve got great friends who I still know, who went there and keep in touch with but it doesn’t matter who we play. We’re going to try to win every game.”

A local of the Northeast, Pitino referred to as becoming a member of the Big East a long-standing objective.

Richard Pitino joins Xavier following back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances

Xavier University named Richard Pitino their new trainer in March. He succeeds Sean Miller, who parted tactics with this system after the 2024–25 season.

Pitino joins Xavier from New Mexico, the place he led the Lobos to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Under his management, New Mexico gained the Mountain West Tournament in 2024 and secured the common season name in 2025.

The rent brings a notable storyline to the Big East, putting Richard Pitino in the similar convention as his father, Rick Pitino.

The elder Pitino reportedly advocated for his son to take the Xavier process. The two final met in November 2024, when Rick Pitino’s St. John’s crew defeated New Mexico.

Richard takes over a Xavier program taking a look to go back to nationwide relevance, whilst the impending Big East season units the level for a high-profile father-son training contention.