College Sports Established
1907
Location
New York City, New York
College Name
St. John's University
Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1921 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA
1907 - 1921 / Athletic Association of the United States
Conference History
1979 - Present / Big East Conference
1907 – 1979 / Independent
Nickname
Red Storm - The St. John’s Red Storm is one of the NCAA's most iconic college basketball teams and has been a powerhouse for decades. But what does it mean to be a Red Storm fan? It means being part of an amazing tradition that dates back over 100 years! To understand where this nickname originated, we must look at St. John’s history and connection with New York City sports culture.
St. John's University was founded in 1870 by Bishop William McCloskey as an all-male institution in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood known as Little Italy or Mulberry Bend, now called NoLita (North of Little Italy). The school quickly gained popularity among local students who wanted access to higher education but couldn't afford more expensive institutions like Columbia or NYU nearby, mainly attended by wealthy families from uptown neighborhoods like Harlem and Washington Heights at that time. In 1896, Brother Edward “Ned” Dougherty became head coach for the men's basketball team after having previously served as an assistant coach under his predecessor Dr. James Naismith—the inventor of modern-day basketball! He then changed their team name from “Giants" to "Redmen," paying homage to both their Italian heritage (red is associated with Italians) and Native American ancestry due to many members being descendants themselves or simply honoring them through symbolism.
However, when they began competing against other colleges during World War II, they discovered several other schools already used similar nicknames, such as Marist College's "Red Foxes," so Ned decided it was time for something new! With some help from sportswriter Gus Alfieri, who suggested combining two powerful forces: lightning & thunder, he eventually called them “The Red Storm." This represented power and provided reference points within NYC itself since storms can often roll through city streets during summer months while leaving behind beautiful sunsets afterward - making perfect sense given how much pride people here take in representing their hometown wherever they go!
NCAA Championships
Baseball 0
Men's Basketball 0
Women's Basketball 0
Football 0
Soccer 1
1996
- 1923
- 1986
- 1991
- 1996
- 2011
- 2015
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St. John’s wins its first national championship in basketball
In 1923: St. John’s wins its first national championship in basketball, defeating Yale in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). -
St. John’s baseball team wins its second College World Series title
In 1986: St. John’s baseball team wins its second College World Series title, beating Arkansas in the final. -
St. John’s soccer team wins its first NCAA Division I Soccer Championship
In 1991: St. John’s soccer team wins its first NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, defeating UCLA in the final. -
First National Title for the Red Storm Soccer 1996
The 1996 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament was the 37th organized men’s college soccer tournament by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, to determine the top college soccer team in the United States. The St. John’s Red Storm won their first national title by defeating the Florida International Panthers in the championship game, 4–1. The final match was played on ... -
NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship Win
In 2011: St. John’s soccer team wins its second NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, defeating North Carolina in the final. -
St. John’s basketball team reaches the NCAA Tournament for the 29th time
In 2015: St. John’s basketball team reaches the NCAA Tournament for the 29th time, losing to San Diego State in the first round.
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Red Storm
In addition to its success on hardwood courts, St Johns also has had great results on soccer fields throughout its existence, having won two National Championships (1996 & 2008) while producing several professional players like former USMNT goalkeeper Tony Meola or current MLS star Jack Harrison from England national side all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney among others. Furthermore, they have also been very competitive in other sports like track & field or softball. They reached NCAA Women's Softball World Series twice since 2000 while being ranked #1 nationally during the 2005 regular season.
Overall, it is clear that despite not always making headlines outside college athletics circles, there is no doubt about how much talent lies within this historical program which continues to produce some of the best athletes across many disciplines yearly. With new head coaches appointed recently for both Men‘s Basketball Team (Mike Anderson )and Soccer Program(Ian Stone), we can expect more exciting times for Red Storm fans everywhere!
Sports Fan Products
