By Joseph Staszewski
Joanne Persico got an extra reminder of what she has built during her more than two decades at St. John’s.
Sure, the St. John’s women’s volleyball coach got to celebrate her 400th career win last weekend, but that wasn’t the thing that made her really reflect. A day later the program hosted its alumni game. There Perisco was reunited with former players from her 21 years at that helm, including ones from her team in 1994, the school’s first as an NCAA program.
“There are moments I look back and I am really, really proud,” Persico said. “I didn’t have children of my own. I feel that by giving berth to the program I have the most wonderful, largest group of children anyone can ever have.”
The current group had to wait a little longer than they would have liked to get her to the milestone. The Red Storm lost two straight matches after she hit 399. One was a five-set heartbreaker to Seton Hall.
“I got stuck,” the coach said.
Persico, who has won three Big East regular season titles and one conference tournament crown, finally hit the mark with a home victory over Providence Saturday. Her record stands at 400-263 heading into this weekend. She got to 200 wins back in 2004 and it took her just a few days more to get the next 200 in 2014. It is a testament to the program’s consistency.
“It difficult to win at this level every year,” Persico said.
She has done it, however, and it has allowed her to keep doing the job she loves. Persico, the Big East Player of the Year in 1987 at Syracuse, joked that it is more of a vocation than a job now with all the hours its takes to run a Division-I program in 2014. It is getting the chance to shape players’ lives and the people at St. John’s that make it easy to come back.
Persico had never coached before taking the job at St. John’s. She credits learning from legendary men’s basketball coach Lou Carnesecca, men’s soccer coach Dave Masur and baseball coach Ed Blankmeyer and praised her two athletic directors, Jack Kaiser and Chris Monasch, for their efforts to help the program.
“I feel supported,” she said. “The program’s done well. I feel we are making a difference.”
The current St. John’s team is 13-7 and 2-3 in conference play and hoping to make the Big East tournament by finishing in the top four during the regular season. The Red Storm has been playing recently without its starting setter, but Persico has confidence in this squad. They have bought into what she preaches, which has a proven track record of success for 21 years.
“They believe in the product, so 399 will turn into to 400 and now 400 will hopefully turn into 401 and 402 this weekend,” Persico said. “In this profession you are only as good as our last win, so I hope 401 comes quickly.”
