St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt to retire at end of season

St. Bonaventure basketball coach Mark Schmidt announced Saturday that he will retire at the conclusion of the season.

He is in his 19th season coaching the Bonnies and has compiled a 339-254 record -- the most wins by a coach in program history. He has taken St. Bonaventure to the NCAA Tournament three times and has a 1-3 record, winning a First Four game over UCLA in 2018.

Schmidt, 63, was hired by St. Bonaventure in 2007 after six seasons as head coach at Robert Morris.

"I'm a lucky guy. To be able to be the head coach at St. Bonaventure for 19 years is an honor," Schmidt said. "When I first got the job, I remember someone telling me I was going to be here for three or four years and then I was going to be selling insurance. I give Steve Watson and Sister Margaret Carney all the credit in the world that they took a chance on me 19 years ago. A guy who was 82-90 at Robert Morris and they allowed me to coach, they allowed us to build a program, and I think it was a pretty good one."

The Bonnies are 15-16 (4-14 Atlantic 10) after dropping a 68-63 decision to Davidson in the regular-season finale on Saturday. The A-10 tournament begins Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

"Mark is one of the most consequential figures in the history of St. Bonaventure and leaves a lasting impact on our program and our university," said Bob Beretta, vice president and director of athletics. "Mark will forever be viewed as one of the most prominent individuals in the history of St. Bonaventure's storied basketball heritage. The legacy Mark has authored is simply astounding.

"I'd like to congratulate Mark on a spectacular coaching career. We are immensely grateful for all he has done to return the St. Bonaventure basketball program to national distinction. Mark Schmidt will long be remembered as one of the legendary figures in St. Bonaventure basketball lore. And the impact Mark and his wife, Anita, have made in the local community has been equally transformative. They will be missed but never forgotten."

The Athletic reported Saturday that program general manager Adrian Wojnarowski, the former ESPN NBA insider who went to work at his alma mater in 2024, is "expected to play a key role" in choosing the next coach. The report speculated the next coach could come from the NBA or G League, given Wojnarowski's ties to the pro game.

St. Bonaventure announced a national search for its next head coach will begin immediately.

--Field Level Media