Schertz rejects record contract from ISU
Indiana State head coach takes job at Saint Louis
Saint Louis made it official Saturday morning that Josh Schertz will be the school’s new men’s basketball coach. Schertz will be formally introduced on Monday at 11 a.m. ET in a press conference at Chaifetz Arena that will be open to the public, according to a news release from the school.
“I could not be more excited to be named the head coach at Saint Louis University,” Schertz said in a news release. “From the top-down leadership of President Dr. Fred Pestello, Chairman Joe Conran, Trustee Dr. Richard Chaifetz and Athletics Director Chris May – to the elite facilities, infrastructure, academics and resources – this a place where you can build a sustainable championship-level program.
“On top of that, the opportunity to work, recruit and live in the great sports city of St. Louis was incredibly appealing,” he continued. “I can’t wait to get to work building and developing a program everyone involved with can be proud of.”
Schertz turned down a contract extension from Indiana State that would have made him the highest paid coach in school history, according to a press release from Indiana State.
Matthew Graves has been named interim coach. He will lead the day-to-day operations of the program while a national search is conducted for the next ISU men’s basketball head coach, per a release.
“The generous financial support of Sycamore donors made it possible for Indiana State University to offer coach Schertz more than any other coach has ever been paid at Indiana State,” Indiana State University President Dr. Deborah J. Curtis said. “Coach Schertz’s leadership has been the driving force behind rebuilding and elevating our men’s basketball program and the team’s success this year. We wish him the best in his future endeavors. They have brought a national spotlight to Indiana State University and Terre Haute and ignited Sycamore nation’s fans and supporters. While disappointed that Coach Schertz declined our offer, I want to recognize and applaud the strong teamwork of our University Advancement and Sycamore Athletics over the last few months as we have aggressively worked to engage the support of our donors.”
News of Schertz’s departure comes just a couple days after he coached Indiana State in the NIT championship game — a heartbreaking 79-77 loss to Seton Hall.
“I could not be more excited to be named the head coach at Saint Louis University,” Schertz said. “From the topdown leadership to the elite facilities, infrastructure, academics and resources, this a place where you can build a sustainable championship-level program. On top of that, the opportunity to work, recruit and live in the great sports city of St. Louis was incredibly appealing. I can’t wait to get to work building and developing a program everyone involved with can be proud of.”
The move comes after weeks of speculation linking Schertz to the Billikens and following a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander that SLU was prepared to make the mid-major coach of the year one of the highest-paid coaches in the
Atlantic 10 with a salary north of $2 million.
Norlander previously reported Schertz, who amassed a 66-40 record over three seasons at Indiana State, passed on the coaching vacancy at Louisville.
Schertz told reporters Thursday he planned on making his decision “by the weekend.” Less than 24 hours later, Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Schertz held a team meeting Friday to tell the players he was leaving. Rick Semmler, of Terre Haute’s WTHI News10, later confirmed the news.
“On behalf of Sycamore Athletics, I want to thank Coach Schertz for elevating Indiana State Basketball and for the excitement he’s brought to our program,” ISU interim athletic director Angie Lansing said. “Our student-athletes have garnered national attention under his leadership. We wish him the best in his next coaching opportunity.”
Schertz’s modern, high-scoring system and his knack for quickly revitalizing programs made him one of the hottest commodities on this year’s coaching market.
Schertz was 337-69 over 13 seasons at Lincoln Memorial with 11 consecutive 20-win seasons and 10 Division II NCAA tournament appearances (three D-II Final Fours) after finishing .500 in his first season. He enjoyed similar success in
Terre Haute, guiding the Sycamores to a 12-win turnaround in his second season that included their first postseason appearance since 2014 and first postseason win since 2001.
Led by viral sensation Robbie Avila, the 2023-24 Sycamores cracked the national rankings for the first time in 45 years and won their first regular-season Missouri Valley Conference title since 2000, then overcame the heartbreak of an NCAA tournament snub to reach the NIT championship game and finish their historic season with 32 wins.
“They are devastated, but I think they have shown over and over again how resilient they are,” Schertz said following Thursday’s loss to Seton Hall. “I’m inspired by the kind of teammates they are, the kind of human beings they are. I’m better as a man for having been part of this team and this journey.”
Now Shertz will be tasked with reinvigorating SLU’s slumping program. The Billikens went 13-20 this season and have not reached the NCAA tournament since 2019. They parted ways with Travis Ford after eight seasons earlier this season.
“We are delighted to welcome Josh Schertz to the Billiken family,” SLU president Dr. Fred Pestello said. “Coach Schertz has a style of leadership that aligns with SLU’s values and our fans’ expectations – he is focused on creating community, supporting the development of each student-athlete, and building high levels of success on the court and in the classroom.
“Saint Louis University’s basketball program is a special source of pride for the SLU community and the St. Louis region,” Pestello said. “In Coach Schertz we have the right person to lead it. We are eager to watch his impact as he takes the helm.”
As for Indiana State, the task of finding a new head coach is accompanied by the question of which players will remain. IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel wrote following the NIT semifinals it’s an “open secret” in the Sycamores’ locker room four of their five starters would “most likely” follow Schertz to Saint Louis.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.