St. John’s Hires Ex-Fordham Athletic Director Ed Kull to Role

St. John’s hired former Fordham athletic director and New York native Ed Kull to serve as its new athletic director, the private Catholic university announced Wednesday.

Ed Kull graduated with an M.B.A. from St. John’s Tobin College of Business in 2005

“Ed Kull has demonstrated a commitment to excellence on and off the field of competition,” said St. John’s President, the Rev. Brian J. Shanley.

“This is an important hire at a critical time in the shifting landscape of college athletics, and I am pleased to have Ed rejoin our team.”

Kull grew up in Queens, not far from St. John’s, and was a star baseball player at Stony Brook University on Long Island. He graduated with a B.A. in 2003. Kull worked as a graduate assistant in Carnesecca Arena as well. Two years later, he graduated with an M.B.A. from St. John’s Tobin College of Business.

Excited to welcome Ed Kull back to Queens as the new Director of Athletics! 🔴🌩

🗞️ https://t.co/Fi3gSLtUfb pic.twitter.com/riRKF7YMi0

— St. John's Red Storm (@StJohnsRedStorm) September 11, 2024

“To say this is the honor of my professional life would be an understatement,” Kull said. “I understand the work that we have ahead of us will not be easy, but I wholeheartedly believe that we will commit every resource necessary to restore St. John’s to its natural place atop the collegiate athletic landscape.”

St. John’s has been without an athletic director since Mike Cragg, and the school mutually agreed to part ways after he spent six years at the Big East school. Kull was named as one of SJU’s top candidates to oversee basketball coach Rick Pitino’s staff.

Kull had previously worked at Fordham since April 2020

He left college sports for several years, before returning to St. John’s from 2011 to 2017, including a stint as vice president of athletics where he worked on revenue projects for the university president.

“I am happy to welcome Ed back home to St. John’s,” said Joseph Oliva, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “We enjoyed a great working relationship in the past. Ed has the experience and drive to achieve athletic goals. His passion and love for St. John’s… will help to transform our athletic department.”

Kull had been at Fordham since April 2020. He took over the full-time post in February 2021. Under Kull, Fordham’s men’s basketball program found some success under the two coaches he hired, Kyle Neptune and Keith Urgo. Neptune left after one season to return to Villanova and replace Jay Wright as head coach.

Before Kull hired Neptune, the Rams had gone 45-95 over the previous five seasons, including a 2-12 mark in 2020-21. In his lone year at the helm, Neptune led the Rams to a 16-16 record and an appearance in the Atlantic 10 Quarterfinals for the first time in 15 years.

Urgo led the Rams to their best season in three decades in 2022-23. Fordham’s football team made the FCS playoffs in 2022. Additionally, the Rams have earned conference titles and NCAA berths in water polo, men’s soccer, softball, and women’s tennis under Kull.

Kull also benefitted Fordham Athletics’ fundraising. The Rams concluded their third straight fiscal year with a record fundraising total, including a $7.6 million figure in 2023-24. It was more than $2.5 million higher than the previous year’s mark.