St. Bonaventure athletic director Joe Manhertz resigned abruptly, the college introduced Saturday, within the midst of questions relating to the lads’s basketball program opting out from competing within the NIT with out initially informing its gamers and followers.
St. Bonaventure offered no particulars behind Manhertz’s departure after two-plus years on the job, besides to say college president Jeff Gingerich accepted his letter of resignation Friday evening.
“I need to thank Joe for the contributions he is made to the athletics division the final three years,” Gingerich mentioned in an announcement. “Joe made various glorious teaching hires and was instrumental in serving to to launch the athletics pillar of our Bolder Bonaventure fundraising marketing campaign. We want him the easiest in his profession.”
The varsity has already scrubbed most references to Manhertz and his bio from its internet pages.
Manhertz took over on the Atlantic 10 college — situated a 90-minute drive south of Buffalo, New York — in August 2021. He beforehand served as an affiliate athletic director at Duke, the place he was primarily concerned in fundraising for upgrades to the varsity’s numerous services. Getting employed by St. Bonaventure was a homecoming of types for Manhertz, who’s from the Rochester, New York, space.
He turned the goal of questions over the lads’s basketball group opting out of NIT consideration after the Bonnies dropped a 70-60 determination to Duquesne within the A-10 event semifinals final weekend.
After ESPN reported Tuesday that St. Bonaventure (20-13) turned down an NIT bid, Manhertz issued an announcement a day later saying the Bonnies opted out from postseason event consideration whereas acknowledging that data wasn’t communicated to gamers or the general public.
Manhertz cited journey logistics, accidents and the uncertainty of gamers doubtlessly getting into the switch portal as causes for informing the NIT choice committee Sunday of the varsity’s determination to not be thought of. He mentioned the choice was reached by athletic division administration and the teaching workers and made “in one of the best curiosity of our pupil athletes.”