New York City, New York: Rick Pitino, an American basketball coach at St. John’s University, married Joanne Minardi in 1976, and they have five children.
They have been together for several decades, and Joanne has been a steadfast partner throughout his career, supporting him during triumphs and challenges.
Highlights
- Rick Pitino and Joanne Minardi studied together at St. Dominic’s High School but began dating in 1974.
- They married on April 3, 1976, and lived with their five children: Michael, Christopher, Richard, Ryan, and Jacqueline.
- They experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when their six-month-old son, Daniel, passed away due to congenital heart failure in 1987.
Rick was the team captain of the St. Dominic High School basketball team in Oyster Bay, Long Island, and enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1970.
He began coaching at the University of Hawaii as a graduate assistant in 1974 and became a full-time assistant in 1975. Later, he became Jim Boeeim’s first assistant at Syracuse University in 1976.
Rick was the head coach for Boston University in 1978 and led the Terriers men’s basketball team to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 24 years.
He has also coached the New York Knicks, Providence, Kentucky, Boston Celtics, Louisville, Panathinaikos, and Iona.
Rick Pitino And His Wife, Joanne Minardi, Remained A Steadfast Couple
Rick Pitino and Joanne Minardi have been married for 48 years. They crossed paths in the early 1970s and attended St. Dominic’s High School in Oyster Bay, Long Island.
However, their relationship only began in 1974. Rick was an ambitious assistant coach, and Joanne was a flight attendant.
My wife and her best friend had an awesome time in Santorini and Athens. Nothing better than the hospitality of Greek people. pic.twitter.com/qbmLv6tAdc
— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) May 18, 2019
Joanne grew up in a close-knit family in 1953 in Long Island, New York. Her job as a flight attendant reflected her adventurous spirit and love for meeting new people.
Rick and Joanne married on April 3, 1976, and started their lovely family with five children: Michael, Christopher, Richard, Ryan, and Jacqueline.
Joanne stayed away from the limelight but consistently supported her husband’s work. They remain firm, but their relationship hasn’t always been smooth.
Rick came clean in 2009 about having an affair with Karen Cunagin Sypher in a restaurant in Louisville in 2003. He made Karen pregnant and paid her $3,000 to have an abortion.
Furthermore, Karen demanded that he pay her $10 million in exchange for keeping quiet about their affair in 2009. She was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for trying to extort cash, cars, and a house in 2011.
The married couple chose to work through the betrayal, and Rick admitted that their marriage had become more substantial on the other side.
They faced criticism in 2017 after the coach was fired from Louisville due to his involvement in a recruiting scandal. However, Joanne supported him again after his public humiliation, and their marriage survived.
Their son, Richard, followed Rick’s footsteps and became a college basketball coach. He was the head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s basketball team before joining the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team.
Rick Pitino And Joanne Minardi Experienced Difficult Parenthood
Behind Rick Pitino’s accolades and championships lies a deeply personal story of loss, resilience, and the enduring strength of family.
Rick and his wife, Joanne, have faced unimaginable heartbreak, including the tragic loss of their infant son, Daniel, in 1987.
Happy Birthday Zoe! Sharing it with 13 cousins.14 grandkids in Sea Island Georgia, waiting out the storm. Great way to spend a birthday. pic.twitter.com/uRZDKqBqzY
— Rick Pitino (@RealPitino) August 6, 2024
The married couple experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when their six-month-old son, Daniel, passed away due to congenital heart failure. The loss of a child is an indescribable pain, and it was a devastating blow.
Despite the public nature of his job, Rick and Joanne faced their grief privately, leaning on each other and their faith to navigate the unimaginable.
Moreover, they established the Daniel Pitino Foundation in Daniel’s memory and raised nearly four million to support needy children through an annual golf tournament and other events.
Similarly, Rick and Joanne were devastated by the passing of Billy Minard, Joanne’s brother and Rick’s closest friend, due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Billy was on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center’s north tower, trading bonds for Cantor Fitzgerald, when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the building.
On the other hand, Joanne’s other brother, Don Vogt, lost his life after being hit by a New York City cab only a few months earlier.
The Pitino family is known for its close-knit relationships, and Joanne plays a central role in maintaining family unity and support.
Despite the pressures and scrutiny that come with Rick’s high-profile career, the couple has managed to keep their family life relatively private and grounded.
Additional Information
- 72-year-old Richard Andrew Pitino was born in New York City on September 18, 1952.
- He was hired as the head coach of the senior Puerto Rico national team but announced that he would not coach due to scheduling conflicts and NCAA regulations disallowing it in 2011.
- Greece’s senior national team hired him as head coach on November 8, 2019, and the Hellenic Basketball Federation announced his appointment for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
