BIG EAST Conference Names St. John’s President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., Chair of Board of Directors

St. John’s University President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., has been named the Chair of the BIG EAST Conference Board of Directors. He begins his two-year appointment on June 30, 2025. 

Fr. Shanley succeeds Creighton University President Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J., Ph.D. The BIG EAST Board of Directors comprises the presidents representing the league’s 11 member institutions. 

“I am grateful and excited to serve as Chair of the BIG EAST Board of Directors and build on the accomplishments of my predecessor, Rev. Hendrickson,” Fr. Shanley said. “These are challenging and exciting times in the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics. With the rich BIG EAST history, a global brand, and our proven record as a competitive and visionary conference, there are only growth opportunities for our basketball-centric conference now and in the future.”

“We look forward to working with Fr. Shanley in his capacity as newly elected Chair of the BIG EAST Board of Directors—a leadership role for which he’s perfectly suited,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman. “His decades-long experience in higher education, acute understanding of the values of the conference and our schools, and commitment to continued BIG EAST success in the sport of basketball will be invaluable as we navigate the shifting terrain in our operating environment.” 

Before St. John’s, Fr. Shanley spent 15 years as the longest tenured President of Providence College and holds 20 years of leadership experience that helped elevate the BIG EAST Conference to new heights.

“We’re thrilled to have President Shanley’s leadership and experience representing St. John’s University as the Chair of the BIG EAST Board of Directors,” said St. John’s Vice President and Director of Athletics Ed Kull. “Fr. Shanley’s passion for the conference and his wealth of knowledge during his tenures at St. John’s and Providence will help propel the league forward into a new era of collegiate athletics.”

The Shanley name has long been associated with the BIG EAST Conference, and Fr. Shanley’s history with the BIG EAST did not begin with Providence or St. John’s—he was born into it. His father’s public relations firm, Duffy & Shanley, was hired to create the conference’s name back in 1979 when it was originally founded. As an undergraduate student at Providence College, he tried to make money by working with his father in the early days of the basketball-focused athletic conference.

Fr. Shanley began his tenure as the 18th President of St. John’s in 2021 and is currently in his fifth academic year leading the University. The Warwick, RI, native additionally serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York.

Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in eight of the country’s top 36 largest media markets and include Butler University, the University of Connecticut, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, Seton Hall University, St. John’s University, Villanova University, and Xavier University.