Jeff Borzello, an ESPN Staff Writer, has been sharing insights on basketball recruiting since joining ESPN in 2014. He is a University of Delaware graduate. Alongside him, Pete Thamel contributes to the coverage.
On March 17, 2024, reports emerged about Saint Louis University’s negotiations with Josh Schertz. Schertz, currently at Indiana State, is being considered for the head coaching position of the Saint Louis Billikens. Although an agreement has not been finalized, discussions are ongoing.
Josh Schertz has recently led Indiana State to its most successful season in nearly a quarter of a century. Under his leadership, the Sycamores clinched their first Missouri Valley regular-season title since 2000. However, their journey ended in the conference tournament championship game, where they were defeated by Drake. This loss narrowly excluded them from the NCAA tournament.
Despite this setback, Indiana State secured a top seed in the NIT, celebrating 28 victories this season. This achievement marks the second-highest win total in the school’s history.
Schertz’s tenure at Indiana State has been remarkable, especially noting the significant improvement from his first to his second year. After a challenging 11-20 season in 2021-22, the team rebounded to a 23-13 record the following year. This turnaround included a victory over the Missouri Valley champion, Drake.
Before joining Indiana State in 2021, Schertz had a successful career as a Division II coach at Lincoln Memorial. There, he led the Railsplitters to three Division II Final Fours and achieved thirty wins in four different seasons. Over thirteen seasons, he amassed a record of 337-69, winning 83% of his games.
Schertz also has experience as an associate head coach at High Point and Queens University. He started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Division II Lynn University.
If Schertz and Saint Louis reach an agreement, he will be stepping in for Travis Ford. Ford was let go last week after eight seasons with the Billikens. Saint Louis, known for its substantial resources and reputation as one of the Atlantic 10’s premier programs, last participated in the NCAA tournament in 2019.