ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

St. John’s general counsel Joseph Oliva was appointed interim athletic director on Tuesday by university president Conrado Gempesaw. For the past two years, Oliva had oversight responsibility for the department of athletics, and he played a key role in the hiring of basketball coach Chris Mullin in April. Oliva, who also played a role in St. John’s transition to the new Big East Conference, the league’s partnership with Fox Sports and St. John’s partnership with Under Armour apparel, has the experience to manage the athletic department’s transition, as the hiring of Mullin and top recruiters Barry Rohrssen and Matt Abdelmassih shows. – Greg Logan, Newsday. Read more.