St. Bonaventure AD Joe Manhertz resigns after withdrawing from the NIT

Sports director of St. Bonaventure’s Joe Manhertz abruptly resigned, the university announced Saturday, amid questions on the men’s basketball program opting out of competing in the NIT without first informing players and fans.

Saint Bonaventure didn’t provide any details about Manhertz’s departure after greater than two years on the job, aside from to say that college Chancellor Jeff Gingerich accepted his resignation Friday evening.

“I want to thank Joe for the contributions he has made to the athletics department over the past three years,” Gingerich said in an announcement. “Joe has recruited many great coaches and has been instrumental in launching the athletics pillar of our Bolder Bonaventure fundraising campaign. We wish him all the best in his career.”

The school has already removed most references to Manhertz and his biography from its web sites.

Manhertz took over Atlantic 10 School – situated a 90-minute drive south of Buffalo, New York – in August 2021. He previously served as associate athletic director at Duke, where he was primarily involved in fundraising to upgrade various school facilities. Employment at St. Bonaventure was a homecoming of sorts for Manhertz, who’s from the Rochester, New York area.

Manhertz became the subject of questions over the men’s basketball team’s withdrawal from the NIT after the Bonnies lost 70-60 to Duquesne in the semifinals of the A10 tournament last weekend.

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After ESPN reported Tuesday that St. Bonaventure (20-13) rejected the NIT bid, Manhertz released an announcement a day later saying the Bonnies had opted out of the postseason tournament, while confirming that information had not been communicated to players or the public.

Manhertz cited travel logistics, injuries and uncertainty about players potentially entering the transfer portal as the reason he informed the NIT selection committee on Sunday about the school’s decision not to think about him. He said the decision was made by the athletic department administration and training staff and was made “in the best interest of our student-athletes.”