Mark Schmidt’s last gift to St. Bonaventure is the blessing of his 19-year tenure

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

The plan was to chronicle the highlights of Mark Schmidt’s 20 years at St. Bonaventure.

It was planned for the fall. Recent events altered that plan.

For Schmidt, the successful and revered Bonaventure coach, sadly enough, there will be no 20th season after he announced his retirement in early March.

For Bonaventure faithful, this isn’t March Madness, it’s March Sadness. The present time is appropriate to review what Mark Schmidt has accomplished in his nearly two decades in Olean.

The academic fraud scandal of 2003 left St. Bonaventure reeling. In the aftermath, a new coach was needed, one who could mend fences and change the public perception of St. Bonaventure, which at the time, was less than acceptable. The new coach would naturally be expected to improve the product on the court.

Enter Anthony Solomon, the respected Notre Dame assistant. In his three years, the personable Solomon did a great job with the former, not so much, as hard as he may have tried, with the latter. In four years, Solomon had a 24-88 record. His final season, in 2006-07, ended with a 7-22 finish. 

Solomon was out and a new coach was needed. Bonaventure talked with, among others, Will Brown of Albany. Talks turned into a job offer. In the end, Brown refused, later saying on a radio show that the job would constitute “career suicide.”

Mark Schmidt, the head coach of Robert Morris, who spent seven years on the Xavier staff of the late Skip Prosser, was contacted. Schmidt wasn’t sure about the job, so he reached out to his former mentor. Prosser simply reminded Schmidt of a game a few years earlier in 2002, when the Bonnies upset Xavier, one that was packed with Bona fans raising the decibel level. In simple terms, this was a place with devoted and passionate fans.

Schmidt signed on. Naysayers said that in three years, he would be selling insurance.

“This is not a graveyard,” Schmidt said when he came on board. “There is a proud tradition and history which just needs to be awakened.”

Tom Green was not one of those. The legendary FDU coach went up against Schmidt a number of times when their respective schools were in the Northeast Conference. Green was certain Schmidt would get things turned around. Green jokingly said Schmidt’s leaving Robert Morris would allow more room in Green’s file cabinet, where he kept scouting reports and plays of all the other conference members. Even in his Robert Morris days, Schmidt was known for that massive playbook.The ink was barely dry on the signed contract when Schmidt was making his presence known.

Schmidt was working his team out. Several players, accustomed to the habits of the old regime, went through the motions. Schmidt stopped practice, took the ball, and kicked it into the stands. The coach added a few choice words with the following message: 

Things are different now. Complacency is not an option.

Off the floor, Schmidt quickly endeared himself and reached out to the student body and Olean-Allegany community. It was finals week, and students were pulling all-nighters and stopping in the dining hall for breakfast. Who was making breakfast sandwiches? Schmidt and university president Sister Margaret Carney, OSF.

After 19 seasons, the record was a gaudy 340-255, good enough for a .571 winning percentage. Beyond the numbers, Schmidt’s time at St. Bonaventure has been a remarkable story, or succession of stories.

The initial season brought an 8-22 record, 2-14 in Atlantic 10 play. Following an early-season win over Albany and coach Will Brown, Schmidt went into the locker room and high-fived everyone, managers included, while giving his opinion of “career suicide.”

Schmidt was altering the culture. Beside that intangible, you need players to win. His assistant coaches suggested a trip to Canada to look at this prospect he was aware of. The coaches got in the car and made the roughly three-hour drive. Getting in the gym, Schmidt wondered how this very thin big man could help.

A few minutes after watching Andrew Nicholson play, the Bona coach was sold. Nicholson epitomized the type of player Schmidt endeared himself to and had success with, an under-the-radar type just itching to show the experts and powers that be that they made a big mistake. Schmidt loved those who played with that chip on their shoulder.

The first year brought an 8-22 mark. Year two improved to 15-15. By year four, postseason play was realized as the Bonnies were selected to play in the CBI. The following year, 2011-12, was the breakthrough.

The Bonnies headed to the conference tournament in Atlantic City with a 17-11 record, 10-6 in the A-

10. This was Nicholson’s senior year and there was a decidedly upbeat feeling. In the quarterfinal, Saint Joseph’s was dispatched. The semis saw the Bonnies hold on after UMass made a late comeback. That set up the final against Xavier, Schmidt’s former school, coached by good friend Chris Mack.

The Bonnies started fast. They had a 17-point lead early in the second half. Xavier, to no surprise, made its run, cutting the deficit to two possessions. The Bonnies answered and went on to a 67-56 victory. Nicholson was named Most Outstanding Player by virtue of his 26-point, 14-rebound, eight-block performance. It was the Bonnies’ first A-10 tournament title, and a postgame celebration that lasted roughly 45 minutes.

Bona faithful cheered. Alums fought back tears of joy. Sister Margaret Carney was on the court in the middle of the party. The celebration was not limited to Boardwalk Hall, as several Bona students enjoyed the moment with an impromptu dip in the chilly Atlantic Ocean.

In the NCAA Tournament, Bona dropped a tough 66-63 loss to ACC champion Florida State. Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton had the utmost praise for the preparation and gameplan put together by Schmidt and his staff. That 20-12 season and its finish had Bonaventure back in the public consciousness.

In 2016 the Bonnies were co-champions of the A-10, and were 30th in RPI. But on Selection Sunday, they were off the board, a decision that drew outrage from many in the game, including Saint Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli. Bona finished 22-9, following a first-round NIT loss against Wagner.

In 2018, the Bonnies were on the board on Selection Sunday. Their opponent was UCLA, in the First Four in Dayton. That matchup brought a wealth of pregame stories, one of which was written here.

In 1970c Larry Weise’s Bonnies were led by All-American Bob Lanier. A dominant presence inside, Lanier could move out and hit from 15 feet before it became fashionable.

The Bonnies appeared to be on a collision course with John Wooden’s Bruins. UCLA was in the post-Alcindor and pre-Walton era, and would have a difficult time handling Lanier. It was not to be, as the Bona big man went down with a college career-ending knee injury late in the East Regional final against Villanova. Bonaventure battled Jacksonville, with 7-foot-2 Artis Gilmore, gamely, but came up short. UCLA defeated Jacksonville for the title. Even to this day, the proverbial what-if scenario is debated among Bona alums and in Olean watering holes.

In the game at Dayton, the Bonnies fell behind by seven. Bona backcourt star Jaylen Adams was struggling. In the second half, Schmidt turned things around by employing a 1-3-1 zone that threw Steve Alford’s Bruins completely off. The Bonnies emerged 65-58 winners, with Adams putting the game away from the charity stripe.

In postgame interviews, Schmidt mentioned Bob Lanier and that 1970 team.

“They didn’t get their chance against UCLA,” he said. “So this win is dedicated to Big Bob and that team.”

A prime example of Schmidt’s appreciation for Bona history added with a touch of class.

The 2019 season was memorable on two counts. Schmidt surpassed Larry Weise as the all-time winningest coach at St. Bonaventure. In 12 years, Weise had a record of 202-90, which included a Final Four appearance in 1970. Schmidt broke the record with a 79-56 victory over George Mason in mid-February. Weise knew the record would be broken. The former coach was pleased it was by someone of Schmidt’s reputation and caliber.

In March, with four freshmen in the starting lineup, the Bonnies advanced to the championship game of the A-10 tournament. They faced a Saint Louis team they defeated eight days earlier. The Bonnies built a 15-point lead early that was still nine at the intermission. In the final 20 minutes, the Bonnies went cold, managing just 19 points. Still, they had one last shot. A corner three attempt rimmed out and the Billikens emerged a 55-53 winner. The team dejectedly walked off the court with sadness. Members of the cheer team were unsuccessful in trying to fight back tears. The season ended at 18-16, but the core of freshmen led by Kyle Lofton, Dominick Welch and Osun Osunniyi developed admirably.

COVID ended the 2020 season prematurely at 19-12 before a single postseason game could be contested in the A-10. A year later, those tears shed in Barclays Center were wiped away and replaced by smiles. The Bonnies earned their second A-10 postseason title, taking down VCU, 74-65, at UD Arena. The season ended at 16-5 following a loss to LSU in the NCAA Tournament.

That freshman core of 2019 were seniors entering 2021-22. The group, under Schmidt’s guidance, delivered a memorable year. Following a one-point loss to Saint Louis in the A-10 quarterfinals, the Bonnies accepted an NIT bid. They emerged quintessential road warriors.

Schmidt’s group scored road wins over Colorado, Oklahoma and Virginia. They were headed to Madison Square Garden. Bus loads of students made the 350-mile trip from campus to New York m City. Alums came out in numbers. MSG was transformed into “Reilly Square Garden.”

The NIT semifinal opponent was Xavier. The Bonnies dug a hole and were down 19 with five minutes to go in the first half. They rallied and got the deficit to three possessions in the second half. Despite the backing of their energized fan base they couldn’t pull it off and dropped an 84-77 decision to the eventual NIT champions.

The last four seasons have seen the Bonnies hit the 20-win mark twice and finish .500 twice as well. There have been changes Schmidt, and many other coaches, have had to deal with. The transfer portal and NIL have drastically changed the game. Those talented freshmen from 2019 staying four years is now a thing of the past. Rosters are overhauled yearly.

For a coach like Schmidt, who is proven in player development, the challenge has been difficult. Hardly anyone stays around long enough to develop these days. The previously mentioned telephone directory (for those who can remember) playbook is hardly utilized. Learning his system takes longer than one season.

Schmidt estimates about 25 percent of his plays and sets are utilized. In addition, the 2024 offseason saw longtime assistant Steve Curran move to George Mason in a similar capacity. Curran was an outstanding judge of talent with an outstanding reputation in the New England area. He was also an accomplished practice and bench coach. His departure certainly hurt.

Despite these changes, Schmidt stayed true to the type of player he wanted, one who valued the classroom and the gym over social life. He was also very good with the media, not just cooperative, but generally engaging. At one A-10 media day a while back, at the Bonaventure table, colleagues Jason Schott, Jaden Daly and yours truly were having a discussion over soccer prior to formal interviews. Hearing this, Schmidt joined in, asking questions about the carding system and an explanation of the offsides rule. Classic Mark Schmidt.

Schmidt and his wife Anita have been involved with students, alums and reaching out to the local community in general.

“In addition to his great successes as a coach, Mark Schmidt does a tremendous amount of fundraising for Coaches vs. Cancer,” retiring A-10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade told The Bona Venture. “As far as the A-10, Bonaventure is a fabulous member and Mark has done everything anyone could have ever asked.”

Schmidt caught on and was immersed in the Bonaventure family from the beginning. He even likened it to a cult, but in a very positive way. Very down to earth, he was more comfortable breaking bread with alums over pizza and beer rather than in a fancy restaurant. If he heard a fan or alum was battling an illness or difficult time, Schmidt would be on the phone offering them encouragement. He went far beyond the job description of head basketball coach. Not surprisingly, a good representation of alums made the trip to Pittsburgh to watch Schmidt lead the Bonnies in his last A-10 tournament.

This past season ended at 17-17. An 11-2 preconference start gave hope to a run in the A-10. A list of close losses proved detrimental. In the A-10 tournament, the team, realizing this was Schmidt’s last go-round, rallied. The Bonnies defeated La Salle in the first round. The postgame belt, usually given to the player exemplifying toughness, was awarded to Schmidt by his players. The next day, a come-from-behind win over George Mason extended the season. That made the Bonnies the first 13th seed to reach the quarterfinals.

Schmidt’s final game ended in a hard/fought quarterfinal setback at the hands of Dayton in the A-10 tournament.

“Coach Schmidt, in my opinion, is one of the best coaches in the country,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said. “It’s been an honor to compete against his teams for the past nine years. What he’s been able to do at St. Bonaventure speaks for itself.”

Schmidt has had other schools reach out to him over the years. He listened, but stayed at Bonaventure. In recent years, it was assumed by many that Bonaventure would be his retirement job. It turned out to be, just a little earlier than expected.

At age 63, he still had several years ahead of him on the sidelines.

“Retirement,” or “relieved of duties?”

Since his announcement, that has been the subject of the local press and on social media. Rumor had it that the relationship between Schmidt and general manager Adrian Wojnarowski, who signed on just before the 2024-25 season, had strained. Rumors are swirling. Nothing has been confirmed.

A March 17 release on gobonnies.com by athletic director Bob Beretta praised Schmidt’s time in Olean, and insisted, “to attain our mission of building on the supreme legacy Mark Schmidt has built across two incredible decades as our head coach, we must identify the right leader.”

That, in itself, will be a daunting task for Beretta and the administration.

In the spring of 2007, I ran into Schmidt while covering a high school showcase at The College of New Jersey. I knew him from his Robert Morris days, but he was thrilled to hear I was a Bonaventure graduate. We discussed the program’s status quo, and when we were done, he said, “don’t worry, we are going to make you alumni proud again.”

He was true to his word, for what he accomplished both on and off the court. As one fellow alum noted, and many wholeheartedly agree, Bona’s was blessed to have him for 19 years.