Sources - Rick Pitino agrees to 6-year deal with St. John's

Iona coach Rick Pitino has been named the new coach at St. John's, returning to the Big East Conference with ambitions of restoring the Red Storm to national prominence.

The school announced Pitino's hiring but did not disclose terms. Sources told ESPN that Pitino agreed to a six-year contract.

He will be introduced at a news conference Tuesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

Pitino informed his Gaels team in a meeting Monday afternoon that he was leaving the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference squad that he led to two NCAA tournament appearances in his three seasons on the job.

Pitino thanking the Iona administration and his players in a series of tweets Monday.

"… I'm not sad it ended. I'm so grateful it happened," he tweeted, adding: «To my players, the last three years. All I can say is you know how much I love you.»

St. John's courted Pitino, 70, fervently since firing coach Mike Anderson recently, and landed him with what's being described as a lucrative financial package.

Pitino is the only coach to lead three programs to the Final Four (Providence, Kentucky and Louisville), and won national titles with Kentucky and Louisville.

In a meeting with St. John's officials Sunday, Pitino laid out his vision for the program, a source told ESPN. Pitino engaged with the officials about the school's commitment, as sources said he would be taking the job with the intention of competing for Big East championships and the national title. That will require significant support both for the program and in the name, image and likeness space. The two sides talked about what's needed for the program going forward.

Pitino will be St. John's most decorated coach since Lou Carnesecca stepped down in 1992. Pitino is a Hall of Fame