St. Mary's athletic director Chris Kendall was determined to do thorough – albeit quick – search to find a successor to Mark Lovelace as the head men's basketball coach.

It took Kendall just over a week to find that man – and he didn't even have to leave the state.

Mike Trewick, currently an assistant men's coach at St. John's, was officially named Cardinals head coach Tuesday, May 4, replacing Lovelace, who, after one season, stepped down as the Cardinals' head coach to be an assistant at Division I Loyola (Ill.).

Trewick will be the third Cardinals coach in three seasons. He takes over a team that finished 7-18 overall, 6-14 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference last year.

"We were sad to see Mark go, but we are excited and fortunate to have found a coach of Mike's caliber who can continue to lead this program in the right direction," said Kendall, noting that former assistants John Brandsoy and Harley Piercy will remain on as Trewick's assistants. "Mike brings with him a decade of coaching experience in the MIAC, experience that will beneift every player in this program."

Trewick has been on the SJU coaching staff for nine seasons, after serving as the head coach at Saint John's Preparatory School during the 1994-95 season. A 1993 graduate of Saint John's University, Trewick was a standout point guard for the Johnnies after transferring from Division II St. Cloud State. In 1992-93, Trewick helped SJU win the MIAC title and gain a berth in the NCAA tournament with a 20-8 overall and 17-3 MIAC record.

Besides coaching basketball, Trewick has been an assistant coach for the SJU football team for six years – helping guide the Johnnies to the NCAA Division III national championship last season – and baseball team for seven seasons, as well as serving as compliance coordinator and director of transportation.