I have a ton of gratitude to Mark Schmidt. The basketball program he rebuilt from the literal depths of hell was a huge reason why I chose St. Bonaventure. I spent three years on the MBB beat, and those opportunities and relationships have been incredibly important to me — both professionally and personally. Asking questions to Mark Schmidt made me a better journalist. He was tough — but fair. My sophomore year, @RealThomasBaia and I sat down with him for an hour in his office, just talking ball for a @WSBU interview. He could’ve only given us a few minutes, but he genuinely cared about connecting with the community and student media. The last few years, obviously, have not been great results-wise, and it felt like some sort of change at the top was coming sooner rather than later. But regardless of how you view the last couple seasons — and how this was/wasn’t handled by the university — Mark Schmidt will go down as one of the most influential, celebrated individuals in St. Bonaventure’s history, athletics or not. This is a bittersweet moment for the university and program. Best wishes to Mark Schmidt. Hope he can go out with a bang next week in Pittsburgh.