Joel Soriano wants to leave college as a winner, as much for himself as for the fans and New York.
The Yonkers native has spent his college career in the city, starting off at Fordham for two years before transferring to St. John’s, and has yet to reach the NCAA Tournament.
“That’s my No. 1 goal, man. I’m trying to win. Not just for me, man. For the city. St. John’s has been stagnant these past couple …” Soriano told The Post. “So, definitely being able to bring them back to their prominence and being able to say that you started that. As my last year here, it would be an honor. I just want to win just for the fans.
“They put so much into us. They are always there through our ups and downs. … Even when I wasn’t performing at my best, they were always there for me. I feel like I owe that to them. I play for the name on the front, not the back.”
St. John’s finished fifth in the Big East coaches’ preseason poll after Rick Pitino revamped the roster — with Soriano as the only returning contributor from last season.
Soriano earned a preseason All-Big East First-Team nod after putting up 15.2 points and a league-leading 11.9 rebounds per game last season.
“I’ll be more happy when I get it at the end of the year,” he said of the conference honor.
Despite Pitino keeping Soriano, the center has had to adjust to the Hall of Famer’s style to fight for a starting spot. He has been forced to play a faster game, running more and harder than he is accustomed to.
“It’s nonstop, 110 percent. All the time on the defensive end [and] on the offensive end,” Soriano said.
In Saturday’s exhibition game against Rutgers, Soriano started and put up 12 points and 16 rebounds in St. John’s double-overtime 89-78 victory.
“The last eight days, Joel has dominated in practice,” Pitino told The Post. “Prior to that, we all felt that Zuby [Ejiofor] was starting against Rutgers. And then the week prior to that, Joel just made a big turn.”
Pitino attributed the change to “playing with a high motor.”
“It’s difficult for him,” Pitino added. “He’s not used to rim running every single possession and playing this type of defense. So, it’s just different for him. It’s not that he’s not willing to work. It’s just different.”
The turnaround and Soriano’s loss of body fat down to 8.5 percent has been “nice,” according to Pitino, who has pushed him to lose weight.
The chance he would not be in the starting lineup was an “eye opener” for Soriano, who admitted he wasn’t performing in the first 10 practices, and Pitino gave him the perspective he needed.
“ ‘You need to start doing more or we’re going to start anyone else,’ ” he quoted Pitino telling him.
“In this profession that we have of basketball, you’re always going to have someone that’s trying to get more out of you. …” Soriano said. “At the end of the day, this is a job.”
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