Iona Gaels
Encyclopedia
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
(MAAC) and participate in twenty-two (22) NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I programs. Other members of the MAAC include Canisius College
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
, Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
, Loyola University Maryland, Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
, Marist College
Marist College
Marist College is a private liberal arts college on the east bank of the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, New York. The site was established in 1905 by Marist Brothers, and the college was chartered in 1929...
, Niagara University
Niagara University
Niagara University is a Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. The University is still run by...
, Rider University
Rider University
Rider University is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian university located chiefly in Lawrenceville, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States...
, St. Peter's College, and Siena College
Siena College
Siena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
.
Athletic programs
| Mens | Womens |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross Country/Track & Field |
| Cross Country/Track & Field | Lacrosse |
| Golf | Rowing |
| Rowing | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Swimming & Diving | Swimming & Diving |
| Water Polo | Volleyball |
| Water Polo | |
Rivalries
Iona's fiercest rivals include:- Manhattan CollegeManhattan CollegeManhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
- Fordham UniversityFordham UniversityFordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
- Marist CollegeMarist CollegeMarist College is a private liberal arts college on the east bank of the Hudson River near Poughkeepsie, New York. The site was established in 1905 by Marist Brothers, and the college was chartered in 1929...
- Siena CollegeSiena CollegeSiena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
Men's basketball
Iona College has been competing in men's basketball since the inception of the school in 1940. Iona is an original member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, which began play in men's basketball with the 1981-82 season. The Gaels have compiled the most victories of any MAAC team since the founding of the conference and have won a league record seven MAAC titles. During their history, the Gaels have participated in eight NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
s compiling a record of 1-8. The lone win for the Gaels came in 1980 against Holy Cross
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
, 84-78.
Victories against ranked opponents:
- Feb. 21, 1980: Iona 77, LouisvilleLouisville CardinalsThe Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
60 (Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
) - Dec. 27, 2002: Iona 65, North CarolinaNorth Carolina Tar HeelsThe North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...
56 (Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
) - Nov. 26, 2005: Iona 89, Iowa StateIowa State CyclonesThe Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
72 (Ames, IowaAmes, IowaAmes is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
)
Notable Men's Basketball Coaches at Iona:
- Jim McDermott
- Jim ValvanoJim ValvanoJames Thomas Anthony "Jim" Valvano , nicknamed Jimmy V, was an American college basketball coach.While the head basketball coach at North Carolina State University, he won the 1983 NCAA Basketball Tournament against high odds...
- Pat KennedyPat KennedyPat Kennedy is an American college basketball coach who most recently was men's basketball coach at Towson University before announcing his resignation on March 7, 2011. Previously, Kennedy coached at Iona College, Florida State University, DePaul University, and the University of Montana.Kennedy...
- Tim WelshTim WelshTim Welsh is an American college basketball coach and the former head basketball coach at Providence College. Previously, he served as the head coach at Iona College...
- Jeff RulandJeff RulandJeffrey Alan Ruland is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He is the former head coach of the Iona Gaels men's college basketball team and current head coach of the UDC Firebirds men's college basketball team.-Early life and collegiate career:A 6'11", 280 lb center, Ruland...
- Kevin WillardKevin WillardKevin Willard is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Seton Hall University, and former coach of Iona College. He took over Iona from Jeff Ruland on April 10, 2007....
On April 9, 2010, Tim Cluess
Tim Cluess
Tim Cluess is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Iona College, and former coach of Long Island University–C.W. Post. He took over Iona from Kevin Willard on April 8, 2010....
was named the 12th Head Basketball Coach in the history of Iona men's basketball. Cluess is a graduate of Hofstra University and formerly the Head Coach of the C.W. Post men's basketball team.
Gaels who have played in the NBA:
- Richie GuerinRichie GuerinRichard Vincent "Richie" Guerin is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. The 6'4" Guerin played with the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks from 1956 to 1963 and was a player-coach of the St...
- Jeff RulandJeff RulandJeffrey Alan Ruland is a retired American basketball player and current coach. He is the former head coach of the Iona Gaels men's college basketball team and current head coach of the UDC Firebirds men's college basketball team.-Early life and collegiate career:A 6'11", 280 lb center, Ruland...
- Steve Burtt, Sr.
- Sean GreenSean Green (basketball)Sean Curtis Green is a retired American professional basketball player and USA Triathlon certified triathlon coach.Green played basketball for #2 nationally ranked high school Oak Hill Academy in 1987...
Steve Burtt, Sr. is Iona's all time leading scorer with 2,534 career points.
Women's basketball
The Gaels have been competing in NCAA women's basketball since the 1974-75 season. They are a founding member of the MAAC and are coached by Anthony Bozzella, a graduate of Seton Hall UniversitySeton Hall University
Seton Hall University is a private Roman Catholic university in South Orange, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1856 by Archbishop James Roosevelt Bayley, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesan university in the United States. Seton Hall is also the oldest and largest Catholic university in the...
. Bozella has led the Lady Gaels since the 2002-03 season. The Gaels have not recorded a MAAC Championship to date. They have three postseason appearances to their credit, in the 2007, 2008, and 2010 Women's National Invitation Tournament
Women's National Invitation Tournament
The Women's National Invitation Tournament , formerly the National Women's Invitation Tournament, is a college basketball tournament with a preseason and postseason version played every year...
s. They hold a 2-3 record in postseason play.
Gaels in the WNBA:
- Martina Weber, 2007 29th pick New York Liberty.
Cross country
Iona men's cross country is one of the top programs in NCAA Division I having earned eight straight Top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championship. The Gaels finished as the runner up at consecutive championships in 2007 and 2008. Most recently the program finished eighth overall in 2009 with a team of mostly freshmen and sophomores.The Gaels have finished in the top two at the Northeast Regional Championship in 12 of the last 14 years including titles in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. The program has also captured 19 straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
titles, the second longest active streak in NCAA (behind the University of Portland
Portland Pilots
The Portland Pilots were a Class-B minor league baseball team in Portland, Maine out of the New England League. Created in 1946 as the Portland Gulls, the Pilots lasted until 1949, when the New England League collapsed...
.
Facilities
- Mazzella FieldMazzella FieldMazzella Field is a 2,440-seat multi-purpose stadium at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York and home to the Iona College Gaels men's rugby, men's and women's soccer and women's lacrosse teams. It was opened in 1989. It is also the home of the Women's New York Magic of the W-League...
: men's and women's soccer, women's lacrosse - Hynes Athletics CenterHynes Athletic CenterThe Hynes Athletics Center is a 2,611-seat multi-purpose arena in New Rochelle, New York. It was built in 1974 and is home to the Iona College Gaels basketball and volleyball teams....
: men's and women's basketball, swimming and diving and water polo and women's volleyball - Salesian Field: baseball
- Rice Oval: softball
- Van Cortlandt ParkVan Cortlandt ParkVan Cortlandt Park is a park located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the fourth largest park in New York City, behind Pelham Bay Park, Flushing Meadows Park and Staten Island Greenbelt....
men's and women's cross country. - Glen Island Park: rowing