Gaels Announce Non-Conference Schedule

Iona College head coach Anthony Bozzella has announced the non-conference portion of the team's schedule for the upcoming 2010-11 campaign. This year, Iona will play an eleven game non-conference schedule with three home contests, seven match-ups on the road, and one site yet to be determined. "As has become customary with Iona women's basketball, our program will be challenged with a tremendous non-league schedule," commented Bozzella. "Having the second most wins in our league (60) over the last five years, combined with three second place finishes and two other top-four finishes, is a direct correlation to the tough opponents we compete against in the non-league portion of our season."

Iona will commence its 2010-11 run with a match-up at Charlotte (Atlantic 10) in the first round of the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament on Nov. 13, followed by a second WNIT game against a to-be-determined opponent between Nov. 15-20. "It is an honor once again to be one of only 16 teams nationally to be selected to participate in the preseason WNIT," Bozzella added. Iona's last participation in the tournament was in 2006 when the squad defeated BIG EAST opponent St. John's before losing to ACC opponent North Carolina State.

The team's home opener will take place during the Iona Thanksgiving Classic, hosted at the Hynes Center on Nov. 27 and 28. The Gaels face Brown (Ivy League) on the 27th and Toledo (Mid-American) on the 28th. The Gaels will then take the road against Marquette (BIG EAST), Stony Brook (America East), Michigan State (Big Ten) and then finishing its away game run at Bucknell. Last season, the Spartans reached the second round of the NCAA tournament as a fifth seed where they fell to fourth-seeded Kentucky.

The Gaels will return home to take on local foe Fordham (Atlantic 10) Dec. 22. After Christmas break, the team wraps up non-conference play and the month of December with a trip out west. Iona will get a second look at last year's season-opening opponent with a return trip to Arizona (Pac 10) on the 28th. The Gaels take on Northern Arizona (Big Sky) on the 30th in the final game of the non-conference schedule.

On the team's long-distance travel plans, Bozzella offered, "We are continuing our tradition of taking our student-athletes to outstanding educational and exceptional places around the world. Visiting one of the seven natural wonders of the world in the Grand Canyon will be truly awesome." In recent years, Iona has traveled to England, Italy, San Francisco, Cancun, Mexico and Disney World in Florida.

Gaels Add Two More to the Staff

The Iona Women's Basketball program is happy to announce the addition of Thazina Cook and Jen McNamee to round out the 2010-2011 coaching staff. Cook, as many of you know, had a great career at Iona and led us to a 18-14 record. She now looks to aid our continued efforts of winning a MAAC championship in the position as Director of Basketball Operations. Jen McNamee will be assuming the newly created position of Video Coordinator. McNamee is no stranger to the MAAC having played at league foe Niagara University for the past four years.

Cook is taking over the position from Jess Anger who is now an assistant at UMBC. Anger will be missed but we look forward to watching her succeed in her new program. Cook's responsibilities will include orchestrating team travel arrangements, coordinating community service and school outreach initiatives, and managing the team's academic meetings. While Cook takes over those duties, McNamee's priorities will be tape exchange and film breakdown as well as produce the Gael Gazzette and the team-run web blog. We're excited to welcome Coach Cook and Coach McNamee to our staff!