Lady Gaels Supporting Fellow Athletes as Cross Country Meet

Hynes Center Receives Renovations

Our home floor, the Hynes Center, has had major improvements over this year’s summer vacation. New wooden floors were added to our two practice courts that sit to the side of the Hynes Center’s game court. With these two wooden floors, which use to be rubber, all Gael indoor sports can use the gym more efficiently and safely.

Beginning a Season to the “Next Level”

The Iona Lady Gaels once again started their pre-season with a bang! On a sunny Saturday the Gaels went on their annual team retreat. This year the players took part in Mindset Combat Training which involved pushing themselves mentally, physically and emotionally to the next level. They were led by Eric Kapitulik, the founder and CEO of The Program, a fitness and leadership training business that works to instill commitment, courage, and integrity through two different training programs; Judgment Day (which Iona took part in last year), and Mindset Combat Training.

This year the players began with learning what a true competitor is and how she can overcome many daily obstacles through a 45 minute informational session given by Marine Joe Morgan. They then moved to the field to prove that they could live up to the next challenge. They went through a thirty minute Marine drill session followed by team Tug of War and Combat Pugil Sticks competition. The final challenge was a one mile uphill mountain run through the woods and rocks carrying sandbags. All the players did fantastic, with Anda Ivkovic winning the hardest worker award. It was a great day that most definitely helped take our team’s first steps to the “Next Level.”

Iona Adds Three More to the Team

We are very pleased to announce our 2010 recruiting class. Sabrina Jeridore, a 6'4" center from Francis Lewis High School in Queens, NY, guard Jackie Marshall from Hackensack, NJ and Shonice Hawkins, a 5'6" guard out of St. Anthony's High School in Jersey City, NJ are joining the squad for the 2010 season

"They are as talented a group of players as we've brought in and I am looking forward to their development as basketball players in our system," said Anthony Bozzella

Jeridore is coming off a senior season at Francis Lewis (20-5) in which she averaged 10.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 5.2 blocks per game. She was voted First Team All-Queens by the New York Post and Honorable Mention by the Daily News. Jeridore was also ranked as one of the top 250 players in the nation by ESPN Hoopgurlz. "I feel Sabrina has all the tools to be one of the top centers in the MAAC for years to come."

Hawkins recently completed her senior season at St. Anthony's having averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. She was voted Second Team All-Non Public School by the New Jersey Star Ledger. "Shonice is a dynamic, athletic guard who will be able to play both guard positions for us and be very effective in our defensive pressure."

Marshall, a 5'8" guard just graduated from Hackensack High School, where she led them to a 14 and 8 record. While doing so she averaged 21.3 points per game and accumulated 1,245 total career points.

Bozzella concluded, "These young ladies are excellent students and outstanding people who I am proud to bring into our program."

MAAC Women's Basketball Championship to Air on ESPNU

We are happy to announce that the 2011 MAAC Women's Basketball Championship Game, scheduled for Monday, March 7 at 1:00 pm, will be broadcast nationally for the first time on ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network. The Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT will host the 2011 MAAC Basketball Championships from March 3-7.

"It's a great opportunity for the MAAC to move its premier championship game from a regional network to a national platform like ESPNU," said MAAC Commissioner Richard J. Ensor. "We look forward to the network's 72.5 million viewers tuning in for MAAC Women's Basketball." We hope to be a part of the action!