Arrigoni Hall of Fame
Jeanne Morris and Janice Ghiorsi were pioneers of women's sports at Iona College.
When women first arrived on the Iona campus in the Fall of 1969, it was not until 1973 when women - who had been playing intramural basketball - organized an intercollegiate program. Co-captained by Jeanne Morris and Janice Ghiorsi, these women recruited fellow student Kevin Fitzpatrick to coach the team. After all of their hard work and preparation, the Iona College women's basketball team took to the court for their first game, February 7, 1973 against Manhattanville.
The next season the program hired head coach Sandy Capifali to lead the program. In 1973-1974, the team gained its stride and went on to have a successful 12-2 record and won an invitational tournament.
On the forty-year anniversary of Title IX; we salute Jeanne, Janice and their teammates for pioneering the first women's intercollegiate sport at Iona College. These women paved the way for the thousands of female student-athletes that have followed in their footsteps.
