Arrigoni Hall of Fame
Joe Mazzella enters the Iona College Hall of Fame as one of the best all-around athletes in the history of Iona College.
Mazzella was a member of the men’s basketball team from 1968 to 1971. Head coach and fellow Hall of Famer, Jim McDermott, relied on Joe for his outside shooting and his desire and hustle on the defensive end of the court. During his freshman season, Joe was named the team MVP and received All-East honors after leading the freshman team to a 25-4 overall record.
Joe was also a standout pitcher for the baseball program, teaming with Dennis Leonard and Steve Broege on the 1971 team that is generally regarded as the best in Iona history. The 1971 squad had a 19-7 record and posted 17 straight wins on their way to capturing the Metropolitan Conference title. In 1972, the St. Louis Cardinals signed Mazzella to a professional contract.
At the time of his induction, Mazzella completed his 22nd season as head coach of the Mount Vernon High School baseball team. During his tenure, Coach Mazzella has posted over 325 coaching victories and has led Mount Vernon to 10 Conference AI titles and one Section I title. He has been named the Conference AI Coach of the Year ten times and the Section I Coach of the Year twice. Mazzella also serves as a Division I Men’s Basketball Official, a position he has held since 1992.
