Winter 2006/2007
Greetings from the Hynes Athletics Center!
The Fall season has officially come to an end and it is time to look forward to a successful and eventful Winter season. Before we can look ahead, there is much to report from the Iona Athletic Department about our Fall accomplishments.
Athletic Achievements:
Men's Cross Country: The men's cross country team raced to a third place finish at the 2006 NCAA Division I-A National Championship in Terre Haute, IN. The Gaels finished behind only Colorado and Wisconsin, with Stanford and Oregon rounding out the top five. Sophomore Mohamed Khadraoui was Iona's top finisher at 23rd overall, earning All-America honors. Men's cross country head coach Mick Byrne was named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year after leading the Gaels to their second straight Regional Title at Van Cortlandt Park. In addition, five members of the squad were named All-Region. The team also repeated as the NCAA Northeast Regional Champions and recorded their 16th straight MAAC Championship during the 2006 fall season.
Women's Cross Country: The women's cross country team finished 20th at the 2006 NCAA Division I-A National Championship in Terre Haute, IN. Sophomore McKayla Plank placed 21st individually with a time of 21:14.3. Senior Salome Kosgei was named 2006 Northeast Region Athlete of the Year after winning the Regional race at Van Cortlandt Park during the fall season. The team also succeeded in its bid to defend its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship from a year ago.
These accomplishments were made possible in large part due to the tremendous fan and financial support you have provided us with over the past few months.
It is always an exciting time for Iona fans when the winter sports swing into action. The women's basketball team looks to build off of last year's success and live up to their pre-season number one ranking in the MAAC Coaches' Poll. The team welcomes back a wealth of talented veteran leaders, including Preseason Player of the Year Martina Weber, who are ready to challenge for the conference title.
On the men's side, a reloaded squad of young and exciting talent will take the floor as the team looks to keep the momentum of last year's championship season alive.
The men's and women's swimming and diving teams have both started competition as well and are off to strong starts. Both squads have been working diligently in their pursuit of MAAC titles.
Iona Community Service:
The fall season was also highlighted by a committed group of over 400 student athletes that once again showed their community and charity involvement through their voluntary actions. The events included a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Drive as well as the annual Thanksgiving Drive and the popular Make a Difference Day. As important as it is for our athletes to excel in the classroom and on the field, we also place high expectations on them to give back to the community. I invite you all to take a look at the wonderful things Iona's athletes are doing at http://www.iona.edu/gaels/saac/service/.
Athletic Department Updates:
Last spring we opened both the Hynes Athletics Center and the Student-Athlete Academic Center to rave reviews. Since that time we have also had an overhaul of the Hynes Athletics Center East, formerly known as the Mulcahy Center. Both men's and women's basketball suites have been completed and will now provide areas for our teams that represent the pride we take in our programs. With coaching offices and student-athlete meeting rooms that serve as a hosting area for players, alumni, and future prospects, these improvements continue the ongoing facility upgrades at Iona. The football program has benefited as well with a new office suite specifically for the team.
The 2007 athletic school year will also feature the department's transition from an internally operated website to a partnership with XOS Technologies and the creation of a more fan based and sport efficient website. It will include live and on demand streaming audio and video events, live stats, and access to fan gear and archived team highlights. The newly-designed athletics website will have many features that will appeal to a broader audience and make the school more attractive to prospective students.
Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your family for your ongoing support. Please continue to come out and cheer on the Gaels whenever possible.
I wish you and your family a wonderful and eventful holiday season!
Go Gaels!
If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please click here to e-mail Athletics Director Patrick Lyons
