NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Iona University women's basketball head coach Angelika Szumilo announced the addition of Taliya Heron to the 2023-24 roster. Heron, a 6-0 post performer from Ajax, Ontario is the final addition to this year's squad.
 
"We are very excited to introduce Taliya as the newest addition to our Gael family," said Szumilo. "Her athleticism and versatility will bolster our defensive capabilities. Taliya possesses the ability to defend all five positions on the floor with great effort. On the offensive front, she will provide us with the needed ability to attack the basket effectively."
 
Heron played for Bond Academy in 2022-23 in Scarborough, Ontario in Toronto suburbs. She played AAU ball with A-Game in Canada this past summer where she was an integral part of the team's success. A-Game lost just three games and played in the championship game of the Elite 40 Platinum Division.
 
The left-handed athletic forward joins the Iona program for the upcoming season.
 
Iona opens the 2033-24 campaign and the Szumilo era on Tuesday, November 7, at Seton Hall and plays its first game at the Hynes Center the following Sunday (November 12) when they host LIU. Seven players return from the 2023 MAAC Championship squad including top returning scorers in graduate Natalia Otkhmezuri, junior Judith Gomez, and sophomore Noa Givon. Nine new players (four transfers and five freshmen including a walk-on) will make their Maroon & Gold debut.