NEW ROCHELLE, NY— Iona University women's basketball head coach Angelika Szumilo announced the addition of three student-athletes to the program for the upcoming 2024-25 season. Yannie Chan (Hong Kong), Erin Leary (Carle Place, NY) and Destinee Salgado (Stafford, VA) have signed to compete for the Maroon & Gold. The trio joins Adrianna Gonzalez and Chloe Vasquez to round out the recruiting class for next season.

YANNIE CHAN

Yannie Chan, a 5-10 guard comes to New Rochelle after starting her collegiate career at Emmanuel College. Chan totaled 565 points, 202 rebounds, 185 assists, 93 steals in 48 games across two seasons. She started all 24 games in her first season with the Saints, averaging 9.0 points per game on the way to Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) All-Conference Third Team honors. In 2022-23, Chan led the team with 14.6 points, 5.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game, guiding the team to an appearance in the GNAC Championship game. She garnered GNAC Player of the Year, All-Conference First Team and D3Hoops.com All-Region Second Team honors and was a CSC Academic All-District honoree. Chan represented Hong Kong at the 2023 Asian Games and played scholastically at Heep Yun School.

COACH SZUMILO ON CHAN

"We are thrilled to welcome Yannie to our basketball program at Iona University. Her remarkable scoring ability will be a significant boost for our team. Yannie is a three-level scorer who plays with great confidence on both ends of the court. Her strong work ethic, relentless pursuit of perfection, selfless attitude, and vibrant energy will perfectly complement and enhance the culture we are cultivating at Iona."

ERIN LEARY

Erin Leary, a 6-0 forward joins the Gaels after three stellar seasons at St. Thomas Aquinas College (STAC).  She totaled 1,099 points, 644 rebounds, 194 assists, 94 steals, 95 blocked shots and 20 double doubles in 89 games for the Spartans. Leary is a two-time East Coast Conference First Team All-Conference selection, a two-time MET Basketball Writers Association DII First Team honoree and two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree. Last season, she averaged 14.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. As a sophomore, she helped the Spartans to an ECC Tournament final appearance and NCAA at-large bid with a team-high 14.0 points per game and 44.0% field goal percentage. She was a 1,000-point scorer at Carle Place High School and earned All-County, All-Long Island and All-State honors, and was also an All-County selection in track & field and soccer. Leary will be a second-generation player for the Iona women's basketball program. Her mother Karin Leary (née Brynes) '93, led the Gaels with 11.2 points and 8.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game as a senior.

COACH SZUMILO ON LEARY

"We are very excited to welcome Erin to our Gael family, especially as she follows in her mom's footsteps as an Iona graduate. Erin was a highly decorated and outstanding player at the Division II level (STAC). Her aggressive style of play on both ends of the floor will be crucial for our team. She is a hard worker and a go-getter with a strong will to win and compete. Erin is also a tremendous student and leader with high character traits. We look forward to her having a fantastic year in an Iona uniform."

DESTINEE SALGADO

Destinee Salgado, a 6-1 forward/wing, joins the Gaels from Stafford, Virginia. She played scholastically at North Stafford High School and for the Fairfax Stars EYBL on the AAU circuit. Salgado averaged 15 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block for the Wolverines a season ago. She garnered First team All-District and Second Team All-Region honors. She was also a McDonald's all-American nominee. Her mother, Christina Strother played center for Virginia Tech from 1999-2002.

COACH SZUMILO ON SALGADO

"Destinee is a tenacious forward with a high motor. Her versatility, go-getter mentality and fearless competitiveness make her an exceptional addition to our team. We are thrilled to welcome Destinee to our Gael family. As a high achiever both on the court and in the classroom, she will bring a tremendous amount of toughness, competitiveness, and dedication to our program. Her leadership and commitment to excellence will be invaluable assets as we strive for success."

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