THE BRYANT SERIES:
Iona and Bryant square off for the first time in either program’s history. The Bulldogs are in its first season competing in Division I. Bryant is independent during its four-year transition year and will join the Northeast Conference (NEC) once the transition is complete in the fall of 2012. Iona and the Bulldogs share two opponents in Wagner and Marist. The Gaels fell to the Seahawks and Red Foxes while the Bulldogs beat Wagner by 10, but fell by 27 to Marist.

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS:
Bryant University is located on 420 acres in Smithfield, RI, northwest of Providence. Head Coach Marty Fine is in his fifth season at Bryant after guiding the Bulldogs to back-to-back conference championships and NCAA playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007. The Bulldogs are averaging 165.9 yards rushing per game and 161.7 yards passing. Graduate QB Jay Graber leads the offense and has gone 125-for-220 with 1,385 yards and 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Senior WR Ross Giffune has been brought in 25 receptions for 281 yards. Sophomore WR Anthony DiNaso and senior TE Jarrett Solimando have each hauled in three touchdowns receiving. The Bulldogs, like several of the Gaels’ opponents in 2008, feature multiple dominant running backs. Juniors Jerrell Smith has put up 999 yards rushing, 111.0 yards per game and junior Lindsey Gamble has 575 yards and a team-best 6 TDs. Defensively, Bryant is allowing 104.6 yards rushing per game and have recorded 27 take-aways with 13 fumbles and 14 interceptions. Junior LB Paul Polomski sets the pace for the defense with 58 total tackles, 28 solos, and three interceptions. Junior DL Don Smith has racked up 8.5 TFLs, six sacks, both team-highs, and has two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.

SOMETHING UNFAMILIAR:
Since 2000, Iona is now 4-7 in the opening game of a series or against a fi rst-time opponent. The Gaels took the openers against Montclair State in 2000 (28-17), Assumption in 2004 (23-6), Stonehill in 2005 (16-7) and Delaware Valley in 2007 (14-12). Iona fell to Monmouth in 2003, New Hampshire in 2005, Western
Connecticut State in 2006, Cal Poly in 2007, Wesley (Del.), UC Davis and Maine this season. Iona is also 0-2 against California teams and 0-2 against teams located north of Massachusetts.

MAY I INTRODUCE MR. WASHINGTON:
Junior RB Jason Washington has not missed a beat in his four games in the Maroon & Gold. Washington, a transfer from Dean Junior College, sits high on the stat sheets amonst active players as he is first on the team in rushing yards (153) and second on the team in total offense. He has carried the ball 46 times, which is one touch more than his QB Warren Smith. Washington has also been accumulating big numbers as part of the Gaels’ return game. He has 311 yards on 16 returns and just missed tieing a school record for single-game returns yards by 10 yards in the Maine game two weeks ago. He needs 128 yards in the season finale against Bryant to tie former Gael Dane Samuels for fifth on the single-season return yards list.

RECORDS WERE SET TO BE BROKEN:
Several Gaels are looking to etch their names in Iona College Football history this weekend. Senior WR Tim Mastrino added two more receptions against Stony Brook and pulled within nine of the single-season mark of 60 and currently sits in eight on the single-season list. Mastrino also took over sole possesion of eighth place on the all-time career receptions list with 87.

Sophomre P/K Robert Woods has been steady when dropping back to boot the football. Woods already set the record for longest punt with a 78 yarder against Delaware Valley. He is averaging 39.1 yards per punt, which if it holds will give him the single-season and career mark. He sits fourth on the single-season list for punting yards with 2,228 on 57 punts.

Junior LB Andrew Lipski is pacing the Gaels defense with 48 solo tackles, 117 total and 13 TFLs. He trails the single-season mark for tackles by 19 and is 10 back from the TFLs record. He needs just 4.5 tackle for loss to tie his brother Adam’s mark of 17.5 set in 2007. He is seventh in Division I-FCS for tackles averaging 11.70 per game and put up a season-high 3 TFLs in last week’s game against Stony Brook.

LOOKING TO GO OUT A WINNER:
Head Coach Fred Mariani and the Gaels hope to go out winners against Bryant and snap two tough streaks. Under Mariani, Iona has only taken one season finale back in 2001 against St. John’s. The Maroon & Gold are also on a five game skid and haven’t lost six straight since 2004.

CONFERENCE CALL:
This season, Iona faces eight different conferences and have had mixed success so far. The Gaels have awinning record against the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation (1-0) and Northeast 10 (2-0). The Gaels came up short against the Northeast Conference (0-2), Atlantic Central Football Conference (0-1), the Great West (0-1), Colonial Athletic Association (0-1), Big South (0-1) and Division I-FCS Independent. Iona closes out the 2008 season against Bryant, a team transitioning into Division I-FCS.

MARIANI CONTINUES TO BE HOMECOMING KING:
With the 35-34 OT win over Stonehill, head coach Fred Mariani is now 10-1 all-time on homecoming since taking over the helm of the Gaels in the 1998 season. The Maroon & Gold lost its only homecoming in the Mariani era in 2005. In ?98, the Gaels blanked Saint Peter’s, 36-0. In ?99 RB Ralph Saldiveri’s 248 yards rushing led to a record-setting 62-50 win over Duquesne. WR Kazmel Minott accounted for three touchdowns in a 39-7 win over Saint Peter’s in 2000. In ?01, QB Jason Collins threw two TD passes and RB Tom Adams rushed for 126 yards in an 18-15 win vs. Marist. In ?02, the Gaels took on La Salle, 30-23. Adams and fellow RB Rob Terry combined for 228 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the win. In ?03, the Gaels crushed Marist, 38-21. RB Nat Modica rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns while QB Billy Brieden ran for two more in the Gaels sixth straight homecoming “W”. The Gaels trumped La Salle on homecoming for the second time in ?04 on the heels on RB Rudy Arcara’s record breaking 313-yard rushing performance. Arcara and WR Dennis Calacione accounted for two touchdowns a piece in the 42-35 shoot-out. Iona avenged its only homecoming loss last season with a 28-0 win over La Salle, the first shutout in seven seasons. The Gaels secured the 2007 MAAC Championship, second in the program’s history, with a 28-23 victory over Duquesne. Nick Rossetti threw two touchdowns including a 71 yard completion to RB Dane Samuels. Samuels and Arcara each rushed one in on the ground to help down the Dukes.