Iona University Athletics

Iona University Director of Athletics Matthew Glovaski announced the appointment of Jacquie Eshleman as the school's inaugural women's acrobatics & tumbling head coach in November of 2022. Eshleman joins Iona after serving five seasons as the head coach of Gannon University where she grew the Golden Knights to a top-five program nationally while finishing as national runner up this past season.
 
"We are beyond ecstatic to welcome Jacquie into Gael Nation," said Glovaski. "A two-time NCATA National Coach of the Year, she is a top-tier leader in the sport and will be tremendous in building the foundation of acrobatics & tumbling at Iona University."

In August, Iona announced the addition of women's acrobatics & tumbling and men's lacrosse as its 22nd and 23rd intercollegiate athletic programs. The acrobatics & tumbling team will compete in the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA).
 
"I want to thank the Gannon family for all of their support these past five years," said Eshleman. "Gannon has been a wonderful place to work and build a successful program. The athletes here will always have a piece of my heart. I am so blessed to have been able to grow in my craft in such a supportive community, with wonderful athletes who I will continue to cheer on in a new way."
 
"I am beyond excited for this next chapter in my life, and thankful to Iona and the administrative team here for giving me this opportunity," Eshleman added. "Iona has a beautiful campus, and I am thrilled to be a part of this next phase of growth for them. Their support for myself, family, and this sport has been overwhelming and amazing. Being able to do what I am passionate about, being close to family, all while at the Division I level has been a dream for me. I am thrilled to officially call myself a Gael; I cannot wait for all the future Gaels of acrobatics and tumbling to embark on this new journey and 'Fight the Good Fight'."
 
Eshleman comes to New Rochelle after being named 2022 NCATA Coach of the Year, as Gannon finished national runner up following a hard-fought defeat in the national title meet vs. Baylor University. The Golden Knights became the first non-original NCATA program to reach the national championship event. Gannon entered the national event ranked No. 3 in the country. In 2021, Eshleman led the program to a No. 5 ranking as the team completed the regular season with an unblemished 6-0 mark but was not selected for the condensed, four-team national championship that season. Gannon also competed in the final NCATA event in 2018 and 2019 with the 2020 championship canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Prior to Gannon, Eshleman was the inaugural head coach of the acrobatics and tumbling program at Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, WV. After her third season, she was named the 2015 NCATA National Coach of the Year. No stranger to the Northeast, Eshleman began her college coaching experience as an assistant coach at Quinnipiac for two seasons, leading the charge in recruiting and organizing all camps and clinics.
 
Eshleman was an All-American student-athlete at Kennesaw State University as a competitive cheerleader. She helped lead her team to a top-four finish at the National Cheerleaders Association National Championships. Eshleman transferred to the University of Oregon and played a chief role on the Ducks' inaugural acrobatics & tumbling program. She helped lead Oregon to a third-place finish at NCA Nationals.
 
Eshleman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Oregon in 2010, and recently earned her master's degree in Education from Gannon in 2021. Originally from Agawam, Massachusetts, she currently resides in Erie, Pennsylvania, with her husband Paul and their two daughters.