Iona University Athletics

Iona University lacrosse Head Coach Lauren Kahn announced Aly Dowey as the new Associate Head Coach in April of 2022. Dowey enters her fifth season alongside Kahn and the Gaels in the 2023-2024 year. Dowey works as the defensive coordinator alongside assistant Rocco Rubeo and is the recruiting director for the staff. 

During Dowey’s tenure, the Gaels have broken 15 program records, tied the program record for wins twice, and named the MAAC Co-Midfield Player of the Year in 2023 and the MAAC Rookie of the Year in 2022. Three players have ended the season ranked Top-20 nationally in various offensive stats.

The 2023 season was marked by the program’s first-ever win over Canisius on Senior Day with a score of 19-14. It was followed up later that season with a program-breaking number of goals in a 24-17 win over Marist to wrap up the end of the regular season. The Gaels posted another record-tying number of wins with 9 and the most MAAC wins yet under her leadership. 

Kahn, Dowey and Rubeo’s 2023 squad boasted the Co-Midfielder of the Year and First-Team All-MAAC, sophomore Kira Varada ’26 who led the team and the MAAC in caused turnovers per game and draw controls per game. Varada also led the team in goals and ground balls and was ranked in the Top-10 in the nation for caused turnovers and groundballs per game. Second-Team All-MAAC junior Micaela FitzPatrick ’24 led the team and the MAAC in total points, points per game, total assists, and assists-per game. FitzPatrick joined Varada in the national Top-20 rankings for assists per game. Senior Emily Stewart ’23 was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and three freshmen to the All-MAAC Rookie Team. 

The historic 2023 season comes right off of an equally impressive 2022 campaign where Kahn, Dowey and the team led to the team to 13 program record including total wins and a seven-game win streak. The Gaels set team records in total goals, total points, and draw controls. Kira Varada ’24 broke the record for draw controls in a season with 79. Three Gaels were nominated to the All-MAAC team: Varada ’24 and Carly Young ’22 were both named to the second team and Varada ’24 and Carly Linthicum ’24 were both named to the All-Rookie Team.

Both of Dowey’s first two years in New Rochelle were impacted by the global Covid-19 pandemic – cutting the first season short in 2020 and restricting the 2021 season to limited competition. In 2021, the team earned a spot in the MAAC conference tournament for the first time in three years and the first time under her leadership.

Dowey came to New Rochelle after living in the U.K. and as the assistant to the Wales National Team. While with Wales, Dowey served as their defensive coordinator and tallied a 11-4 record over three international tournaments including a third-place finish at the European Championships in 2019 and the nation’s first ever victory over Israel. Alongside coaching, Dowey was able to play with her university’s team. 

Prior to the U.K., Dowey served as the Head Coach for Blair Academy (NJ) for three seasons. During her time there, the team held winning records and post-season wins each season. At Blair, Dowey worked with future collegiate players, including those who went on to play for Navy, Princeton, George Mason, Gettysburg, Trinity, Bates, Franklin & Marshall and more. 

During her playing days, Dowey was a four-year starting defender and senior captain at Bates College. Her team boasted Top-20 national rankings each year, consistently earning spots in the competitive NESCAC tournament. 

Dowey holds a Masters in Science in Food Biotechnology from the University of Leeds, graduating in 2019, and a Bachelors in Science in Chemistry from Bates, graduating in 2015. She is a NASM-certified personal trainer and is a Precision Nutrition-certified nutrition coach. Dowey works as an adjunct instructor in Iona’s chemistry department where she teaches a course in the Chemistry of Food.