Iona Athletics named and introduced Angelika Szumilo as the new head coach of the women’s basketball program on Monday April 17.  

The appointment means that Szumilo will once again join Tobin Anderson after the pair were the head coaches of the men’s and women’s programs at Fairleigh Dickinson University.  

“Iona has always been on my radar,” Szumilo said, alluding to her experiences either playing or coaching at nearby colleges, according to Lohud.  

“I heard a lot of great things about Iona University, not just recently, but over the years. Obviously, when it became an option and an opportunity, I just had to go after it. I’m a very big family person, and if I didn’t get that feeling, I’m just not going to go for something I don’t feel good about.” said Szumilo.   

During her time in charge of the Knights, her first head coaching job, Szumilo led the team to improve each year. The season before Szumilo took charge, the Knights went 8-22 before holding a .500 record and earning their first NEC tournament victory since 1992 in her first season. Szumilo also led the Knights to the NEC regular season title in the last two years she was in charge.  

Graduating Gaels Juana Camilion and Kate Mager of Iona women’s basketball have been recognised to the Metropolitan Basketball Writers’ Association All-Met Teams.  

Camilion was named to the All-Met second team while Mager was named to the All-Met third team. The All-Met team includes 21 Division I Colleges and Universities and over 300 players.  

Both new head coaches are in the process of recruiting for next season. On the women’s side, the Gaels return ten from their Metro Atlantic Athletics Conference roster. However only two starters, Natalia Otkhmezuri and Thoranna Hodge-Carr return as Kate Mager, Juana Camilion and Ketsia Athias all graduate who each played key roles for the Gaels’ MAAC winning season.  

In contrast, the men’s team will undergo a major reshuffle, in terms of their roster, with currently only Osbourne Shema staying from Rick Pitino’s MAAC-winning roster.  

Head coach Tobin Anderson is bringing in 12 new players. Recently, the Gaels announced three new players to their roster on April 31.  

Southern University transfer Terrell Williams Jr joins the Gaels after averaging 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds last season. The 6-foot-6 transfer also averaged 9.8 points and 3.6 boards the year before, according to Zagsblog.  

Joel Brown is another graduate transfer who joins the Gaels from California Berkeley University. The 6-3 guard averaged 6.9 points. 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Golden Bears.  

Greg Gordon is a junior college transfer from Dyersburg State Community College who averaged 23.3 points and 10.6 rebounds, shooting 44% from the field.
 

Sauders, a 6’8 forward from Virginia Premier AAU, had committed to FDU but switched to Iona after he found out that former Anderson was becoming head coach of the Gaels.  

Idan Tretout, is a 6’4 guard is a graduate transfer from Harvard University, who hails from Brooklyn, New York. He averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds as a senior for the Crimson, shooting 44% from the field and 37% from three-point range.  

Jeremiah Quigely is a 6’0 point guard out of Baltimore, Maryland who attended Bishop McNamara High School.  

Aranguren was another FDU commit before switching to the Gaels after finding out about Anderson’s coaching change.  

Alex Bates, a 6’5 guard, had originally committed to Fordham University, but decommitted and will now join Todin Anderson at Iona.  

Both men’s and women’s teams are still busy recruiting for next season and the rosters will take shape over the next few weeks ready for the 2023-2024 college basketball season.