Coming just one stroke short of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship is an excruciating experience. The Iona College golf team suffered this fate last spring. The Gaels enter this year with determination to make up for this shortcoming.

The Maroon & Gold will be under new leadership this year, with former head coach Matt Glovaski stepping down to focus on his role as an administrator in the athletics department. His replacement at the helm of the golf program is Chris Merce. Merce also serves as the Coordinator of Academics for the athletics department. He was previously at St. Peter’s College.

“I’ve been assistant coach for five years. Iona has a lot of good things going athletic wise. To be given this opportunity is big,” Merce said.

With the departure of several top players from last year’s team, the Gaels will have a new core rotation. Dylan Newman, Doug Hoppe, Sean O’Shea and Andrew Graham all graduated; graduate Scott Gallo, junior Tom McHugh, senior Robert Winters, senior Jordan Kral and junior Taylor Bellemare will be leading the team this year.

“We have two freshmen coming in. They are going to play a lot, especially this fall season this way they can get acquainted with what collegiate golf is and get the nerves out of the way,” Merce said. “As for the guys returning, those who may have been competing for the fourth or fifth spots last year, are now stepping in for the one, two and three spots.”

Iona looks to take advantage of the opening left at the top of the MAAC, with six-time defending MAAC Champion Loyola departing for the Patriot League.

“Saint Peter’s and Fairfield are bringing back a lot of talent but we have the guys capable for competing for the title,” Merce said. “It is important for the returning players to set the tone for the season.”

The Gaels competed in a three-day exhibition match against University College Dublin (UCD) from Aug. 20-22 in Dublin, Ireland. The Maroon & Gold fell to the host school 8.5-7.5.

Iona and UCD split the final day, each adding two points to their totals. Newman and Kral gave the Gaels’ their first point of the final day. The rest of the matches were halved, and UCD ultimately took the match. Newman and Hoppe each won all of their matchups over the tournament.

Iona will open its official season in the Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) Blue Devils Fall Invitational on Sept. 8 and 9 in Bloomfield, CT.