Iona Women’s Basketball Head Coach Anthony Bozzella has made success a staple of the program. He is the winningest coach in program history and looks to add three wins to this total at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Gaels (18-11 overall, 13-5 MAAC) are the number two seed in the MAAC Tournament. This is the fourth second place finish under Bozzella (2007, 2008, and 2010 are the others). In 2007 and 2008 the team advanced to the MAAC championship game. The 2010 squad made it to the MAAC semifinals.

These second place finishes gave the Maroon & Gold a berth in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). In 2007 and 2008, the Gaels advanced to the second round. These are the only three postseason appearances in program history.

Iona looks to claim a fourth postseason berth this year, by either winning its first MAAC Championship, and thereby qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, or earning another WNIT nod.

“This group is determined and resilient,” Bozzella said.

The team’s winning ways this year have come as a surprise to some people. Iona was picked eighth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll. In spite of this prediction, the Gaels expected to be near the top of the conference standings. A trip to Canada in August validated the teams’ sense of confidence. Iona went 4-0 on this trip, while competing against some of the top Canadian schools.

“If we were the eighth best team in the MAAC, then we might as well have been in the ACC or the Big East,” Bozzella said. “I knew we were a lot better than that. I knew we really had a special group.”

The Gaels feature some outstanding players. One of the key contributors has been redshirt junior captain Haley D’Angelo. She leads the team in assists averaging 3.4 assists per game. D’Angelo leads the MAAC with a 1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio.

“We’ve had a lot of outstanding captains, but none better than Haley,” Bozzella said. “She’s tough, a great leader and a tremendous competitor. Her work ethic is fantastic, and she understands how to motivate her teammates. She’s an All-American leader.”

Another leader for the Gaels is junior center Sabrina Jeridore. She is averaging 3.0 blocks per game. This clip is the best in the MAAC and eighth best in the country. She has amassed seven blocks in a game three times this season.

“As great as all of Sabrina’s blocks are, I think the amount of shots she alters is more important because it allows us to play so much more aggressively on defense,” Bozzella said.

These two veterans are joined in the starting lineup by sophomore guards Damika Martinez and Aleesha Powell. Martinez, the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year and a member of the MAAC Preseason First Team this year, leads the conference in scoring with a mark of 17.5 points per game. Powell, an All-MAAC Rookie Team selection last year and MAAC Preseason Third Team selection this year, ranks in the top ten in the MAAC in assists, steals, and assist-to-turnover ratio.

“Damika and Aleesha are two sophomore leaders who take pride in wearing an Iona jersey,” Bozzella said.

The starting lineup is rounded out by freshman forward Joy Adams. She is the favorite to win the MAAC Rookie of the Year Award. She has been named MAAC Rookie of the Week eleven times this season, which ties the conference record. Adams leads the league with 10.1 rebounds per game. She is averaging 13.3 points per game and has posted 14 double-doubles this season, which leads the country among freshmen.

“She is a pleasure to coach and is a wonderful young lady,” Bozzella said. “She’s as coachable a young lady as I’ve had here.”

After having such a stellar regular season, this team already ranks among the best basketball teams Iona has ever had. How they perform in March will solidify their place in history.