Heading into the 2011 outdoor track season, junior Heidi Gregson leads the way for a women’s team that has several MAAC Champions on the roster.

Iona’s standout runner, Gregson has already made a couple of trips to the NCAA Championships before and has been a MAAC Most Valuable Performer in track three times along with winning eight MAAC titles.

“Considering my outdoor season last year was pretty successful, my expectations for myself are high. My goals are to run a PR in the 1,500 meters and to qualify for the final at the NCAA Championships in June,” Gregson said.

“My training has been going pretty well and I’m confident the hard work will pay off in the upcoming months. I’m very eager to get back to Nationals and compete with the fastest girls in the country.”

Graduate student Leonie Smith, who has already won several MAAC titles, will complement Gregson. Smith won the 2009 MAAC Outdoor Track and Field Most Valuable Performer award and is a five-time MAAC Champion with victories in the 1,500 meters, the mile, 3,000 meters, the 5,000 meters and the DMR.

Another veteran, senior Kristen Peluso is a three-time MAAC Champion and will look to compete in the 1,500 meters, while teammate and sophomore Luci McLoughlin looks to be a big factor for the Gaels also.

Racing in only their rookie seasons, the freshman pair of Kirsten Stewart and Tara Jameson will look to make an immediate impact in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters for Iona. Stewart was part of the DMR team that won at the MAAC Championships last indoor track season.

Junior Teegan Schoch looks to run in the 1,500 meters, 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters fresh off a very strong indoor track season that included a victory in the 5,000 meters at the MAAC Championships.

Senior Siobhan Dwyer is a MAAC Champion in the 3,000 meter steeplechase and senior Natalie Finnerty will compete in the 3,000 meter steeplechase also after winning the 3,000 meter title at the MAAC Championships last indoor track season.

“Natalie and Siobhan have already ran personal best’s in the 3000 meter steeplechase this outdoor season that puts them at numbers two and three on Iona’s all-time list for that event,” added Santos.

Another agile runner for Iona is sophomore Marion Joly-Testault who looks to race in the 5,000 meters and is a two-time MAAC Champion with victories in the 3,000 meters for indoor and 5,000 meters for outdoor.

Head Coach Ricardo Santos is excited about his team and said, “Heidi is in a good spot with her training and we are looking to get back to the NCAA Championships this year and get into the finals.

Other like Leonie Smith and Teegan Schoch will also make a bid for qualifying for the first round of the NCAA Championships.”

Some big meets for the women’s team this track season are at the Mt. SAC Relays in California, the Metropolitan Championships at Rutgers and the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

Then the championship season starts on May 7 at the MAAC Championships followed by the ECAC Championships, the NCAA East Regional Championship and the NCAA Championships that start on June 8.