NEW ROCHELLE, NY –Iona College women’s basketball head coach Billi Godsey announced the addition of Mandy Pennewell to her coaching staff as assistant coach.
Pennewell most recently served as the recruiting coordinator at Southern New Hampshire University. Her primary responsibilities included coordinating yearly recruiting schedules, evaluating student-athletes that fit the needs of the program, developing relationships with prospective student-athletes. In addition, she was responsible for monitoring the academic success of the team, the off-season player development plan with guards as well as the coordination of team travel and team meals.
Prior to working at SNHU, Pennewell spent four seasons as an assistant coach for the women’s basketball team at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. In 2012-13, she served as the team’s interim head coach for the final eight games and into the team’s offseason activities. With the Dolphins, she planned, organized, and coordinated practices, assisted in recruitment of prospective student athletes, and developed offseason workouts.
On the court, Pennewell was a three-year starter at Quinnipiac University. She earned Northeast Conference Second Team honors as a junior after averaging 13.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, leading the team to a 25-6 record and WNIT appearance. Pennewell, a two-year captain, wrapped up her time at Quinnipiac 12th in career scoring and currently sits 14th all-time with 1,231 career points in over 100 games played.
A West Chester, PA native, Pennewell attended Villa Maria Academy in Malvern, PA where she was a First Team All-State selection as a senior. Over her high school career, she led the school to a State Eastern final, two league championships, three district championships and four state tournament appearances.
Pennewell has a bachelor of arts in sociology from Quinnipiac University, and a master’s of science in sport management/athletic administration from Southern New Hampshire.
Iona retains 10 players from last season’s roster, and four of its starting five in rising seniors Joy Adams, Aaliyah Robinson and rising juniors Karynda DuPree and Marina Lizarazu. Adams, a two-time All-MAAC First Team honoree, is one of the country’s top double-double threats. Robinson is one of the league’s top three-point shooters, while DuPree led the squad in blocks from her center position a season ago. In her first season with the Gaels in 14-15, Lizarazu established a new single-season record for assists (175) and led the MAAC with 6.3 assists per game.
