NEW ROCHELLE, NY –The Iona College women’s basketball team announced its full 2015-16 schedule with the release of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference slate this morning.
Iona will have its first conference game of the year on Dec. 2, at Fairfield. The Gaels and Stags have the spotlight on them as they are the first MAAC contest of the season. The Maroon & Gold’s second December league matchup comes two days later (Dec. 4) at the Hynes Center vs. Rider.
Iona head coach Billi Godsey is excited to have the chance to start MAAC schedule off with a bang. “We have the honor of kicking off MAAC play and we face Fairfield one day before other teams start conference play. We have a real opportunity to set the tone for the year.”
The heart of the conference schedule begins Jan. 2, when the Gaels host Manhattan at the Hynes Center. From there, Maroon & Gold have two of its next three MAAC games at home against Marist and Canisius. The Gaels travel to Saint Peter’s on Jan. 4 before hosting the Red Foxes and Golden Griffins.
Beginning on Jan. 15, Iona hits the road for five of six games, beginning with trip to Poughkeepsie, NY to take on Marist for the second time in eight days. Within the same time frame, coach Godsey sees her team enter the hostile gyms of Manhattan, Monmouth, Niagara and Canisius.
As the month of February begins, the Gaels play host to Monmouth on the fifth before travelling Rider, Siena, and Quinnipiac. Between Jan. 15 and Feb. 12, the Maroon & Gold plays just two of its 10 contests in New Rochelle.
The early weight of conference travel is eased for the final four games of the season. Iona concludes its slate at home vs. Siena, Saint Peter’s, Fairfield, and Quinnipiac.
“Closing the regular season with four games at Hynes should provide our amazing fan base some thrills to build up excitement for tournament play,” coach Godsey explains.
The MAAC Tournament begins on Thursday, Mar. 3 at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY.