Iona Gaels men's ice hockey

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Iona Gaels men's ice hockey
IonaGaels.png
University Iona College (New York)
Conference MAAC
Head coachN/A
Arena New Roc Ice Skating Center
New Rochelle, New York
ColorsMaroon and Gold
   

The Iona Gaels Men's Ice Hockey was an NCAA Division I ice hockey team that played in the MAAC for five seasons.

Contents

History

Prior to the founding of the MAAC hockey conference the Gales had been a Division III ice hockey program and were a part of the ECAC 3 conference from 1977 thru 1998. When the MAAC formed their hockey conference as per NCAA regulations, the three full member schools in the conference were forced into the conference. Due to the reticence of the other MAAC schools to start hockey programs, Iona, Canisius and Fairfield were joined by five associate members for the first season in 1998–99. In the five-year existence of the MAAC hockey conference Iona was a middle of the pack team, finishing between third and eighth place and playing in every postseason tournament. [1] Iona's best finish came in the 2000 season when they defeated the top-seeded Quinnipiac Braves en route to a second-place finish in the tournament. [2] Despite showing some promise in their program, Iona's board of trustees voted to eliminate the men's ice hockey program at the end of the 2002-03 season. [3]

Iona's ice hockey program began in 1967 under Harry Nixon. As a Division III independent, the Gaels went undefeated in their inaugural year with a 16-0 record. Though Nixon stepped down after only one year, Bill Edwards was able to shepherd Iona to eight winning seasons over the next decade, finishing 1976-77 with a 26-5-1 mark. After eleven years as an independent, Iona joined the ECAC 3. Edwards coached the first two seasons of the Gaels as a conference member before being succeeded by Frank Effinger in 11 season as coach, Iona experienced an unprecedented level of success, never finishing below a .600 record. Bill Conforte took over after the 1989-90 season and though the Gaels ended with a 16-6-1 record his first year, that would be the end of their success for the near future. Iona has a steady decline in the 1990s, routinely finishing with losing records and eventually the firing of Conforte after a 2-20-3 season in 1996-97. Frank Bretti was hired for the 1997-98 season and after a 4-20-1 finish, Iona was set to join the Division I ranks. [4]

Season-by-season records

SeasonDivisionConferenceRecordPct.PositionConference
Tournament
Coach
1967-68College DivisionIndependent16–0–01.000 Harry Nixon
1968-69College DivisionIndependent8–9–0.471 Bill Edwards
1969-70College DivisionIndependent13–3–0.812 Bill Edwards
1970-71College DivisionIndependent13–8–0.619 Bill Edwards
1971-72College DivisionIndependent13–2–1.844 Bill Edwards
1972-73College DivisionIndependent10–5–1.656 Bill Edwards
1973-74 Division III Independent16–6–0.727 Bill Edwards
1974-75 Division III Independent11–12–2.480 Bill Edwards
1975-76 Division III Independent19–3–7.776 Bill Edwards
1976-77 Division III Independent26–5–1.828 Bill Edwards
1977-78 Division III ECAC 3 12–5–2.684 Bill Edwards
1978-79 Division III ECAC 315–6–0.714 Bill Edwards
1979-80 Division III ECAC 314–5–0.737 Frank Effinger
1980-81 Division III ECAC 315–4–1.775Semifinals Frank Effinger
1981-82 Division III ECAC 313–5–1.711 Frank Effinger
1982-83 Division III ECAC 318–4–0.818Runner-Up Frank Effinger
1983-84 Division III ECAC 318–4–2.792 Frank Effinger
1984-85 Division III ECAC 321–7–0.750Semifinals Frank Effinger
1985-86 Division III ECAC North/South 17–9–0.654Quarterfinals Frank Effinger
1986-87 Division III ECAC North/South15–8–0.652First Round Frank Effinger
1987-88 Division III ECAC North/South16–9–1.635Quarterfinals Frank Effinger
1988-89 Division III ECAC North/South20–7–0.741Runner-Up Frank Effinger
1989-90 Division III ECAC North/South17–4–0.810Quarterfinals Frank Effinger
1990-91 Division III ECAC North/South16–6–2.708Quarterfinals Bill Conforte
1991-92 Division III ECAC North/South10–16–1.389First Round Bill Conforte
1992-93 Division III ECAC South 12–11–1.521Semifinals Bill Conforte
1993-94 Division III ECAC South9–13–2.4173rdNone Bill Conforte
1994-95 Division III ECAC South10–13–2.4406thNone Bill Conforte
1995-96 Division III ECAC South9–15–1.3805thNone Bill Conforte
1996-97 Division III ECAC South2–20–3.1407thNone Bill Conforte
1997-98 Division III ECAC South4–20–1.1803rdNone Frank Bretti
1998-99 Division I MAAC 13–18–2.4246thQuarterfinals Frank Bretti
1999-00 Division I MAAC 17–17–3.5006thRunner-Up Frank Bretti
2000-01 Division I MAAC 18–13–4.5713rdSemifinals Frank Bretti
2001-02 Division I MAAC 13–18–2.4247thQuarterfinals Frank Bretti
2002-03 Division I MAAC 11–22–2.3438thQuarterfinals Frank Bretti
36 Seasons500–332–45.5965 coaches

All-time coaching records

Division I

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.
1998–2003 Frank Bretti 572–88–13.454
Totals1 coach5 seasons72–88–13.454

Division III

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.
1967–1968 Harry Nixon 116–0–01.000
1968–1979 Bill Edwards 11156–64–14.697
1979–1990 Frank Effinger 11184–66–5.731
1990–1997 Bill Conforte 768–94–12.425
1997–1998 Frank Bretti 14–20–1.180
Totals5 coaches31 seasons428–244–32.631

References

  1. "MAAC Regular Season Standings". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  2. "MAAC Tournament". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  3. "Iona Next to Drop Hockey". USCHO.com. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  4. "Iona Men's Hockey History". USCHO.com. Retrieved June 12, 2013.