Dan Geriot is building Iona back in his own image. The second-year head coach — hired in 2025 after a season as a New Orleans Pelicans assistant — guided the Gaels to 18 wins in his debut campaign in New Rochelle, steadying a program that had churned through the post-Pitino transition. The 2026-27 season is about the next step: turning a solid foundation into a Metro Conference championship contender.
CJ Anthony is the star. The 6-foot senior guard from Columbus, Ohio, earned All-MAAC Second Team honors last season and returns as the Gaels' unquestioned leader — a scorer and playmaker who wants the ball in the biggest moments. Around him, the senior class is the program's backbone: Keshawn Williams (6-foot-4, Chicago Heights), a veteran two-way guard; Luke Jungers (6-foot-8, Omaha), the frontcourt's steady hand; and Lamin Sabally (6-foot-9, Berlin), the German big man who brings size and international experience.
The junior class provides the depth. Denver Anglin (Montclair, New Jersey) and Chase Cormier (Atlanta) are experienced backcourt pieces; Kosy Akametu (Carson, California) and Matt Reed (6-foot-8, Carrollton, Texas) add versatility on the wing and in the frontcourt; sophomore Khalil Badru (New Britain, Connecticut) is a developmental guard with real upside.
The freshman class is Geriot's first full recruiting statement: Oscar Hourruitiner Jr. (Gurabo, Puerto Rico), Marko Pandiloski (Mississauga, Canada), Alliou Fall (6-foot-8, Stockholm, Sweden), Connor Horan (Fairfax, Virginia), Deondrea Lindsey (Knoxville, Tennessee), and Ore Odutayo (Albany, New York). It's a long, athletic group — exactly the profile of the modern Metro.
The home slate gives Gael Nation plenty to see. The Hynes Athletic Center — 2,600 seats, the league's most intimate and intimidating gym — hosts marquee non-conference matchups against Vermont, NJIT, Kansas City, FDU, and Colgate, plus the longtime rivalry with Manhattan. When Iona is rolling, the Hynes is the league's toughest ticket.
The Metro wars define the season. Fairfield is the three-time reigning champion and the program to chase; Manhattan is the blood rival; Marist, Quinnipiac, Siena, and the rest make the league tournament in March a war of attrition. In a one-bid league, the whole season is about three wins in March.
The coaching lineage is Iona's unique heritage. Jimmy Valvano coached the Gaels from 1975 to 1980 before his NC State immortality — V's roots are here. Tim Cluess (2010-20) built the modern dynasty: six MAAC titles and a decade of up-tempo dominance that made Iona the league's nightmare. Rick Pitino (2020-23) brought the Hall of Fame showmanship and the 2021 and 2023 MAAC titles. Three legends, one small school in New Rochelle.
The playing legacy runs through Jeff Ruland — the program's greatest player, an NBA All-Star and the gold standard for every Gael big man since. The 1980s tournament teams built the early March pedigree; the Cluess-era teams turned it into an expectation.
Geriot's task is to restore that expectation. The 18-win debut showed the program's floor is solid; the roster's senior core gives this season a win-now profile; and the freshman class is the long-term bet. The Metro is wide open behind Fairfield — and Iona has been the league's standard-bearer before.
New Rochelle is the recruiting base: the New York suburbs, minutes from the city's playgrounds, give the Gaels access to the nation's richest talent region. The program's pitch — small school, big stage, March pedigree — has worked for five decades.
What defines Iona is the coaching lore and the championship habit: V's roots, Cluess's dynasty, Pitino's titles, and the Hynes Center's roar. The Gaels' story is about excellence — and the next Metro title is the mission.
The 2026-27 Gaels have the blend every contender needs: a senior star in Anthony, veteran size, and young talent pushing from behind. If Geriot's second year takes the leap his first suggested, New Rochelle could be cutting nets in March — and the Hynes Center would be shaking like the old days.
The 18-win debut was a statement of stability. After the Tobin Anderson era ended, Iona needed a coach who could recruit the Metro and develop players — Geriot, who learned under NBA staffs with the Pelicans, brought a pro-level approach to player development. Assistant Michael Thompson, the former Northwestern star and decade-plus European pro, has been central to that work, mentoring Anthony and the young guards.
The Metro's balance of power is shifting, and Iona intends to be the beneficiary. Fairfield's three straight titles make the Stags the hunted, but the Gaels' senior core and freshman talent give them the league's most complete two-way profile. The Hynes Center — loud, cramped, and unforgiving — remains the great equalizer in March.
Recruiting the New York metro area is Iona's permanent edge. From Jeff Ruland to the Cluess-era stars, the program's best players have come from the city's playgrounds and suburbs. Geriot's first full class — Puerto Rico, Canada, Sweden, Virginia, Tennessee, New York — shows the net is cast wide, but the foundation is local. Win the Metro, and the Gaels are back where they belong.