Restoring The Rink: Iona College

The pool of eligible players for NCAA Division I hockey swelled last fall with the addition of CHL players. Despite the increase, the number of teams at the Division I level has dropped to 62, with Mercyhurst University discontinuing their program for 2026-27. Restoring The Rink examines programs that have gone defunct and their viability in today’s market.

History:

Iona College, renamed Iona University in 2022, had over 30 years of Division III hockey. At the Division III level,  the Gaels were a part of the ECAC 3. Later known as ECAC North/South and ECAC Northeast, this was a Division III conference affiliated with the Division I's  Eastern College Athletic Conference before folding in 2016.

Iona advanced to Division I in 1998-99, joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). In five Division I seasons, all under Frank Bretti, the Gaels went 72–88–13.  Their best postseason finish was during the 2000-01 campaign when they fell in the semifinals to Quinnipiac 4-1.

Just as Gaels hockey seemed to be b building steam, the unthinkable happened. Iona administration announced that the program would conclude at the end of the current academic year. The most outrageous part of the decision is that this reveal came in the midst of a postseason run, just three days before Iona's MAAC Quarterfinal game against Mercyhurst, a contest Iona lost 5-3. 

Administration seemed to dismiss the impacts of the hockey players whose worlds were being upended, choosing instead to focus on the future of the school's athletics. "While we are sensitive to the fact that this is an unpopular decision in the eyes of many, particularly those that it directly impacts, we are also firm in our beliefs that this is the best decision for the overall well-being of our athletics program as we move forward," said then-Iona president James A. Liguori. "We are certainly concerned about the programs and individuals whose lives this impacts and alters. However, we feel that this decision will have an overwhelmingly positive long-term effects on our remaining programs and student-athletes."

Currently, there is no current hockey at Iona University at either the club or NCAA level. The former home of Gaels hockey, New Roc Ice Skating Center, was turned into the Monroe Athletic Complex for Monroe College.

Hockey Impact: 

Iona College was not in a competitive market when it came to college hockey. During their time in the MAAC, there were no other college hockey teams in the New York Metro area. This opening could have been a slam dunk if the team was marketed well and valued properly by the relevant administrators. Five years at the Division I level is just over one recruiting class, which does not give a budding program any chance to grow a following. Add in a student population under 5,000 and it's no wonder why the Gaels didn't reach their full potential. 

Market Viability:

I won't bury the lede here. It doesn't make sense for Iona University to try and revive their hockey program. As mentioned earlier, the former New Roc Ice Skating Center is gone, with no new facility replacing the ice that was lost. Additionally, Long Island University's Division I hockey program filled the market opening for college hockey around New York City. The Sharks' inaugural season was in 2020-21. Recently, Long Island University unveiled a five year partnership with the NHL's New York Islanders and their home UBS Arena in April. New York City's hockey market is now supersaturated with the Islanders, Rangers and New Jersey Devils, plus Long Island University. Even if Iona University had the money to resurrect their hockey team, it doesn't make logical sense to do so.