Kelly To Be Inducted Into Chicago Catholic League Hall Of Fame
MAAC Sports
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Iona College water polo head coach Brian Kelly is one of 11 inductees into the 2015 class of the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame, set for induction on May 7.
Among Kelly's fellow 2015 inductees are former NFL and collegiate standout Donovan McNabb, 14-year NBA veteran Corey Maggette and NHL veteran and TV analyst Eddie Olczyk.
A native of Chicago, Kelly began his water polo career at an early age playing in the Chicago Park District Leagues for Ridge Park. He continued playing water polo throughout grammar school and into high school where he attended Brother Rice on the city's south side.
There he played under former Olympian and Illinois Hall of Fame coach Jim "Moose" Mulcrone. He helped lead Brother Rice to two Illinois State Titles in 1988 and 1989. In 1990 he led all scorers in the state playoffs garnering 21 goals and was selected the MVP of the Illinois High School Water Polo League. Prior to the 2007 season, Kelly was inducted into the Illinois Water Polo Hall of Fame. In April of 2012, he was inducted into the Brother Rice Athletics Circle of Champions Hall of Fame.
Kelly, an eight-time coach of the year selection, just completed his 20th year as head coach of the men's and women's water polo squads. The fourth coach in the history of the men's program and founder of the women's program, Kelly has guided his alma mater since 1995.
His total combined wins from the two programs make him the winningest coach in Iona College athletics history. Under Kelly, the men's squad has been nationally ranked five times. On the women's side, the Gaels posted 16 consecutive winning records, from 1998 to 2013, and claimed MAAC Championships in 2004, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The women's team has been ranked or received votes in the national polls each of the last ten seasons.
Kelly was a standout player at Iona, playing for Iona Hall of Fame Coach Rob Calgi. In his four seasons as a starter, he helped the Gaels to a 74-46 (.616) record that included three Eastern Championship appearances along with three top twenty rankings. He was a three time All-Conference selection, a two time All-Eastern selection, and a two-time Co-MVP for Iona.