Mason Steps Down as Women's Lacrosse Head Coach
NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Iona College women's lacrosse head coach
Michelle Mason will step down following 11 years at the helm of the program to pursue other career opportunities.
"I would like to thank the Iona College community and my IWL Family for a very special 11 years. This has been an extremely difficult, personal decision as my time at Iona has shaped who I am as a person and coach," Mason said. "The outpouring of support for my decision to pursue other opportunities has been incredible and speaks to the character of our Iona Lacrosse family. I am forever grateful and am so proud to have worn the Maroon & Gold. Iona Lacrosse has much success ahead of them and I look forward to supporting our program from a different sideline. Fight the Good Fight!"
"Coach Mason has been a big part of our program and the Iona family for a long time, and we fully support her decision to focus on other ventures," said director of athletics
Matthew Glovaski. "Her teams have shown success during her tenure on the field, in the classroom, and in the community, all tenets of our mission and values. We want to thank Michelle for her passion, dedication and commitment to Iona College Athletics and we wish her well in all her future endeavors."
During her tenure at Iona, Mason led the women's lacrosse program to 60 wins and two MAAC championship appearances. In 2016, the squad set a program-best four MAAC victories. The 2018 squad posted three regular season conference wins en route to a first-round defeat to eventual champion Fairfield.
On the field, Mason mentored 14 All-MAAC First Team members, 18 All-MAAC Second Team selections and nine MAAC All-Rookies, including 2013 MAAC Rookie of the Year Mary Kate McCormick and the 2012 and 2016 Defensive Players of the Year Stephanie Sumcizk and Gabriella Di Domizio.
In the classroom, Mason's student-athletes excelled each year, receiving recognition from the MAAC, CoSIDA and the IWLCA. This past season marked the sixth consecutive year that the Gaels placed double-digit members to the MAAC All-Academic list.
Under Mason, the women's lacrosse program has been among the leaders in the athletic department in community service involvement and has had several representatives involved with the leadership on Iona's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
A national search for a replacement will begin immediately.