By Andrew Lipton
Special to Daly Dose Of Hoops
In the four years she has led the Iona women’s basketball team, head coach Billi
Godsey-Chambers has amassed an impressive and excellent record of 82-46.
Two seasons ago, Godsey led the Gaels to their first-ever Metro Atlantic Athletic
Conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In her first season as coach in 2013-14, her team won the MAAC regular season championship and played in the WNIT. Also in 2014, Godsey was named the WBCA Spalding Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year, given to the nation's top first-year head coach.
At the end of July, Coach Godsey-Chambers graciously allowed me to observe one of
her team’s offseason strength and conditioning sessions, led by Iona’s strength and
conditioning coach, Kelly Shaver. I then spoke with Shaver about the nature of the
team’s offseason strength and conditioning program. He explained the goals of the
program, and some of the different ways those goals are achieved.
The session I observed involved each player pushing an approximately 100-pound
sled 40 yards 10 times within 10 minutes. It was a grueling workout, meant not
only to build strength and endurance, but to also build mental toughness and team
camaraderie.
I also spoke with 5-foot-10 junior forward Alexis Lewis, who last season led the Gaels in scoring and rebounding at 15.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, and was named
first team All-MAAC and third team All-Met.
Andrew Lipton:
ReplyDeleteThis article is a tremendous farce. Coach Chambers and Ashley Kelly for that matter are very junior in their understanding of the game and creating a high performance-winning environment. In fact the Iona Women's basketball environment is very caustic with as many as 4 or 5 jr, so and freshman players asking for their release this year on top of a 2-28 record. This year from the sidelines looks to be 100% a result of poor leadership, bad attitudes and game time coaching skill level as opposed to talented players.
Horrible accountability at Iona from the athletic department and administration to allow this farce to continue. They (Chambers & Kelly) belong at the jr high or even small/mid size high school level and certainly not at the D1 NCAA level. I could go on for days watching this program over the last 7 or 8 years now with the coaching transitions. This years record (2-28) is all a result of Godsey- Chambers recruits as opposed to living on other recruits that are inflating her record. Iona administration needs to wake up in my humble opinion.
Yikes, Doesn't sound good for the ladies. Gael Nation has a history of solid basketball and the Men's program keeps on rolling.
ReplyDeleteNot good for the comunity or the college. Let's go ladies and figure this out
Yours truly,
New Rochelle hooper
Rumor has it- Alexis Lewis, in the record books for several categories decides to ask for her release after her Junior year and commits to SETON HALL! Gaels lose a top player at her prime. What is going on with the administration to turn their backs on the gael athletics and their values as an institution? Is it time for leadership changes?
ReplyDelete6 underclass women/players ask for release ( among them- 2 jr's in the record books and MAAC freshman of the year plus 3 talented recruits) on top of that- 2 assistant coaches leave as the year begins. Whats wrong with this picture? Hello Athletic director Glovaski and President Nyre! What more do you need to see that there is a serious problem with coaching leadership in this program. This isn't about a 2-28 record which speaks for itself but about how poor this program is being managed. As a donor of Iona College, I am seriously considering pulling my support.
ReplyDeleteEverything has been fixed and the 'standard' and 'culture' are back! Yea we have restored the faith in the Womens program. Oh snap, the 6"5" center leaves and states Iona is a toxic environment, European player decides to go home. I guess we should just turn our heads and ignore these facts and carnage of this bottom feeding program like AD Glovaski and President Nyre. Oh well, more money for traveling abroad than donating to Gael athletics.
ReplyDeletethe season looks like it is off to another rough start. More injuries, more defections, more of the same jargon from the head coach. THe girls look defeated before they ever get on the floor. THe Iona WOmens Basketball standard!
ReplyDeleteChambers is terrible. losing environment. out-rebounded, out-scored, out skilled, turnover city and losing every game by a wide margin ( > 24 pts) ..... just doesn't know the game well enough and should be at a "mid major" high school level
ReplyDeleteNow that this season is finally over. Will AD Glovaski make the necessary adjustments in the Woman's program leadership? Over 4 Million (to be exact- 4062387 at time of post) viewers of these post are waiting.
ReplyDeleteThe rumors in NYC are running deep that finally we will see the changes that align with Iona College's values and bring real leadership to the helm.
Let's see
starter lewis join seton hall in drubbing the iona woens team. i mean drubbing! Coach of the Pirates has so much class and skill he didn't even recognize chambers. stats don't lie. take out the wins that aren't chamber recruits and you see a much different picture. not sure any have even graduated with a degree that chambers era recruited. time for a change and no reason to sugard coat this any longer. wake up administration.
ReplyDelete