Men's Rugby
Iona Rugby is a member of the Liberty Rugby Conference. The team was founded in 1977.
Head Coach
Connor Buckley
Email: cbuckley@iona.edu
Connor Buckley graduated from Xavier High School in 2017. At Xavier, Connor was a member of the football and rugby team. He guided the team to four state titles and national team appearances and was a team captain. He was also a Boys High School All-American and in 2017. Following his graduation, he went to Iona University beginning in the Fall 2017 term and graduated in December 2020, so he could play professionally in the MLR. He was a USA Collegiate All-American Honorable Mention and played for the USA U20s in the World Rugby Trophy competition qualifiers. The Iona Rugby co-captain was also a D1A Rugby Liberty All-Conference first-team selection and 2020 Scholz Award Finalist. Connor most recently played for the New York Ironworkers and is now a member of Old Glory DC.
7's head coach
Tom Kimber
Email: clubsports@iona.edu
Tom Kimber most recently served as the Wellington U16 Head Coach from 2021-2022. Prior to his role for Wellington U16, he was the assistant coach for Poneke Premier in 2022, and Head Coach of Poneke Premier 2. Tom started his coaching career as the Head Coach for Poneke U21.
Coaching & Support Staff
Paul Burke
Email: pburke@iona.edu
Paul Burke has been a long-time member of the Iona Rugby program. Paul works primarily with the 15’s A side while holding numerous roles within the program. He has coached current Iona Rugby MLR players including Connor Buckley, Jack Powers and Watson Filikitonga. He has also coached Pat Quinn who is better known for being the co-founder of the ALS Ice Bucket Challange. Paul was a member of the team's most recent championship in 2021.
James Daley
Email: clubsports@iona.edu
Jim Daley primarily works with the 15’s B side. Jim was a member of the team's most recent championship in 2021.
David Flemister
Email: clubsports@iona.edu
Dave is a longtime member of the Iona Rugby and was a member of the teams most recent championship in 2021. He started his rugby career at Connecticut College and was a member of the New York Rugby Club.
Kyle Granby '12
Email: clubsports@iona.edu
Kyle is a graduate of Iona University and has an extensive background in rugby. Kyle was nominated to the Iona Rugby Hall of Fame in 2018 and received The Brother Robert A. Dunning Rising Star Award from Iona University in the fall of 2022. He is also a member of the USA Hawks and co-founder of ROOTS Rugby Family.
Date | Meet Name | Location |
---|---|---|
March 15-16 | Bermuda 7s | Bermuda |
March 23 | Old Blue 7s | Mount Vernon |
April 6 | Possible 3-team tournament | Mazzella Field |
April 13 | LRC Championship | Fairfield University |
April 26-27 | Collegiate Rugby Championship | Boyds, MD |
Date | Opponent | Location |
---|---|---|
March 2 | NYPD/FDNY | Mazzella Field |
March 9 | NYAC | Travers Island, Pelham |
April 6 | TBD | Mazzella Field |
Name | Position | Hometown | Height | Weight |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jordan McKenzie | Forwards (Front Rowers) | New Rochelle, NY | 5'1 | 230 |
Arlan Pacholka | Forwards (Front Rowers) | Larchmont, NY | 5'5 | 200 |
Ben Slade | Forwards (Front Rowers) | Oakham, England | 5'10 | 185 |
Ethan Caprio | Forwards (Front Rowers) | New Rochelle, NY | 6'1 | 270 |
Kian McGeever | Forwards (Front Rowers) | Pearl River, NY | 6'0 | 245 |
Michael Donovan | Forwards (Front Rowers) | Queens, NY | 5'9 | 208 |
Sean Boyle | Forwards (Front Rowers) | Melville, NY | 6'1 | 240 |
Tyler Breault | Forwards (Front Rowers) | Stamford, CT | 5'11 | 230 |
Will Robinson | Forwards (Front Rowers) | Queens, NY | 5'11 | 175 |
Anthony Antonelli | Forwards (Locks) | Warwick, RI | 6'4 | 225 |
Robert Nolan | Forwards (Locks) | Rockaway Beach, Queens | 6'0 | 218 |
Thomas Spillane | Forwards (Locks) | Long Island, NY | 5'10 | 218 |
Christopher Durnan | Forwards (Loose Forwards) | Long Beach, NY | 6'3 | 220 |
Colman Gately | Forwards (Loose Forwards) | Fairfield, CT | 5'11 | 194 |
Nicholas Spadafora | Forwards (Loose Forwards) | Yonkers, NY | 5'11 | 175 |
Robert Huscher | Forwards (Loose Forwards) | Durham, CT | 5'9 | 175 |
Ryan Charvat | Forwards (Loose Forwards) | Patchogue, NY | 5'10 | 195 |
Yacouba Traore | Forwards (Loose Forwards) | Harlem, NY | 5'10 | 240 |
Tommy Byrnes | Backs (Scrum-Halves) | Marine Park, NY | 5'8 | 165 |
Sean Donohue | Backs (Scrum-Halves) | Rockaway Park, NY | 5'10 | 175 |
Archil Kvaratskhelia | Backs (Fly-Halves) | Tbilisi, Georgia | 6'3 | 205 |
Anthony Livoti | Backs (Fly-Halves) | Pembroke Pines, Florida | 6'1 | 185 |
Viliami Hopoi | Backs (Fly-Halves) | Sacrameto, Calforina | 5'8 | 185 |
Christian Padula | Backs (Centers) | Bronx, NY | 5'8 | 160 |
Finbar McClintock | Backs (Centers) | Floral Park, NY | 6'1 | 165 |
Gerald Lanning | Backs (Centers) | Flushing, NY | 6'0 | 175 |
Jack Huscher | Backs (Centers) | Durham, CT | 6'1 | 190 |
Joseph Morano | Backs (Centers) | New Rochelle, NY | 5'10 | 180 |
Justin Santos | Backs (Centers) | New Rochelle, NY | 5'11 | 200 |
Anthony Zambrano | Backs (Back Threes) | Queens, NY | 5'11 | 150 |
Chase Nicolas | Backs (Back Threes) | Brooklyn, NY | 5'8 | 185 |
Jack Reidy | Backs (Back Threes) | Trumbull, CT | 5'11 | 185 |
James Phelps | Backs (Back Threes) | Guyra, Australia | 5'8 | 176 |
Ken Hayes | Backs (Back Threes) | Walcott, CT | 6'0 | 164 |
Nicholas Mistretta | Backs (Back Threes) | Skillman, NJ | 5'10 | 164 |
Sean Urban | Backs (Back Threes) | Bay Shore, NY | 6'0 | 175 |
2023 Record
4-2
Liberty Conference 3rd Place
2022 Record
6-2
2021 Record
8-2
Liberty Conference Champions
2019 Record
7-4
2018 Record
7-4
2017 Record
10-2
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Iona Rugby was founded in 1977. The club is a member of the Liberty Rugby Conference.
Players who have gone on to play professional rugby:
- Connor Buckley
- John Powers
- Watson Filikitonga
2023
Matt MacSweeney '03
Mikey Gallagher '07
Cahal Grennan '88
2022
Terence White '88
Brian Fitzgerald '03 & '05
Pat Fiffe '10
2021
Ray Marten '85
2019
Joe Gouiden
Tom Mazzurco
2018
John McCann '88
Kyle Granby '12
2017
Kevin Kretz '03
2016
John Pender '84
2015
Neil Hogan '91
Pete Kelly '94
2014
Patt Quinn '06
Billy Schneider '77 & '82