Gael Nation Rallies to Surpass Goals in “Five to Fight” Campaign for Iona University Athletics

December 17, 2025

Iona University Athletics proudly announced the success of Five to Fight: A Campaign for Iona University Athletics, a five-day initiative that united Gael Nation in extraordinary support of student-athletes and athletic programs across the University.

Thanks to the generosity and engagement of alumni, family, friends, fans and supporters, the campaign exceeded all expectations. The campaign also set a new record with 959 donors—an increase of 280 compared to the original 12 Days to Fight the Good Fight campaign in 2023—while surpassing its initial goal of 500 donors and continuing beyond milestones of 750 and 850 donors. Five to Fight generated $181,998 in support for Iona University Athletics.

The overwhelming response highlights the strength and commitment of the Iona community and the lasting impact donor support has on the University’s mission. Contributions from Five to Fight directly support key priorities within Iona Athletics, including:

Assuring Competitive Excellence: Create opportunities and provides resources for student-athletes to excel both in and out of the classroom, while allowing coaches to recruit and develop future leaders.
Modernizing Athletic Infrastructure: Continually improve training spaces and acquire cutting-edge equipment, giving student-athletes the tools they need to compete at the highest levels.
Expanding Educational Access: Provide athletic and academic scholarships funded by donors to increase access to higher education for talented student-athletes.
Strengthening Leadership: Attract exceptional coaches and staff while investing in their ongoing professional growth, ensuring athletics programs maintain the highest standards of excellence.

A special highlight of the campaign was the incredible success of 11 donor-sponsored matches and challenges, all of which were fully met before the campaign concluded. These matches and challenges inspired momentum, energized participation, and amplified the impact of every contribution. Their leadership and commitment played a pivotal role in the historic success of Five to Fight and exemplified the power of collective support within Gael Nation.

A challenge gift for the baseball team sponsored by Andy Dolce ’57, ‘14H, member of the Board of Trustees.
A challenge gift for the Athletics General Fund sponsored by Anita (nee Guarracino) ’85 and Steve ‘83 Iaco.
A dollar-for-dollar matching gift toward the men’s and women’s rowing programs sponsored by Daniel J. Houlihan, Jr. ’75.
A challenge gift for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs sponsored by Coach Nick Cavataro.
A challenge gift for the men’s and women’s water polo program sponsored by Greg Judge ‘84.
A challenge gift for the men’s and women’s cross country and track/field programs sponsored by Terry Edwards ’77.
A challenge gift for the men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs sponsored by John ’88 and Tricia Riccio ’91.
A dollar-for-dollar matching gift toward the men’s and women’s golf programs sponsored by Ira Platt ’01.
A challenge gift for the men’s and women’s cross country and track/field programs sponsored by Michael Cleary ’83, ‘87MS.
A challenge gift for the men’s and women’s water polo programs sponsored by the Tovar Family.
A challenge gift for the women’s soccer team sponsored by Chris Canetti P’27.

The generosity of Iona University Athletics supporters—the team behind the teams—serves as the cornerstone of everything the program accomplishes. Every gift makes a meaningful difference, helping to build and sustain programs that will attract, support, and develop exceptional talent for years to come. Five to Fight also served as an opportunity to renew support and welcome new donors to the Gael Nation, reinforcing the power of collective action when the community comes together to “Fight the Good Fight.”

Missed the Five to Fight campaign? Visit our donation page to support a team, program, or initiative today.

A Message from Matt Glovaski, Director of Athletics

ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of 55,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 6 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review once again named Iona to its “Best Business Schools for 2025,” recognizing both its on-campus and online MBA programs. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.