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NEW ROCHELLE – Knowing the abrupt change of direction rattled supporters of a program struggling to live up to a storied past, Iona University leaned on newly-hired men’s basketball coach Dan Geriot to dial up the enthusiasm.
The 36-year-old Pennsylvania native with NBA sideline credentials led with passion Tuesday, April 1, when he was officially introduced to students, alumni, staffers and fans in the LaPenta School of Business atrium.
“What a time to be at Iona University,” said Geriot, who is the 16th coach in program history. “I think this is groundbreaking. … We don’t even know what the rules are going to be in two years.”
The opportunity to reimagine a mid-major program with a legacy held enough appeal that he agreed to make a move before the end of the NBA season.
Geriot follows Tobin Anderson who was let go March 17 after going 33-34 in two seasons. The Gaels advanced to the championship game of the MAAC tournament last month before falling to Mount St. Mary’s. Anderson was out two days later.
Closing a deal with a new coach in 72 hours required numerous conversations well before the change of direction was shared publicly.
“I think all of the mid-majors in this position are evaluating the different aspects of the changing landscape,” Iona director of athletics Matt Glovaski said. “And that’s not unique to basketball. I think there was a recognition that we had to do something very different and innovative. You’ve seen other colleges hire former NBA coaches. I thought Dan’s skill set, his ability to connect with players, the way he looks at things analytically and his experience in dealing with the professional landscape, it sets him up for where I think the college game is going.”
Terms of the contract remain undisclosed, but competing in the age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) payments requires a significant financial investment.
“We have great people and great support behind the program, so I feel strongly we’re in a good place,” Glovaski said of the program’s NIL goals. “But I think certainly the ability to capitalize on what Dan’s bringing, his network and his access to the NBA, those are opportunities to build on. … It’s a challenging and unique landscape, but it’s absolutely a part of the game. To compete you have to live in an NIL world.”
Iona also hired Craig Moore to be the first general manager in the conference. It’s a front office role that includes everything from fundraising to recruiting and retention.
Geriot is bringing assistant coach Pat Wallace back for a third season and this week added Michael Thompson, a decorated player at Northwestern who spent more than a decade competing professionally in Europe and Asia, to his staff. Player development is going to be a foundational cornerstone of the program.
There are currently 10 players from last season’s roster in the transfer portal.
On the court, Geriot wants players who can dribble and pass. He wants intelligent and vocal defenders. He wants committed individuals who are eager to get into the gym here and demonstrate their value before they negotiate a deal.
In the NBA, nothing reveals character more than an intense pre-draft workout.
A lot of thought has gone into the game plan. Execution, though, is an entirely different matter. Landing talent is the first step. In this new age, what is the selling point? How can Iona attract the kind of talent capable of locking up an NCAA tournament bid in short order?
“I mean, do you want to play in the NBA?” Geriot asked. “I know a guy.”
Geriot was part of a Sweet 16 run at Richmond (2006-11). His professional career began and quickly ended in Belgium following an injury. Geriot joined Princeton (2011-13) as a volunteer assistant then spent time on staff at Campbell (2013-15).
He jumped to the NBA and was initially behind the bench, working for the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016-24) and the New Orleans Pelicans (2024-25). Geriot was the G-League head coach for the Canton Charge for a season.
In basketball circles, he is connected. There was social media applause from the likes of Lakers icon LeBron James and Westchester native and Cavs all-star Donovan Mitchell when news of the hiring broke.
“We are going to have a lot of people in our gym,” Geriot said. “We’re going to have scouts in here. We already had the VP of strategy from the Wizards here with me, walking around, seeing everything. This is a real thing. These are real relationships I’m bringing from the NBA to Iona. Sure, you could go to a high-major or another mid-major, but if you want to get better faster and you want to do it with connections to the NBA, we’re probably the right spot for the fastest growth.”
The university may be leveraging those personal and professional relationships to attract players, hoping that a winning program creates headlines and increases the necessary financial support.
“I think we can do all we need to do right now, but more is always better,” Geriot said of the program’s NIL situation. “Obviously, we think we’re the best program in the MAAC. I think we’re the best player development program in the country. That’s how we get can get these players better faster and blend this all together.”
There is a big picture in play here.
In the end, the move had little to do with Xs and Os. This was about keeping men's basketball relevant at Iona, where growth of the university is very much linked to wins and losses.
"They go directly hand in hand," Glovaski said. "I tell people all the time, it goes beyond basketball but basketball is really unique in the sense that it provides a great opportunity for us to tell the story of Iona. When you have a sell-out crowd of 2,600 people in the Hynes Center – students, prospective students, faculty, donors and corporate sponsors – there's no better way to engage them than with basketball. This is very much part of our investment to tell the Iona story."
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Iona University introduces new men's basketball coach Dan Geriot
Continue reading...
The 36-year-old Pennsylvania native with NBA sideline credentials led with passion Tuesday, April 1, when he was officially introduced to students, alumni, staffers and fans in the LaPenta School of Business atrium.
“What a time to be at Iona University,” said Geriot, who is the 16th coach in program history. “I think this is groundbreaking. … We don’t even know what the rules are going to be in two years.”
The opportunity to reimagine a mid-major program with a legacy held enough appeal that he agreed to make a move before the end of the NBA season.
Geriot follows Tobin Anderson who was let go March 17 after going 33-34 in two seasons. The Gaels advanced to the championship game of the MAAC tournament last month before falling to Mount St. Mary’s. Anderson was out two days later.
Closing a deal with a new coach in 72 hours required numerous conversations well before the change of direction was shared publicly.
“I think all of the mid-majors in this position are evaluating the different aspects of the changing landscape,” Iona director of athletics Matt Glovaski said. “And that’s not unique to basketball. I think there was a recognition that we had to do something very different and innovative. You’ve seen other colleges hire former NBA coaches. I thought Dan’s skill set, his ability to connect with players, the way he looks at things analytically and his experience in dealing with the professional landscape, it sets him up for where I think the college game is going.”
Terms of the contract remain undisclosed, but competing in the age of the transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) payments requires a significant financial investment.
“We have great people and great support behind the program, so I feel strongly we’re in a good place,” Glovaski said of the program’s NIL goals. “But I think certainly the ability to capitalize on what Dan’s bringing, his network and his access to the NBA, those are opportunities to build on. … It’s a challenging and unique landscape, but it’s absolutely a part of the game. To compete you have to live in an NIL world.”
Iona also hired Craig Moore to be the first general manager in the conference. It’s a front office role that includes everything from fundraising to recruiting and retention.
Geriot is bringing assistant coach Pat Wallace back for a third season and this week added Michael Thompson, a decorated player at Northwestern who spent more than a decade competing professionally in Europe and Asia, to his staff. Player development is going to be a foundational cornerstone of the program.
There are currently 10 players from last season’s roster in the transfer portal.
On the court, Geriot wants players who can dribble and pass. He wants intelligent and vocal defenders. He wants committed individuals who are eager to get into the gym here and demonstrate their value before they negotiate a deal.
In the NBA, nothing reveals character more than an intense pre-draft workout.
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A lot of thought has gone into the game plan. Execution, though, is an entirely different matter. Landing talent is the first step. In this new age, what is the selling point? How can Iona attract the kind of talent capable of locking up an NCAA tournament bid in short order?
“I mean, do you want to play in the NBA?” Geriot asked. “I know a guy.”
Geriot was part of a Sweet 16 run at Richmond (2006-11). His professional career began and quickly ended in Belgium following an injury. Geriot joined Princeton (2011-13) as a volunteer assistant then spent time on staff at Campbell (2013-15).
He jumped to the NBA and was initially behind the bench, working for the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016-24) and the New Orleans Pelicans (2024-25). Geriot was the G-League head coach for the Canton Charge for a season.
You must be registered for see images
In basketball circles, he is connected. There was social media applause from the likes of Lakers icon LeBron James and Westchester native and Cavs all-star Donovan Mitchell when news of the hiring broke.
“We are going to have a lot of people in our gym,” Geriot said. “We’re going to have scouts in here. We already had the VP of strategy from the Wizards here with me, walking around, seeing everything. This is a real thing. These are real relationships I’m bringing from the NBA to Iona. Sure, you could go to a high-major or another mid-major, but if you want to get better faster and you want to do it with connections to the NBA, we’re probably the right spot for the fastest growth.”
The university may be leveraging those personal and professional relationships to attract players, hoping that a winning program creates headlines and increases the necessary financial support.
“I think we can do all we need to do right now, but more is always better,” Geriot said of the program’s NIL situation. “Obviously, we think we’re the best program in the MAAC. I think we’re the best player development program in the country. That’s how we get can get these players better faster and blend this all together.”
There is a big picture in play here.
In the end, the move had little to do with Xs and Os. This was about keeping men's basketball relevant at Iona, where growth of the university is very much linked to wins and losses.
"They go directly hand in hand," Glovaski said. "I tell people all the time, it goes beyond basketball but basketball is really unique in the sense that it provides a great opportunity for us to tell the story of Iona. When you have a sell-out crowd of 2,600 people in the Hynes Center – students, prospective students, faculty, donors and corporate sponsors – there's no better way to engage them than with basketball. This is very much part of our investment to tell the Iona story."
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Iona University introduces new men's basketball coach Dan Geriot
Continue reading...
