Iona College men's rugby team had a record of 4-3 in conference and 7-4 overall in 2015, finishing 5th in Rugby East under head coach Bruce McLane. Three all-conference performers from 2015 are returning, but the team graduated much of its leadership and will field a younger forward pack. Iona will face a challenging schedule starting with a rematch against Army, seeking redemption for Iona's upset victory last year, and five tough conference matches to start the season before a bye week. Coach McLane hopes two home matches against Penn State and others can showcase great rugby action and kick off a less daunting second half.

1. IonaCollegeGaels
HeadCoach: Bruce McLane
2015 Fall Record
In Conference Overall
4 – 3 7 – 4
5th place,RugbyEast
Currentlyrankedoutside of D1A Top
Twenty
Players to Watch
JohnPetteruti,Sr. Flanker 1st
TeamAll-Conference,2015
Mike Scarcella,Jr. Center 1st
TeamAll-Conference,2015
Mike Marino, Jr. 8-Man Honorable MentionAll-Conference,2015
JohnPowers,Jr. Center/Fullback
Aftera rousing2015, Iona will face the challengeof itsownyouth thisfall.Three All-Conference
performers are returningin2016, butthe Gaelsotherwise graduatedasubstantial leadershipgroup last
spring. The forwardpack will be muchyounger,especiallyinthe frontrow and the concernfor Head
Coach Bruce McLane iswhetherornot theycan show enoughconsistencytogive themselvesa
puncher’schance weekinandweekout.
Withthree preseasonwinsalreadybehindthem,McLane ishappywithhisplayers’fitnessandattitudes.
He knowsall toowell whatliesaheadthough.StartingonSept.9th
,the Gaelsfirstfive in-conference
matcheswill sail through the teethof the conference’stoptier.Withabye weekbetweentheirKUand
PSU matches,Iona’sschedule offers justabitof breathingroom in the middle of the year.Theywill
needtomake adjustmentsquickly,while dealingwiththe physical rigorsof RugbyEast’sbiggerteams.
Theirmuch awaitedrematchwithArmyis firstup.On the road at WestPoint,McLane iscertainthe
Black Knightswill be seekingredemption. Lastyear’supsetvictoryoverArmyonIona’shomecoming
was a watershedmomentforbothclubs. Armylostthree straightafter,whileIonawaslaunchedinto
the D1A Top-Twenty before comingbacktoearthin theirACRCBowl lossto Delaware.
Two greatthingsaboutIona Rugbyin the Bruce McLane era are the atmosphere they’vebuiltaround
the pitch and the rivalriestheyare buildingonit. Betweenthe touchlines,the team isclassicallyunder-
sized,butstill come intomatcheswith amettle that’shardto match. Playerslike Mike Scarcellaare

2. cageyand tough from the firstwhistle tothe last.Theycreate rivalriesbybeatingteamstheyshouldn’t
and bytakingquietexceptiontonarrowbowl lossesatthe handsof new conference rivals.
Theywant to showtheirfansgreatrugby action,rightinthe centerof campus. For Homecomingthis
year, McLane askedfor (andgot) PennState. It shouldbe anotherexcellentspectacle just northof NYC
that will alsokickoff the team’shopefullylessdaunting2nd
half of the seasonagainstWestVirginia,
BuffaloandSt. Bonaventure.
Article &Artworkby Ryan J.Trost
Thisis AmericanRugby – RugbyEast