Iona College's Godsey Announces Women's Basketball Coaches

Iona College women's basketball head coach Billi Godsey, who took the helm of  the team last spring, announced her coaching staff for the 2013-14 season. 

Ashlee Kelly returns as assistant coach alongside newcomers Jana Ashley and Liz Leer.  Eric Alston rounds out the coaching staff as the director of basketball operations.

"I am excited to have Ashlee, Jana, Liz and Eric join me in continuing the success of Iona women's basketball," said Godsey in a post on ICGaels.com.  "I think we have a great group of people and I am looking forward to working with them."

In four seasons with the Gaels, Kelly was instrumental in developing the Maroon & Gold’s frontcourt, along with game preparation. Before coming to New Rochelle, she spent three years as head women's basketball coach at Mercy College.

Kelly graduated from Quinnipiac in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. A four year letter winner for the Bobcats, she was named NEC Player of the Year during her junior season and led all NCAA Division I players in rebounding at 13.5 per game as a senior. After college, Kelly, according to the release, played professionally for the Perik Jumpers in Holland.

Jana Ashley comes to Iona after five seasons as assistant coach at George Mason. In 2011-12, the Patriots claimed their first CAA Tournament victory since 2006, defeating Northeastern in the opening round.  Ashley lettered for four seasons at the University of North Alabama, and in 2005 she received a master's in education from Radford.

Liz Leer spent the last two seasons as director of basketball operations at her alma mater American University. In 2011-12, Leer helped the Eagles to a 23-8 overall record, which included the Patriot League's first-ever 14-0 regular season, regular season championship, and Women’s NIT berth.

Leer graduated from American in 2011 as a two-time All-Patriot League First Team honoree as well as a two-time Patriot League All-Tournament Team selection. She finished her career with 1,377 points and 741 rebounds, fourth and third, respectively, in program history. Leer earned a bachelor's degree in public communication from American in 2011, and a master's in public communication in 2013.

Eric Alston recently completed his second season as the Gaels’ assistant director of basketball operations after graduating from Iona with a degree in marketing in 2011. A familiar face behind the Iona bench, Alston was a four-year student manager with the Gaels beginning in 2007, taking over the head manager position prior to the 2010-11 season, according to the release. Alston has a master's in marketing and an advanced certificate in sports and entertainment from Iona's Hagan School of Business.