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Iona College's Godsey Named Top Rookie Hoops Coach

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- Iona College women's basketball head coach Billi Godsey was named the WBCA Spalding Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year at the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Awards Show on Monday, April 7. 

Iona College women's basketball coach Billi Godsey has been named the Division I Rookie Coach of the Year.

Iona College women's basketball coach Billi Godsey has been named the Division I Rookie Coach of the Year.

Photo Credit: Contributed

"I am honored and excited for our program to earn this award,” said Godsey.  “I’d like to thank my players, coaching staff and the Iona administration for making my first season at Iona so memorable. Maggie Dixon became an incredible ambassador of the game in a very short time, and I am truly humbled to receive an award named in her honor."

In 2013-14, Godsey led Iona to a historic 18-game winning streak, the longest in school history. She became the first rookie coach to win the MAAC Coach of the Year honor since 1991 and led all first-time head coaches in NCAA Division I with 26 overall wins and 18 victories in conference play. Godsey came to New Rochelle after a two-year stint as assistant coach at Virginia Tech.

The Rookie Coach of the Year award is the third award this postseason for Godsey, who was also named College Sports Madness Mid-Major Coach of the Year and the 2014 MAAC Coach of the Year. Godsey becomes the first coach in MAAC history to claim the honor.

The award is in honor of the late Maggie Dixon, former Army head coach, whose success during her inaugural year at the Army helm was remarkable. The Black Knights won the Patriot League title in 2006, and Dixon was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year after leading Army to the NCAA Tournament for the first time at the NCAA Division I level. Dixon passed away on April 6, 2006, just a few weeks following Army's appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

 

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