Report: Ruland out as Iona coach

Mar 22, 2007 - 10:23 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) - Jeff Ruland coached Iona to three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. But it appears he will not survive a 2-28 campaign.

The New York Daily News reported on Thursday that Ruland will be be bought out of the final two years left on the eight-year contract he signed in March 2001.

Iona lost its first 22 games and became the last Division I program to win a game when it beat Rider, 69-57, on February 3. Early-season injuries to two starters - Gary Springer Jr. and Kyle Camper - and the loss of St. John's transfer Dexter Gray due to academic problems helped doom the Gaels to a 2-28 season.

The previous season, Ruland guided the Gaels to a 23-8 record and a third MAAC title. They lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Louisiana State, which advanced to the Final Four.

Ruland, 48, compiled a 139-134 record in nine years at Iona, ranking second on the school's all-time list.