Ruland out as Iona coach

Mar 27, 2007 - 7:42 PM NEW ROCHELLE, New York (Ticker) -- Jeff Ruland coached Iona to three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. However, he was unable to survive a 2-28 campaign.

Ruland had the final two years of his contract bought out by the school on Tuesday. He originally signed an eight-year contract in March 2001.

"The negotiations could not have been more amicable," said Ruland's attorney, Rob Ades. "Iona has shown a great deal of respect for Jeff, and these feelings are mutual. I am sure that Jeff will always be a favorite son of Iona, and he certainly will always be a Gael at heart."

Ruland put Iona on the college basketball map as a player when he picked the little-known school over Kentucky and ended up leading the Gaels to a 69-21 record and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 1979 and 1980. He played eight years in the NBA and was a two-time All-Star.

Ruland also experienced success as a coach, but the 2006-07 campaign was a disaster. 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.

"Jeff Ruland has been a loyal Iona Gael as a student, player, coach and, more importantly, as a person," Iona president James Liguori said. "He will always have a place in Iona's rich tradition and history."