
Regina alum Haley Iacona sets three all-time collegiate women’s soccer records
WARREN, Mich. — When young girls and boys begin playing AYSO or youth soccer, many often dream of becoming the next Mia Hamm or Lionel Messi. They dream of scoring the big goal, dream of making the big play when the game is on the line, dream of playing in college, and dream of setting all-time records. Shelby Township native Haley Iacona was no different. What ended up being different for Haley was that she took her excitement and passion for soccer, which began when she started playing AYSO at age 4, and she ended up achieving just about all of those things that most kids only dream of.

Haley, an MHSAA All-State soccer player in 2019 for Regina High School in Warren, Michigan, is an athletic and versatile player that has played every position but goalkeeper over the course of her career, including at the college level! She was a standout outside defender for Regina, leading the Saddlelites to three Catholic League Championship games and two state of Michigan Final Four appearances in the state playoffs over the course of her career. She also played club travel soccer at the ECNL (National) level for metro Detroit powerhouse Vardar Soccer Club for seven years.
With all of that soccer experience and versatility, and having come up through the system playing for some of the best coaches in the metro Detroit area such as Demir Muftari, Reid Friedrichs and Curtis Ward at Vardar, Stefano Moraccini at Regina, and Joe Gallagher when she started it all out at the Michigan Burn, Haley had options when it came to college recruiting. However, rather than pursue some of the college Division 1 schools that were interested in her, Haley decided to take a different path that fit her better. The rest, as they say, is now history.

During her junior year at Regina, after being scouted by college coaches at the ECNL Showcase in Sanford, Florida and on spring break visiting her grandparents in Naples, Florida, Haley connected with head coach Tyler Rosser and took a two-day visit to Ave Maria University. She left that visit saying “Dad, this feels like home” and it was pretty much at that point that Haley knew where she’d be committing to play collegiate soccer. As it turned out, that was a great decision for Haley, Coach Rosser, and Ave Maria!
Haley concluded her storied soccer career at Ave Maria University in Southwest Florida on Saturday November 4th in the Sun Conference Quarterfinal Playoffs, having set three major all-time women’s soccer records at the university. To say that Haley “left it all on the field” when she was done, would be an understatement. Haley finished her career for the Lady Gyrenes of Ave Maria University as the all-time career leader in games played (76) and minutes played (5,382), and also is the all-time single season record holder for minutes played (1,539), which she just set this season in 2023 in her final season “on the pitch”. Haley definitely finished in style.

In a recent interview for Gyrene Nation, the Ave Maria Athletics weekly YouTube show, Associate Athletic Director Will Hampton said “One of the most interesting stories of this Lady Gyrenes women’s soccer successful season this year is Haley Iacona. Haley is a senior who has broken all kinds of records and it just goes on and on and on. With Haley, she just never wants to come off of the field.” When asked about that, Haley said “I honestly just think it really has to do with the team. I’ve enjoyed playing here at Ave Maria, and this year’s team is the most fun team that I’ve been on in my time here, and we all really enjoy playing together…and that is what makes me want to stay on the field.” Well, during her career, Iacona “stayed on the field” more than any other player in Ave Maria’s women’s soccer history.

Haley is a Dean’s List student at Ave Maria University, achieving most recently a 3.74 GPA. She is double-majoring at Ave Maria in Exercise Physiology and Business Administration and will walk in the university’s May 2024 commencement ceremonies.
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