NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y, September 7, 2017 – After getting a taste of the competition at the National Championship level during a highly-successful 2016 campaign, the Monroe College women's volleyball team has its sights set on a return to the national stage, but is preparing for a different outcome this time around.
The Mustangs finished 21-13 overall in 2016, taking home both Region and District Championships en route to the NJCAA National Championship tournament. Monroe competed in its first two National Championship tournament matches at the Division I level in mid-November, falling to both Western Nebraska Community College and Seward County Community College to end the team's run.
The plan for 2017 is to not only return to the National Championship tournament, but to go there and be successful. Now that the Mustangs know they can compete at that level, head coach
Nephtali Delgado Reyes decided to beef up his schedule, taking on a number of nationally-ranked opponents during the regular season, to better prepare his team for a championship run.
"Last year we had a great experience. Our group played really hard the entire year," said Delgado Reyes. "This season we're better prepared to play that competition."
Monroe takes on three Top-10 teams in its first five matches of the season, and also has No. 1 Miami Dade College on this year's slate. The Mustangs are also prepared to do a lot of traveling, as they are set to play in tournaments across the country in Idaho, Florida, Texas and Iowa. The five returning sophomores will be used to the travel, but nine newcomers will quickly get the experience of flying cross-country and playing the toughest competition the NJCAA has to offer.
Sophomores
Anyela Aquino,
Lidia Chery,
Marissa Hackett,
Brianna Chin and
Danairi Malave all return after last year's first run at the National Championship tournament. Hackett and Chin both played big roles on the offensive front, making the majority of starts and contributing 1.59 and 1.48 kills per set, respectively. Aquino and Chery are both looking to carve out bigger roles, while Malave is set to make her debut for the Royal and Gold after redshirting her first season. Delgado Reyes is hoping that the experience of his returners and the tough competition on the docket this regular season will help push the team to the next level.
"We have a great incoming class, I spent a great time looking for the right kids for this program, and so far they have a great chemistry," said Delgado Reyes. "I think the combination of the sophomores that played at the national tournament, with that group of kids that have a championship pedigree, I think it's a good combination."
Like all Monroe College teams, the women's volleyball program has had high expectations set upon it this year. Nobody has set them higher than the Mustangs themselves and their coaches, and Delgado Reyes is ready to see what this has got.
"This group is really excited to start," said Delgado Reyes. "I can't wait to see them playing very good competition and see them in real 3-out-of-5 set matches. This year, I have a good feeling."
The Mustangs kick off the 2017 season at the Starr Corporation Invitational hosted by the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, Idaho. They open the weekend on Thursday, Sept. 7, against host, and No. 6-ranked Southern Idaho at 9 p.m. EST. The weekend continues with a pair of matches against Caster College and Northwest College on Friday, Sept. 8, and concludes on Saturday, Sept. 9, with contests against No. 10 Snow College and No. 4 Salt Lake Community College.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's rugby, and the newly added club women's rugby team, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, will have six teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level beginning in the fall of 2017.
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at
www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (
Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
