NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., November 5, 2018 – The Monroe College Mustangs men's basketball team is set to kick off a new season on Tuesday, Nov. 6, with their sights set on the 2019 NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.
 
The Mustangs looked to make it back-to-back seasons at the national tournament last year, but their season came to an end when they were upset by ASA College in the finals of the Region Championship Tournament. The Mustangs finished 20-11 overall a year ago, and have not won fewer than 20 games since the 2001-02 season.
 
Head coach Jeff Brustad enters his 17th season at the helm of the Monroe men's basketball program. He carries a 425-115 (.787) record over 16 years, has been named District 3 Coach of the Year seven times, and Region XV Coach of the Year on nine occasions. Coach Brustad's resume also includes 10 Region XV Titles, seven District 3 Championships and seven appearances in the NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.
 
The Mustangs graduated six student-athletes from last year's roster, including Third-Team All-American, and Region XV Player of the Year, Jhery Matos, who moved on to play at NCAA Div. I Dayton University. Fellow All-Region athlete Bryan Assie, the team's leading rebounder and third-leading scorer last year, moved on to Div. I Southern University.
 
The Mustangs return four student-athletes from the 2017-18 squad in Ebrima Jassey Demba, Lovro Bulesic, Thomas Binelli and Deng Bol Yol. After sitting out last season due to injury, Mouhamadou Gueye and Will Martinez are back with the Mustangs this season and are ready to make a big impact for the team. Coming up from last year's junior varsity team is Amadou Camara, who worked hard to earn a spot on the varsity team for his sophomore season.
 
Monroe filled up the roster with an impressive group of transfers and freshmen. Daniel Cabassa and Lenny Kadisha will bring veteran experience as transfer sophomores, while Elijah Mitchell, Zion Styles, Juan Felix Rodriguez and Meliek Thomas all look to get their collegiate careers started with success this season.
 
The Mustangs open their season on Tuesday against Our Saviour Lutheran at the Monroe Athletic Complex (MAC). They then take a short trip into the Bronx on Thursday to face off with Hostos Community College. The Mustangs follow that up with back-to-back road trips, first to Baltimore City Community College for a tournament in Baltimore, Md., from Nov. 16-18, and then to Hagerstown, Md. from Nov. 24-25, for the Jim Brown Classic hosted by Hagerstown Community College.
 
The tournaments continue for the Mustangs, as they host a pair of big weekends the following two weeks. First, they welcome Central Florida Community College, Cape Fear Community College, Baltimore City, Harcum and ASA to the MAC for the six-team Monroe College Invitational from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. The following weekend, Lackawanna College, Macomb Community College and Monroe Community College all visit New Rochelle for the Monroe College Roundball Classic from Dec. 8-9.
 
The Mustangs finish the calendar year with an extended trip to Florida for another pair of tournaments. First, they will play in the Tallahassee Democrat Holiday Classic from Dec. 28-29. They will then compete in the Josh Artis Memorial Classic, hosted by Eastern Florida State College, on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
 
Monroe returns home for four straight home games from Jan. 5-17, including their first Region XV matchup of the year against Harcum College on Jan. 17. The Mustangs will then host the Monroe College MLK Classic, a men's and women's tournament on Jan. 19-20 that will feature eight games across two days.
 
Monroe visits Lackawanna College on Jan. 24, before hosting Woodstock Academy on Jan. 26. They then continue Region XV play on the road against ASA College on Feb. 5. Monroe hosts Hostos for a matchup at the MAC on Feb. 9, but then takes on Harcum again in Bryn Mawr, Pa. on Feb. 14.
 
After a home game against Union County College on Feb. 16, the Mustangs wrap up Region XV play for the regular season with a home game against ASA on Feb. 19. The Mustangs close out the regular season against SUNY Sullivan on Feb. 23 at the MAC.
 
The Mustangs take on Our Saviour Lutheran on Tuesday at the MAC, their first regular season contest of the 2018-19 campaign. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 27 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
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).