NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., September 6, 2018 – After making two consecutive trips to the NJCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament, the Monroe College women's volleyball team is looking to take the program to the next level in 2018.
 
The Mustangs began the season as the No. 18-ranked team in the NJCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Preseason Poll, but are only receiving votes after the Week 1 rankings despite not playing a single match yet. A successful opening weekend at the Daytona State College Invitational would certainly help the Mustangs jump back into the Top 20.
 
Monroe finished 20-11 overall a year ago, and went a perfect 6-0 on their home court inside the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs finished the season as the No. 20-ranked team in the nation after competing in the National Championship Tournament. The Mustangs reached this plateau after earning their seventh Regional Championship in a row with a win over Harford Community College, followed by their second straight District P Championship after defeating Spartanburg Methodist College.
 
The Mustangs return six student-athletes to this year's squad, covering nearly an entire lineup. Cristina Robles returns as a defensive specialist for Monroe, while Nashally Eleutiza will also help on defense as the team's libero. Alexis Baer and Daline Rios are back as setters for the Mustangs, while Rios will also play right side. Maria Camila Salazar also returns to play right side for Monroe, while Karla Figueroa will look to turn in another solid year as an outside hitter.

Head coach Nephtali Delgado Reyes also added seven freshman athletes to this year's team. Julia Alves, Nia Cornegy, Jaddy Duarte and Ariane Ramalho will fill a need at middle blocker for the Mustangs. Giulia La Longa adds to the offense as an outside hitter and right side, while Tereza Strnadlova will also play on the outside. Maryorie Cruz Baez also joins the Mustangs as a setter.
 
Delgado Reyes put together one of the toughest schedules the Mustangs have seen in recent memory this year in hopes of showing off the Mustangs on a national stage, as well as preparing them for a tougher run to the National Tournament.
 
With numerous matches on the schedule against nationally ranked opponents and teams that qualified for last year's National Tournament, the highlight of the regular season will be the Monroe College Volleyball Invitational. The tournament will feature Hillsborough Community College, No. 8 Snow College, No. 4 College of Southern Idaho, Catawba Valley Community College and Wallace State Community College-Hanceville, setting up for a phenomenal weekend of NJCAA women's volleyball. The tournament is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 13 to Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Monroe Athletic Complex.
 
The Mustangs open the season this weekend at the Daytona State College Invitational in Daytona Beach, Fla. They kick off the weekend Thursday evening against host Daytona State at 6 p.m. The weekend continues on Friday, Sept. 7, with matches against Hillsborough and Florida State College at Jacksonville. Monroe wraps up its weekend in Florida on Saturday, Sept. 8, when the Mustangs take on Palm Beach State College and Pensacola State College.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, and the newly added club men's volleyball team, 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).