NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., November 2, 2023 – A new era for the Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team begins this weekend in Maryland, as new head coach
Camille McLellan and large new group of student-athletes are set to make their debuts for the Mustangs.
Monroe's new season kicks off this weekend with a pair of games hosted by CCBC Catonsville. The Mustangs will take on host Catonsville on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m. Monroe then closes out its opening weekend against Chesapeake College on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m.
Saturday will see the first regular-season game coached by
Camille McLellan. McLellan most recently came to Monroe after serving on the staff of the Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team. Alongside McLellan are a roster of 12 student-athletes, eight of which will be playing for the Mustangs for the first time. They will all work toward the goal of reaching the NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship tournament for the third straight season.
The Mustangs finished 16-15 last year, but earned the East District's automatic bid into the NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship tournament for the third straight season. That streak began in 2020, but the tournament was canceled that year. The Mustangs visited Lubbock, Texas, in 2022 and 2023, but fell in First Round on both trips to the national tournament.
Carlota Gomez-Alonso and
Emma Wilson-Saltos are back for their second seasons with the Mustangs. Gomez-Alonso played in just 15 games last season, averaging 6.9 points and 4.0 rebounds on the season. Wilson-Saltos averaged 7.6 points and 7.0 rebounds after playing in all 31 games a year ago and making 18 starts. Joining them are
Teah McKoy and
Kebe Sow who competed with the Mustangs JV women's basketball team in 2022-23.
After opening weekend, the Mustangs will play their home opener on Thursday, Nov. 9, when they host SUNY Ulster at the Monroe Athletic Complex at 6 p.m. They will then go back down to Maryland for the Montgomery Tip-Off Tournament, hosted by Montgomery College, where they will play two games on Saturday, Nov. 11, and Sunday, Nov. 12, against Frederick Community College and Montgomery, respectively.
The Mustangs are back on the road the following weekend with a matchup at Onondaga Community College on Sunday, Nov. 19. Two days later they will take a short trip down to Union College. The Mustangs continue a busy week with back-to-back home games, first on Thursday, Nov. 30, when they host Harcum College at the MAC at 5 p.m. They will then welcome Harford Community College to New Rochelle on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 1 p.m.
The Mustangs take a trip upstate on Tuesday, Dec. 5, to take on Monroe Community College in Rochester. They return home on Saturday, Dec. 9, to host CCBC Essex at the MAC at 3 p.m. Monroe's final home game of the 2023 calendar year takes place on Wednesday, Dec. 13, when Hostos Community College visits New Rochelle for a 6 p.m. tip-off. The Mustangs wrap up December back down at Montgomery College Dec. 16-17 for two games at the Montgomery Holiday Tournament.
The Mustangs open up January 2024 with the annual Monroe College Men's and Women's Mixer, welcoming Howard Community College, Nassau Community College and Monroe Community College to the MAC to participate on the women's side of the tournament. The Mustangs take on Howard on Saturday, Jan. 6, before closing the weekend against Nassau on Sunday, Jan.7. The Mustangs stay at home on Tuesday, Jan. 9, to play Raritan Valley Community College.
The following weekend will feature the yearly Monroe College MLK Classic, another mixed tournament that will see SUNY Sullivan, Erie Community College and Union College compete in the women's half of the competition at the Monroe Athletic Complex. Monroe will play Union on Saturday, Jan. 13, and will then take on SUNY Sullivan on Sunday, Jan. 14.
The Mustangs have one more home game in January before a long road trip that extends into February. Monroe hosts Putnam Science Academy on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Mustangs then begin their road stand on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at SUNY Sullivan. A week later, they visit Raritan Valley Community College on Jan. 30. Monroe takes a trip to Lackawanna College on Feb. 1, and then three days later will meet Niagara County Community College in Ithaca, N.Y., in a neutral-site game. The run of road games concludes on Friday, Feb. 9, at CCBC Essex.
Lackawanna comes to town on Thursday, Feb. 15, before the Mustangs make a visit to Harcum College on Saturday, Feb. 17. Monroe's final home game is set for Tuesday, Feb. 20, when they host CCBC Catonsville at the MAC. The Mustangs wrap up the regular season on Monday, Feb. 26, at Harford Community College.
To return to the NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship in Casper, Wyo., the Mustangs will have to earn their way there through the Mid-Atlantic District Championship. The NJCAA Championship tournament will be hosted at the Ford Wyoming Center from March 26 through April 21, 2024.
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 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
