CASPER, Wyo., March 25, 2024 – The No. 24-seed Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team is set to open play at the 2024 NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship on Tuesday, taking on No. 9 seed Trinity Valley Community College. Monroe's third straight appearance at the national tournament will kick off with tomorrow's First Round matchup at 2:15 p.m. ET (12:15 p.m. MT) at the Ford Wyoming Center.
NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
2024 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship
Ford Wyoming Center – Casper, Wyoming
Tuesday, March 26 – Monday, April 1
NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE
Live Video: ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: MonroeCollegeMustangs.com/WBBLiveStats
The 2024 NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship final will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN on Monday, April 1.
THE BRACKET
MONROE'S PATH TO THE TITLE
FIRST ROUND
Game 2: #9 Trinity Valley Community College vs. #24 Monroe College
Tuesday, March 26 - 2:15 PM ET
SECOND ROUND
Game 10: #8 New Mexico Junior College vs. Winner of: #9 Trinity Valley Community College vs. #24 Monroe College
Wednesday, March 27 - 6:45 PM ET
QUARTERFINALS
Game 17: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10
Friday, March 29 – 2:00 PM ET
SEMIFINALS
Game 21: Winner Game 17 vs. Winner Game 19
Saturday, March 30 – 6:00 PM ET
NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Game 23: Winner Game 21 vs. Winner Game 22
Monday, April 1 – 8:00 PM ET (on ESPNU)
Note: Game # is as labeled on bracket
THE FIRST TWO OPPONENTS
#9 Trinity Valley Community College
Roster
Schedule
Stats
#8 New Mexico Junior College
Roster
Schedule
Stats
MONROE'S RECENT TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Mustangs enter the 2024 NJCAA Championship as the No. 24 seed for the third straight year. Last year, the Mustangs faced off with No. 9 Shelton State Community College. The Mustangs had a much-improved performance from the year prior, but ultimately dropped a 72-48 final to the Bucs in the First Round.
As the No. 24 seed in the 2022 NJCAA Championship tournament, the Mustangs had a tough go in their First-Round matchup with No. 9 South Georgia Technical College. Monroe shouldered a 77-26 defeat to the Jets in their 2022 appearance.
Monroe was set to make a trip to the 2020 NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Championship after winning the Northeast District Championship. However, after the Mustangs were selected as the No. 24 seed for that tournament, the tournament itself was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Mustangs made their first-ever appearance in the Division I championship tournament in 2017, again as the No. 24 seed. They lost a close battle with No. 9 South Plains College in the First Round that season.
Prior to joining the NJCAA Division I ranks, the Mustangs had a tremendous amount of success at both the Division II and Division III levels. The Mustangs won the 2011 and 2012 NJCAA Div. II Women's Basketball Championships, and prior to that, claimed the 2006 and 2008 NJCAA Div. III Titles.
SEASON AT A GLANCE
Under the tutelage of first-year head coach
Camille McLellan, the Mustangs enter the national tournament with a 19-10 overall record, the team's best record since going 19-11 in 2019-20. The Mustangs qualified for the NJCAA Women's Basketball Championship by earning the Mid-Atlantic District title with a 64-46 victory over Region 10 Champion Spartanburg Methodist College on March 16. Monroe won the Region 20 Championship Tournament two weeks prior to earn the right to host the Mid-Atlantic District Championship at the Monroe Athletic Complex.
Opening the season in early November, the Mustangs lost their season opener at CCBC Catonsville before winning their next three games. The rest of November was tough for the Mustangs, as they entered December with an even 4-4 record. Monroe then split its first two matchups in December before winning two games at the Montgomery Holiday Tournament to take a 7-5 overall record into the New Year.
After a narrow 44-40 loss to Howard Community College in the team's January opener, the Mustangs rattled off a season-best eight straight victories stretching into the first week of February. The Mustangs later hit a rough patch at the end of the regular season with a three-game losing streak, but bounced back in the regular-season finale against Harford Community College to gain some momentum before the Region 20 Championship. Monroe then defeated host Allegany College of Maryland, 64-43, to claim the Region 20 Tournament Title before winning the Mid-Atlantic District Championship two weeks later.
MONROE BY THE NUMBERS
Monroe College: 19-10 (Mid-Atlantic District Champions)
The Mustangs enter the national tournament averaging 62.5 points per game on the season. They rank 20th in the NJCAA in points allowed per game with 54.5. The Mustangs are the eighth best team in the NJCAA with 46.1 total rebounds per game while ranking No. 2 overall with 19.9 offensive rebounds per game.
Carlota Gomez-Alonso leads the Mustangs with 16.8 points per game on the season, while ranking second on the team with 8.6 rebounds per game. A workhorse, Gomez-Alonso's 36.0 minutes per game rank fourth in the NJCAA this season. Her 95 steals are the 14th most in the NJCAA, while her average of 3.5 steals per game ranks ninth. Gomez-Alonso leads the team with 54 three-pointers on the season.
Emma Wilson-Saltos averages a double-double on the season with 14.6 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, and enters the tournament with 17 double-doubles on the year. Her 12.0 rebound average ranks 11th in the NJCAA, while her 6.0 offensive boards per game rank sixth and her total of 173 offensive rebounds is the second most in the nation. Wilson-Saltos also leads the team with a .487 field-goal percentage and 41 blocked shots.
Shanelle Smith averages 10.9 points per game for the Mustangs this season.
Nicole Bencosme leads the team with 2.8 assists per game while averaging 7.5 points.
Sharon Brown is averaging 6.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on the season, while
Alycia Secchiaroli averages 6.1 points and 7.1 rebounds.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Trinity Valley Community College: 25-6 (At-Large Selection)
The Cardinals have enjoyed a terrific season with their 25-6 overall record. They had a season-long 12-game winning streak from the beginning of February through the Region 14 Championship final before ultimately losing the championship game to Blinn College. Trinity Valley ranked No. 12 in the final NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Poll back on March 4.
The Cardinals rank eighth in the NJCAA with an average of 80.2 points per game this season, while allowing 60.0 points per game to opposing teams. Their 29.6 field goals per game rank 10th in the nation, while their 14.6 free throws made per game are the 15th most. They average 37.4 total rebounds per game.
The team is led offensively by April Edwards (17.9 points per game) and Lydie Mwamba (16.9 points per game). Breanna Baxter is leading the Cardinals with 6.7 rebounds per game, while Mwamba is right behind her with an average of 6.5. Tyla Roberts is right there with them with an average of 6.1 rebounds per game. Edwards holds the team lead with 4.5 assists per game. Baxter shoots a team-best 53.4 percent from the field while scoring 10.1 points per game.
New Mexico Junior College: 26-6 (At-Large Selection)
The No. 9 team in the final NJCAA Div. I Women's Basketball Poll, the Thunderbirds earned the No. 8 seed in the tournament as an at-large selection. They had a terrific season of their own, with four different winning streaks of five-plus games this year, but the Thunderbirds were ultimately bounced early from the Region 5 Championship with a semifinal loss to Collin County Community College, which eventually earned a First-Round bye and the No. 4 overall seed in the NJCAA Championship.
New Mexico's 76.8 points per game are 20th best in the NJCAA this season while averaging 58.7 points allowed. With a lot of size on the roster, the Thunderbirds average 4.8 blocks per game, good for 13th most in the NJCAA. They rank 24th in field-goal percentage (43.1 percent) and 13th in field goals made per game (29.2). The Thunderbirds average 41.8 total rebounds per game.
The Thunderbirds are led by Cacia Antonio, who is averaging 15.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.9 steals across 32 games played. Pania Davis is next with 13.5 points while leading the team with 10.3 rebounds per game. Davis' 91 blocks and 3.0 blocks per game this season both rank No. 1 in the NJCAA this year. Filipa Calisto is scoring 11.1 points per game with 5.5 rebounds, while Wisdom Anthony averages 10.7 points and 3.2 assists.
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 (
@MonroeMustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
