Hobbs, NM – The Monroe University women's basketball team kicked off the 2025-26 season with an 87-74 victory over Odessa College at the New Mexico Classic. A big fourth quarter helped separate the Mustangs from the Wranglers in what was a back-and-forth slugfest.
Six ties and five lead changes signified a rugged contest. But with 6:26 to go, sophomore
Hellary De Los Santos hit a mid-range jumper to break the 65-65 tie, leading to a 30-second timeout from Odessa.
Instead of that timeout simmering down the potential momentum shift, De Los Santos hit another mid-range jumper to tie the game at 67. From there, Monroe embarked on a game-changing 20-7 run. Overall, the Mustangs outscored the Wranglers 28-11 in the fourth and led by as much as 17 points.
De Los Santos recorded a 17-and-10 double-double in her first game with the program, while fellow sophomore
Fabiana Poindujour chipped in 15 points. Sophomores
Astou Diongue and
Kaylyn Lelie were beasts on the boards with 12 and nine, respectively.
Monroe trailed by one at the end of the first quarter and three by halftime. It led late in the third quarter thanks to a pair of free throws by Poindujour, but Odessa ended the quarter on a 7-2 run, putting the Mustangs in a four-point hole to start the fourth.
A quiet start by both sides led to Monroe's offensive explosion following De Los Santos's pair of mid-range jumpers. Poindujour and sophomore
Sydney Huskey — who finished with 12 points on the day — followed up De Los Santos's six points during the 20-7 run to end the game with five apiece.
First year head coach Mike Seney and the Mustangs are on the board in New Mexico. They will take on No. 9 New Mexico Junior College on Sunday at 7:00 pm ET (5:00 pm MT).
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University encompasses a total of 26 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as the Monroe University 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.MonroeUMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (
Monroe Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@MonroeMustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
