Hagerstown, MD. -The Monroe Mustangs delivered a dominant defensive effort on Saturday afternoon, defeating Hagerstown Community College 65-41 on the road to continue their strong start to the 2025-26 campaign.
The Mustangs quickly established control with elite rebounding and relentless interior presence, finishing with a commanding 48-25 advantage on the glass and 14 second-chance points. Monroe's physicality helped stretch the lead as the afternoon progressed, eventually growing to as many as 33 points in the second half.
Naceiar Kirksey and Nico Pena powered the scoring with 15 points each. Kirksey added three rebounds and two steals, while Pena shot an efficient 6-for-8 from the floor. Qingfang Pang dominated the paint with a double-double dropping 12 points and snagging a game-high 15 boards while also contributing a block and three steals.
Monroe's defense was the storyline throughout the matchup, holding Hagerstown to just 24.1 percent shooting from the field and 16 percent from behind the arc while forcing 15 turnovers.
The Mustangs' depth stepped up as well, highlighted by Jago Robinson's nine points on a perfect shooting performance off the bench, including two threes. Abraham Rosario helped anchor the interior with nine rebounds, and Tavien Tyler added four points and three assists.
Monroe turned up its offensive rhythm after halftime, shooting nearly 43 percent in the second period while continuing to crash the boards and keep the Hawks in check.
The Mustangs move forward with strong momentum as they continue their early-season road swing tomorrow when they take on Allegany College of Maryland at 1 PM.
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).
