When Mikaela Howell joined the Mustangs coaching staff in 2013, she was already well known to Head Coach Jonathan Garbar and the rest of Monroe's athletic organization. She had spent the two years prior on the pitch as a midfielder, becoming Monroe's first women's soccer player to earn an "All American" title along the way.
A two-time NJCAA All-American (see related coverage
freshman and
sophomore year) as well as an NSCAA All-American her final year, Mikaela was one of the nation's most prolific players during her years as a student-athlete at Monroe. Her accomplishments for most goals scored, most points earned, and most assists in a single season still stand as college records. She was equally impressive in the classroom, graduating in 2012 with a perfect 4.0 GPA and earning her bachelor's degree in Business Management.
In 2012, Mikaela was ranked sixth in the NJCAA with 30 goals in just 13 games; she was also ranked second in assists (24) and second in total scoring (84 points). As a freshman the prior year, she scored an impressive 23 goals and tallied eight assists.
In addition to her stalwart play at Monroe, the British national from Basingstoke, England was a member of the country's national teams at the U15 and U17 level. On the club side, she played for seven years at various levels with Arsenal LFC, as well as spells at
DC United, Chelsea LFC, Birmingham City LFC, and Reading WFC, among others.
As an assistant coach in Monroe's women's soccer program, Mikaela was part of the coaching staff that led the team to its first NJCAA National Championship in 2014; they finished third in the country last year. In addition to her role helping to build and direct the women's soccer program, she partners with Monroe's international admissions team; using her expertise to recruit and guide students from Europe, Canada and Australia. She provides first-hand insights on the myriad academic and athletic opportunities available here at Monroe.
Said Head Coach Jonathan Garbar: “Coach Howell is more than a proven and accomplished athlete, competing at the highest level possible in the women’s game. She has the instinct and ability to connect with student athletes on a deep and meaningful level, impacting their performance both on the field and in the classroom. Mikaela plays a vital role in the academic goals, NCAA transfer process, eligibility analysis, recruitment and match analysis of our program. Her work ethic, professionalism and commitment to success, is second to none as she epitomizes precisely what our program stands for. It’s a privilege to share the sidelines with her.”
