Monroe College basketball player Garth Grindley has accepted a scholarship offer from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. The 6’10” Mustang center will play for the NCAA Division I ECU Pirates, who play in Conference USA. “I’m thrilled,” said Grindley during a recent workout at Monroe’s King Hall gymnasium. “I know I have a lot of work to do, but I’m ready for the challenge.”
After playing his freshman and sophomore years in Monroe’s NJCAA Division I program, Grindley will compete in big arenas against legendary basketball institutions like Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, and Memphis. “He’ll fit in real well, “ said Mustang head coach, Jeff Brustad. “He’s a physical player who works hard, which are the foundations for success at any level.”
In addition to his basketball success, Grindley, who hails from Jamaica and resides in New Rochelle, NY, has also been a star in the classroom. He graduated Monroe as a computer science major with a 3.5 grade-point average. Grindley joins an impressive list of Monroe players who have played in NCAA Division I, including Mike Nurse (Iowa State), Isaiah Francis and Virgil Smiley (L.I.U), Nate Brown, Corien John, and Devin Thompson (St. Peter’s), and John McCord (Cornell).
Monroe College fields teams in four sports: men's basketball, women's basketball, men's soccer, and women's volleyball. Softball will be introduced in spring, 2003. The Monroe Mustangs are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association.