The numbers for the 2002-03 Monroe Mustangs women’s basketball team are impressive. To be sure a record of 8-4, a 3-point shooting percentage over 33%, and a massive 43-plus rebounds per-game is a strong start for the season. But the icing on the cake for Monroe College is that six of the team’s players scored GPA’s above 3.0 in the fall semester!

“This says a lot about the work ethic of our players,” said Lady Mustang head coach Seth Goodman. “It shows that they understand the true foundation for success. Play hard and practice hard on the court, but also get it done in the classroom.” The team’s leading scorer is also the team’s leading grade-getter. Freshman guard Cherita Gray (August Martin HS), is averaging 13.6 points per-game on the court and in her first semester as a Monroe College business major, she earned a 3.5 GPA. Freshman power forward Ketshiga Fearon (Mt. Vernon HS) is averaging 13.3 points per-game and 7.8 rebounds per-game. In the classroom as a business major she scored a powerful 3.3 GPA. Star point guard Deanna Chestnut (Harding HS, Bridgeport) is averaging a whopping 5.9 assists per-game, and a 3.3 GPA as a computer science major.

Team captain, sophomore forward and business major Akeisha Cumberbatch (New Rochelle, HS) scored a 3.0 GPA this semester, and freshmen business majors Kira Simmonds (3.3 GPA) and Rashanna Jackson an August Martin HS graduate (3.1 GPA) were also stars in the classroom.  “The academic achievements of our athletes exemplifies the best of Monroe College,” said Associate Academic Dean Carol Genese. “It’s wonderful that students are productive in their athletics, but they pave the way for successful carrers and lives if they also work hard on their studies.”  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.