In their first year of official competition, the Monroe Lady Mustangs softball team has qualified for the NJCAA Region XV playoffs. This remarkable achievement caps off a 10-8 regular season.  Monroe enters the tournament as the number-six seed and will play in the first round of the single elimination tournament on Tuesday, May 4 at 4:30pm at Suffolk West Community College in Brentwood, NY.

“I’m very proud of what we have done in our first year,” said head coach Jim McCormack. “But, of course, now is not the time to rest on our laurels. We’re going to play hard from the first pitch of the first playoff game and try to take this even further.” Two Lady Mustangs were selected for post-season honors. Sophomore Lisa Jackson and freshman Krystle Gaud were selected as Region XV second-team all-stars. Jackson is a centerfielder from Walton HS who has also been a standout volleyball and basketball player for Monroe. Gaud is a catcher from Bronx Leadership Academy.

The softball team’s accomplishments underscore a fabulous year for Mustang athletics. Each of Monroe’s four other teams qualified for post-season play through this academic year. In fact, the Monroe men’s and women’s basketball teams both won Region XV championships this season and the men’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams each played into the first-round of the playoffs. “While our coaches do great jobs at recruiting, it’s the players’ talent and dedication that lays the foundation for success,” beamed athletic Director Bert Shillingford. “It’s really been a great year for us.”