Having just completed stellar regular seasons, the Monroe College Mustangs and Lady Mustang basketball teams have garnered a number of post-season awards. The Monroe Mustangs compiled a 23-7 record this season and their conference record of 3-1 put them in first-place of the three-team Division I in Region XV. Under head coach Jeff Brustad, the Mustangs are the reigning two-time Region XV champions. They begin their post-season play in the Region finals on Sunday, March 6 at 6pm at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY. Monroe has already qualified for their third straight District III tournament appearance, which will commence a week later, also at Westchester CC. This season, the Lady Mustangs were an incredible 29-1, finishing with a #2 ranking in the NJCAA, Division III and a perfect 22-0 Region XV record. Their run to repeat as Region Champions and participate in the national tournament will get begin with the Region semifinal round at 1pm on Saturday, March 5 at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY. If they win that game, they will play in the Region finals at 2pm on Sunday, March 6. MUSTANG AWARDS For the second straight year, Garfield "Ricky" Johns, a 6’3" sophomore guard out of Wings Academy in the Bronx, was named Region XV, Division I Player of the Year. Johns finished as the team leader with 17.2 ppg. He also shot 75.8% from the charity stripe and 31.1% from the arc. Sophomore 5’9" point guard Rashard Turner, out of Peekskill HS, who averaged 13.5 ppg and led the team with 4.68 apg and 32.8% three-point shooting, was named to the Region’s first team. Nir Cohen, a 6’7" sophomore forward/center from Israel, and freshman 6’2" guard Ronald Taylor, Jr. of Philadelphia were named to the Region’s second team. Cohen averaged 12.3 ppg and was the team leader with 6.4 rpg. Taylor averaged 13.5 ppg and shot 32.7% from the arc. LADY MUSTANG AWARDS As for the women, dominating 6’0" freshman forward Fantasia Goodwin, a two-time NJCAA Division III Player of the Week from MLK HS in Yonkers, not only led the nation with 26.1 ppg and 16.5 rpg, but she was named Region XV, Division III Player of the Year. Also for the Lady Mustangs, 5’10" freshman forward Jelila Abdul-Bassit from Las Vegas, Nevada, who missed part of the season with an ankle injury, was named to the Region’s second team. Abdul-Bassit averaged 17.4 ppg and shot an incredible 52% from three-point range. Co-captain sophomores, 5’10" center Telisha Moultre and 5’6" point guard Jennifer Griffin both of whom played at Wings Academy, received Region honorable mention honors. Griffin averaged 9.3 ppg and 4.1 apg and Moultre 9.9 ppg and 8.3 rpg. The Lady Mustangs’ record-breaking season was good enough to propel Coach Seth Goodman to his first Region Coach of the Year award. Monroe College fields teams in six sports: men's basketball, women's basketball, men's soccer, women's volleyball, baseball, and softball. The Monroe Mustangs are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association. For more information about Monroe College Athletics, call Athletic Director Bert Shillingford or SID Gary Axelbank at 718-933-6700 or visit Monroe's web site at www.monroecollege.edu. |