Monroe athletes post their best numbers

Monroe athletes post their best numbers
Photo by Victor Chu

The Monroe Mustangs indoor track team is enjoying a brilliant season on the track and also in the classsroom. Led by pole vaulter Francisco Javier Escobar and shot-putter Danzel Rolle, who both came up aces with 4.0 GPA’s in their freshman semesters at Monroe, eleven other Mustangs achieved GPA scores of over 3.5. In fact, the GPA average for the entire 45-member team is at 3.0.

“This speaks volumes about our athletes’ commitment to success,” said Coach Mark Goodman. “Each day we emphasize how everything contibutes to your overall ability to achieve. So they really push each other to eat right and train hard. They also recognize the importance of staying sharp mentally so they work to do well in school, too.”

Part of that work includes regular study hall sessions arranged and monitored by assistant coach Shirvone Greene. Twice a week team members get together in the college’s state-of-the-art Academic Resource Center where they study together, assist one another with homework and projects, analyze class notes, and in total work together to achieve.

“Track and field is often seen as an individual sport, but at Monroe we view it as a team effort,” Coach Goodman said. “This collaboration in academics fosters that spirit and yes, it supports success on the track as well.”

Escobar who is from Columbia, majors in Business Adminstration and Rolle, a freshman from Florida, is an Accounting major. At their meet last week at Fordham University, Escobar placed second in pole vault (3.95) and Rolle was fifth in the shot put (10.75m)

The Mustangs will return to the track at the Metropolitan Coaches Invitational at the NYC Armory on Jan. 6. indoor track schedule. Classes for their winter semester begin on Wednesday, Jan. 4.