Mount St. Mary’s men’s and women’s basketball prep for season

Samuel Barber
MSMU Class of 2022

(11/2021) It is almost time to hit the hardwood again, as the 2021-22 NCAA Division-I college basketball season is right on the horizon. For the 358 teams that call the Division-I level home, this season marks a time to return to normalcy. The ability to be able to look forward to no more COVID-19 postponements or cancellations will be a sigh of relief across the sport, including the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers.

Both the men’s and women’s squads are coming off historic seasons that brought plenty of cheerful moments to the greater Emmitsburg area. The men’s basketball team is coming off a 12-11 campaign, with a 9-7 conference record. However, as any successful team is accustomed to learning, building a winning culture comes from within and happens over the course of plenty of years.

Although the men’s basketball team captured the conference tournament crown a season ago, a crucial piece from the 2020-21 team will no longer be repping blue and gold. Standout guard Damian Chong Qui transferred to Purdue-Fort Wayne in the offseason, which will certainly be a massive storyline in 2021-22. However, fourth-year head coach Dan Engelstad has an optimistic approach to his departure: "Our team is going to be spread around much more. We have guys that improved a ton. We have ten or more guys that can get you double-figures in Division-I basketball," he said.

Despite the loss of Chong Qui, there are plenty of other key playmakers that have elevated their game and are ready to take Mount St. Mary’s to the next level. Primarily, the likes of Mezie Offurum and Nana Opoku. Opoku, who averaged 10.2PPG and 7.0RPG in 2020-21, will contribute mightily to this team. "This is the biggest team in Mount St. Mary’s history. We can match up with anyone. From a defensive standpoint, it helps when you have size and versatility. Becoming a champion [last year] really elevated their confidence," exclaimed Engelstad.

Offurum and fellow big man Malik Jefferson will also be running this offense. Having three big men steer an offense set is a rarity for basketball. Jefferson and Offurum dished out 8.0/7.8 and 9.4/6.2 respectively a season ago. Look for the latter, who is able to generate a fast tempo, eclipsing the double-figure scoring mark.

Building long-term success at the Division-I level requires two things when it comes to recruiting. Firstly, being able to capitalize on domestic and foreign talent is a must, especially the latter avenue. Secondly, cashing in on the rather new transfer portal has become a key aspect of recruiting. Coach Engelstad has evolved into one of the best mid-major recruiters. The incoming freshmen are already being held in high regard from this coaching staff. "[They are] really talented guys and believe they can impact the program in the early stages of their career," said Engelstad. There is one newcomer that will be grabbing the attention of the Northeast Conference (NEC). His name is Jedy Cordilia, who hails from the Netherlands. According to the coaching staff, "we have been fortunate. Jedy is really talented. He has great hands and feet. He has a bright future at the Mount".

The incoming transfers will play a critical role on this team. Elijah Elliott (via Oklahoma Christian) and Jalen Benjamin (via UAB) bring plenty to the table. All eyes are on Benjamin especially: "Jalen has a great work ethic and is supremely talented. I think Knott Arena will love him. He’s got a lot of pop to his game," he said.

This will certainly be a battle tested team early on, as five of the first six contests are away from Emmitsburg. The beginning stages of the schedule feature national heavyweights Kentucky and Villanova, as well as former NEC-rival Robert Morris. According to Engelstad, there is a method to all of his madness: "We hope our guys get a great experience against the best teams in the country. We want to get back to the NCAA Tournament and win games and these will be the teams you play in the Big Dance. It’s a good balance."

The Mount’s first home game against a Division-I opponent will not be till Nov. 27 against the Naval Academy.

A program amid a coaching change but with plenty of pieces to repeat as conference queens would be the outlook for the Mount’s women’s basketball team. After leading the Mountaineers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1995, Maria Marchesano decided to take her talents back to her hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana to coach Purdue-Fort Wayne. Longtime assistant coach Antonine White will now head the women’s program with a bright future ahead of him.

Much like the men’s team, the women’s team has lost two key components from the 2020-21 championship team, Bridget Birkhead (via transfer to Radford) and Rebecca Lee to graduation. Birkhead was a crucial component to the offensive framework of this team, as she was second on the team in 3PT %. As for Lee, her size made her an instant threat on the glass and in the paint. For Coach White, he is excited to see who will replace these two: "It’s going to be by committee. We will have Kayla and Michaela. Kendall has been working on her shot. Aryna Taylor is a gifted shooter from the outside. We feel good about our post play."

Aryna Taylor and Kendall Breese are two players that will be juggernauts on the offensive side of the floor. Breese posted in near double-figures last season, 13.7PPG and 8.5RPG, respectively. There is real belief that she can eclipse the double-double average this season. "She is very capable of averaging a double-double. She is a great playmaker and can affect the game in a lot of different ways," said White. As for Taylor, the redshirt-senior is due for a breakout season, especially in the eyes of the coaching staff. "I have been with her the past 4-5 seasons. This is the healthiest I have seen her so far. She’s putting in a lot of extra work to her craft," he said.

Fresh off the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in 26 years, the Mount loaded up their schedule. The Mountaineers will travel to the likes of Clemson, Seton Hall, Ohio State, and of course, the rematch with Maryland. Mount St. Mary’s was bounced in the Round of 64 by the Terrapins. The four Power Six opponents combined for a 65-31 record last season. From a mid-major standpoint, the Mount will welcome defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion Howard on Nov. 23.

All eyes are on the first two conference matchups. Mount St. Mary’s caps off the calendar year with road trips to Fairleigh Dickinson and Wagner. The Knights and Seahawks were the two main challengers to the Mount a season ago.

The men’s basketball team will begin their 2021-22 slate on Nov. 9 with a road tilt against nationally ranked Villanova. As for the women’s team, they travel to New Jersey on opening day to battle the Seton Hall Pirates.

The first home games for the men’s and women’s teams will be Nov. 11 and 13, respectively against Division-III foes Washington College and Valley Forge.