CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced that Express Head Women's Volleyball Coach Odaly Aponte-Orta was named the North Atlantic B District Coach of the Year. The announcement was made at the NJCAA Women's Volleyball National Tournament's Awards Dinner, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, over the weekend. 
 
This marks the second straight year that Aponte-Orta was bestowed District Coach of the Year honors. In addition to her two District Coach of the Year honors, Aponte-Orta was named the Region 15 Coach of the Year in 2023. 
 
This season, Aponte-Orta led the Express to their third straight district championship after defeating Queensborough Community College in the North Atlantic B District Final/Region 15 Semifinal, in five sets, back on November 2.
 
The Express finished the 2024 season with a 17-9 overall record and earned a berth in both the NJCAA National Tournament and the Region 15 Championship Match. 
 
Aponte-Orta coached and mentored three players who were named to the All-Region team. Aleishka Diaz earned a spot on the All-Region first team, Gabriela De La Rosa was named to the region's second team, and Chelsea Nolasco earned All-Region 15 Sportsmanship team honors.
 
Under Aponte-Orta's tenure as head coach the past two seasons, the Express have an impressive record of 40-13, earned two district titles, captured the Region 15 Championship, won an NJCAA National Tournament match, defeated two nationally ranked teams, and claimed the NJCAA Academic Team Award. 
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE UNIVERSITY
The athletic program at Monroe University encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe University marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.

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