Ball State women’s basketball 10th-year head coach Brady Sallee will bring back one of his program’s best to join the coaching staff, as former forward Moriah Monaco (2015-2018) has been hired as assistant coach for the Cardinals.
“I’m excited to bring one of our own back to Ball State,” Sallee exclaimed. “When this position opened, my thoughts turned directly to what is best for the players in our program. Who better to help them become the players, students, and people they strive to be other than one of our all-time greats!”
Monaco returns to her alma mater after serving as an assistant coach at Malone University for the 2020-21 season. Prior to starting her coaching career with the Pioneers, Monaco played professionally overseas for the BBC Residence Walferdange in Luxembourg.
“Mo has been very well thought of as she’s started her coaching career,” Sallee added. “At a very young age she has already gained valuable experience at the college level. She’s helped develop players, she’s recruited, and she’s learned first-hand how to navigate the grind! I’ve heard the passion in her voice as she talks about coaching the sport she loves. Moriah checked all the boxes for me … loyalty, hardworking, passionate, and driven! I’m thrilled to welcome Mo back home.”
A two-time Second Team All-Mid-American Conference honoree as a student-athlete at Ball State, Monaco played in 126 games for the Cardinals, starting 96 of them. She would go on to lead the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and blocks (49) as a senior.
Monaco ended her career ranked sixth all-time in scoring (1,606) and in field goals made (567). She was fifth in field goal attempts (1,400), fourth in blocked shots (96), 15th in rebounds (623), second in 3-point field goals made (292), first in 3-point field goal attempts (821), tied for third in games play (127), and tied for 10th in games started (99). She also ranked eighth in minutes played (3,601).
Monaco scored in double figures 29 times in 2018. Her career-high for points scored in a game was 29 her senior year at Northern Illinois (1/27/18) .
She helped the Cardinals make history as a senior with an 11-0 non-conference start which marked the best start in program history. She was a part of four postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament teams, with the Cardinals advancing to the second round twice; once in 2018 and once in 2016. Monaco also helped the Cardinals defeat Big Ten foe Purdue (2017) and Iowa (2016) along with SEC member Vanderbilt in 2017.
Monaco earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2018 from Ball State.
