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Izzy Mendez '16 Named Girls' Varsity Basketball Coach

The MKA Department of Athletics is pleased to announce that Izzy Mendez ’16 has been named the “Interim" Girls' Varsity Head Basketball Coach for the 2021-2022 season. 

Coach Mendez earned 11 Varsity letters during her time at MKA in field hockey, basketball, and softball and finished her career as a 2x 1st Team Super Essex Conference and 2x 1st Team NJ All-Prep player, Captain, MVP and 1,000 point scorer in basketball for the Cougars. Coach Mendez continued both her field hockey and softball careers at Providence College (RI) where she was a two sport Division I athlete and an All-Big East player in Field Hockey. 

Coach Mendez states, ”I am honored and excited for the opportunity to lead MKA’s Girls' Basketball program and would like to thank the MKA Athletic Department for entrusting me with the position. Basketball has always held a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to be involved with the sport again especially for a program I once played for. I am eager to help the team grow and succeed by bringing energy and passion to the court every day.”

We are thrilled to have Coach Mendez on the basketball sidelines with us this winter as she has established herself as one of the top young coaches in the county. Coach Mendez’s poise, energetic personality, and “love for the game” has been well established within our field hockey and softball programs as she has been able to create a great rapport with all of our student-athletes. We’re excited for this mentality and approach to continue onto the hardwood this winter with our basketball players.

MKA Director of Athletics Todd Smith would like to thank Illy Lulgjuraj for everything she has done for MKA and our Girls’ Basketball program during the past three years as our Varsity Head Coach. Coach Illy is not only a great role model for our student athletes but also has a clear understanding of the role sports play in our students’ lives. We wish Coach Illy all of the best in her future endeavors.