Auburn, ME - Head Women's Basketball Coach, Andrew Morong, is pleased to announce the commitment of India Morrell, a 5'7" combo guard of the Charnwood College Riders.
Morrell, who has helped lead the Riders to the Division 1 National Cup and the Elite Academy League Championships, was named the 2017-18 National Final U19's MVP. Her team and individual success on the court only pales in comparison to her accomplishments off the court. Morrell has served as the leader and organizer of school recycling committee, responsible for policies targeting recycling and reducing the schools carbon footprint, while also developing and implementing the schools anti-bullying policies and running of the committee. In 2017 India was recognized as the Charity Event Leader of the Year, as well as the School Sports Women of the Year at the Hemel Hempstead School. She also serves as House Captain for Charnwood College and received the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Award.
According to Morrell, "It has been my dream to have the opportunity to play college basketball in America for many years. Coach Morong invested time and energy in recruiting me and it was very clear the great passion and vision, he has for the program. This is the type of coach I want to play for. When I attended for my visit, the girls were incredibly welcoming, by the time I left, they felt like family, and that's when I new Central Maine was the place for me. The campus is in a beautiful setting, I love that the court is always free and you can go and workout or get shots up whenever you want. The college as a whole is a really nice environment where everyone is welcome with lots of friendly faces. The women's basketball team is clearly a significant part of the college community, and are highly valued."
She continued, "I am excited about college basketball and the new challenges ahead; I have played academy basketball in England for the last two years. There are a lot of different rules in the USA, to the European game, and I feel this might be hard to get used to but I am excited to learn and play college basketball. I cannot wait to meet my teammates and start preparation for the season. I look forward to learning about the different culture's and from other people's life experiences. I want to challenge myself to be the best person I can be on and off the court equally. I am a combo guard my strengths are rebounding, boxing out, off-ball movement, getting to the rim, mid-range, catch and shoot three's. The things that I feel I will bring to the program are my hustle, work ethic, energy, grit, versatility, consistency, leadership and most of all teamwork."
Coach Morong added, "India is an amazing young woman and honestly, we feel grateful to be a part of her journey. During her visit in January, it was simply just a natural fit. In just a few short days, it felt like she was already a part of our program. She is a crafty, hard-working guard who can score and facilitate. India is an absolute gym rat; if she is not studying, you will probably find her on the court working on her game, or in the weight room getting bigger, faster, stronger. I hope this commitment to the game trickles down to our other incoming players as well. Although she will be making a significant presence on the court, I think her lasting impact will be her engagement within our college community. We are absolutely thrilled that India will be joining our program, and cannot wait for her to meet all of our family, friends, and fans here in Auburn."
Morrell will be studying in the Business Administration & Management program.
