Monmouth University women’s basketball program has been through lots of coaches over recent years. They all have one thing in common. None were able to convince a Shore Conference elite player to join their program. Ginny Boggess was able to take a few Shore role players add a few transfers and catch lighting in a bottle during the CAA tournament, 2year ago as Monmouth shocked everyone and won the tournament. A year later she was at the U of Toledo and Monmouth had to find a new coach. That Coach was an unknown by most on the East Coast. Her name was Cait Wetmore and she just did something no other Monmouth coach could accomplish. She landed a Shore Conference Rock Star by the name of TESSA CARMAN, who gave MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY A VERBAL COMMITMENT.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MONMOUTH BASKETBALL?
In what has to be the biggest surprise in recent Shore history recruiting. Tessa Carman commitment to Monmouth is not just shocking but also comes at a time when Monmouth is in full rebuilding mode. Coach Wetmore landing the RED BANK CATHOLIC rising senior is perfect timing. It gives the program a much needed shot in the arm and certainly opens the door for the program to take the next step in recruiting impact freshman in the future. Tessa Carman will certainly help in building the Monmouth U fan base. Now Monmouth must take full advantage of this huge pickup. In the past Monmouth Coaches all complained about not being able to sign Shore Conference star players. Well Coach Wetmore has done it. It’s clear, every young star player in the Shore knows the name Tessa Carman and she has now made it okay to stay home and play at Monmouth. There is no question Carman will have a impact from day one, not just on the floor but from image and a perception standpoint as well
WHO IS TESSA CARMAN?
No player in recent Shore history has entered high school with more expectations that Tessa Carman, “NONE”. She has felt pressure from day one. Both her sisters were D1 players, her mother played basketball at Georgia Tech as did her dad who played football and then for the NFL EAGLES. She has had unrealistic expectations placed on her since the day she picked up a basketball. Tessa Carman is 16 years old. That is not a misprint folks, she in many cases would be just a sophomore or a rising junior. So we have not even seen the best of Tessa as a high school player in terms of maturity. If it’s possible to believe Tessa Carman has yet hit her peak physically. What will she look like at age 18? Let me help you out, a grown ass woman. We are currently watching Tessa Carman grow into a leading candidate for Shore Conference and State Player of the year. This spring and summer, she took her game to a different level. She has watched her game grow and show a consistency that now has elevated her status. She has become an elite three point shooter and is a mack truck at the rim. She is an elite shot blocker and seems to be growing each time she steps on the court. She was far and away the best player at the NBS CAMP, winning MVP, in a unanimous vote. Right now Tessa Carman is one of the 4 best players in New Jersey. She also is on the #6 ranked high school team in the country at RBC. She has not just won everywhere she has been. But she has won big!
HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
First start with Tessa Carman not making NIL money the end all be all. While other schools offered more NIL money, only one school had a coach that made a special connection. In the beginning of this process Tessa Carman showed little interest in Monmouth. So much that Coach Wetmore asked me if I could get her to return calls. Once Coach Whitmore made contact with Tessa Carman the relationship grew. But more than anything else, Coach Wetmore took the recruiting of Tessa Carman on single-handedly. She personally was front and center at every game and every move that Tessa Carman made. She took a real gamble in putting so much time into one player. Soon the two were talking on a regular basis. Soon it was Tessa Carman calling Coach Wetmore. On the last day of the recruiting period whether coach Wetmore knows it or not. She made her best decision. She flew into New Jersey to watch Tessa Carman’s last game AAU game. What she didn’t know was some coaches were still hell bent on recruiting Tessa Carman, who had quietly committed and flew to New Jersey as well to change her mind. But when Tessa Carman saw Coach Wetmore, she knew it was time to get married officially, despite what words were spoken prior. Now things were REAL and Tessa Carman was a HAWK. The lesson, never take anything for granted and Coach Wetmore was sensational during the entire process. She let no stone unturned and was rewarded, like no other Monmouth Head Coach in the schools history.
NOW WHAT?
Monmouth, admit it or not has a player that nobody believed they could get. I told Coach Wetmore it was a long shot. I told asst Coach Lola Mullaney not to spend real time recruiting her, it was just too late. But I was clearly wrong and here we are today. The Carman verbal commitment could and should attract other stars both in high school and in the portal. But administrations build programs and fan bases. Monmouth would be wise to strike hard and fast right now. This is a moment to raise NIL money, get into the Shore community and SELL TICKETS. Promote their program like never before. That’s because the 2026 class is loaded and the 2029 class which is off the charts are watching. Coach Wetmore has made her first dynamic move and must build on it now….. THE SHORE COMMUNITY IS WATCHING!