The Monmouth College women’s basketball season is nearing the end, which means for seniors Kynlee Stearns and Averi Rangel, their time with the Scots is coming to a close.
The past four years at Monmouth came with plenty of ups and downs. Their careers are not going to be defined by a crazy amount of wins or awards, but by their ability to persevere and continue to show up every single day, no matter what.
The Fighting Scots have not had the season they hoped for, sitting at 6-13 heading into Senior Night last Saturday. This gave the Scots a chance to put all of the outside noise aside and simply play for each other for 40 minutes. Monmouth did just that, grabbing a 75-65 win over Beloit College while honoring the eight seniors who have sacrificed so much for the program.
lebrate Senior Night Win Photo courtesy of Monmouth College AthleticsFor senior Kynlee Stearns, staying close to home was important from the start. The Knoxville native said she knew Monmouth was the right place when she stepped on campus.
“I knew I didn’t want to go far,” Stearns said. “When I visited, it just felt like the right place and everyone was so welcoming.”
Stearns was in line to earn valuable minutes entering her freshman season, with a chance to compete for the starting point guard job. But her college career did not begin the way she imagined. Stearns suffered a season-ending injury before ever getting the chance to step on the court.
“The first day of practice I tore my ACL and meniscus,” Stearns said. “That was tough, but I still learned a lot. I learned a lot about myself, like patience, perseverance, and working hard. It was tough, but I came back stronger than ever.”
The injury early in her college career reshaped her perspective on the game and her role on the team. After returning to action following a year on the sidelines, Stearns became a reliable presence in the lineup, leading through effort and example.
For senior Averi Rangel, a graduate of Alleman, coming to Monmouth was about finding a place where she felt comfortable and supported, even though it wasn’t originally on her radar.
Rangel’s journey at Monmouth looked different, but required the same perseverance. Growing up around basketball as the daughter of longtime high school coach Patrick Rangel, she was accustomed to the grind of the game. That background helped her stay locked in during her freshman season when minutes were hard to come by.
“I was always taught that everyone’s got a role on the team, regardless if you’re on the court or not,” Rangel said. “That’s something my dad’s always told me. Just being that uplifting teammate, being supportive no matter what, and being that good practice player during that time was really important to me.”
Both seniors were asked to grow up quickly as the Scots leaned on younger players throughout their careers. With wins sometimes hard to come by, success had to be defined in other ways
“It’s hard showing up every day knowing that we’re coming off a loss, but we’re showing up just as much as teams that are winning every game,” Stearns said. “Just our perseverance, our strength, and chemistry as a team has really helped.”
Rangel echoed that same message, focusing on improving day in and day out.
“Growing one percent each day,” Rangel said. “We like to set goals, goals that are achievable for us. We may not always get the win, but we make sure that we’re growing each day.”
That approach has shaped their leadership as seniors, guiding younger teammates through hardships while keeping a positive outlook. It has also made moments like Senior Night even more meaningful.
“I’m just proud of how we stuck it out as a unit,” Rangel said. “We lost some people, but even the injured players are still a part of the team. I’m really proud of everyone, regardless of if they are on the court or not.”
As their careers near an end, both Stearns and Rangel recognize that their time at Monmouth was about more than basketball. The lessons learned through adversity will carry with them long after the final buzzer sounds.
With four games remaining in a Monmouth uniform, the record will not tell the full story for the two seniors. But the impact they have made on the program is clear. Through patience, resilience, and unwavering commitment, Kynlee Stearns and Averi Rangel embody what it means to be a Fighting Scot.
