Cait Wetmore was named the 10th head coach of the Monmouth University Women's Basketball program on April 22, 2024 and was introduced on April 25, 2024 by Director of Athletics Jen Sansevero.
Wetmore's first season on the Monmouth sidelines in 2024-25 saw the Hawks win 16 times and outperform their CAA Preseason Poll ranking, finishing fifth in the league after being chosen 10th. The youngest head coach in the conference, Wetmore coached Damaris Rodriguez to All-CAA First Team honors, the first ever First Team in the program's CAA history and first to earn a conference's first team accolades since 2009. Rodriguez was also an All-Metropolitan Honorable Mention, the first All-MET choice for Monmouth since 2002. Taisha Exanor was also an All-CAA Second Team selection, with the forward ranking 11th in the league in scoring and second in rebounding.
Wetmore's first career win came on November 26, 2024, a 59-50 triumph over Saint Peter's that set up a five-game winning streak to close out non-conference play, with the Hawks going unbeaten in December. MU was strong inside the OceanFirst Bank Center, going 10-4 at home, the most wins in West Long Branch for a Monmouth team since 2011-12. Included in those home wins were victories over CAA regular season champion North Carolina A&T, a 9-0 run to close a comeback win over third-place Drexel, and a victory in the closing seconds on a Rodriguez and-one over Hampton in front of a crowd of 1,979 on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Monmouth defeated Hampton in the CAA Tournament, 62-54, to mark Wetmore's first career postseason win.
The 2024-25 Hawks ranked first in the CAA and 17th nationally with 4.7 blocks per game, and finished second in the league in offensive and defensive field goal percentage. The 152 total blocks was the second most in a season in school history, led by 60 from Belle Kranbuhl, who concluded her career second all-time in blocks with 298.
Individually, Rodriguez tied the single-game record for assists with 13 at UNCW on January 19, and ranked eighth in the league in scoring, 10th in field goal percentage and ninth in assists. Exanor was 11th in scoring and second in rebounding, as well as ninth in field goal percentage and eighth in blocks. Kranbuhl ranked third in the CAA in blocks, with Ella Farrelly also in the top-10 of the league in blocked shots.
Wetmore's team was also stellar in the classroom, posting a Team GPA of 3.51, the highest in program history. 14 Hawks were named to the CAA Academic Honor Roll, with six of them registering a GPA of 3.7 or higher. Farrelly, Kranbuhl and Rodriguez were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.
Wetmore came to Monmouth after four seasons at Charlotte, the final two as associate head coach, where she helped the 49ers win the 2022 Conference USA Regular Season and Tournament Championships to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. That group won 22 games and went 15-3 in C-USA play, winning three games in three days in the conference tournament, capped by a 68-63 victory over Louisiana Tech in the finals. During that 2021-22 season, Wetmore coached Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year KeKe McKinney, who led the league in blocked shots.
In 2020-21, Wetmore was a member of the 49ers staff that led the team to the WNIT. She helped mentor freshman Molina Williams, who was Charlotte's leading rebounder and was named to the All-Freshman Team before being invited to the FIBA AmeriCup as a member of the United States Virgin Islands National Team. Wetmore also worked with Jazmin Harris throughout that year, the C-USA Sixth Player of the Year.
Wetmore coached multiple time First-Team All-Conference selection Dazia Lawrence, a 1,000-point scorer for the 49ers before Lawrence went on to play for Team USA in the 2023 FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup in Poland. She also mentored Octavia Jett-Wilson, who finished her time at Charlotte as the all-time leader in games played and started as well as minutes played, along with scoring 1,812 points, third all-time at the school. She helped Jett-Wilson to consecutive First Team accolades, as well as C-USA Player of the Year and Tournament MVP in 2022. Additionally, Wetmore had oversight of academics at Charlotte, where four student-athletes were named to the CSC Academic All-District Team this past season.
Wetmore has earned several accolades during her coaching career, including being named to the WBCA 30 Under 30 in 2017, a WBCA Next Up honoree in 2019 and a Top Connect selection in 2020.
Prior to her time at Charlotte, Wetmore was on staff at UNC Greensboro for six seasons, beginning as the recruiting coordinator and finishing as associate head coach. Her final season was one of the best in program history, with the Spartans winning 23 games, including a victory over Wake Forest, claiming the SoCon regular season title and advancing to the Southern Conference Tournament championship game.
No stranger to developing high-end talent, Wetmore coached Nadine Soliman, the program's all-time leading scorer, for four seasons, finishing her career with 2,084 points and collecting SoCon Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. Soliman is in her fourth professional season in Egypt with Al Ahly, and has played for the Egyptian National Team. In 2015-16, Wetmore's first at UNCG, she worked with Lucy Mason, who was an All-SoCon First Team selection.
Wetmore's defense at UNC Greensboro was a major reason for the program's success, with the Spartans ranking 16th nationally in points allowed per game in 2019-20, giving up just 55.3 per contest, while also leading the SoCon in field goal percentage defense (36.8), scoring margin (+8.7) and three-point field goal percentage defense (28.3). In her time as UNCG's recruiting coordinator, Wetmore signed two McDonald's All-American Game nominees.
Her coaching career began at Columbia from 2010-12 before returning to her alma mater, Adelphi University, for two seasons and helping the Panthers to an NCAA regional semifinal and a top-15 national ranking. She played four seasons at Adelphi, including the final two as a team captain. Wetmore earned the Mary Ann Beaudry Leadership Award for exemplary leadership in 2009, and was twice a member of the East Coast Conference All-Academic Team while earning Dean's List honors in all eight of her semesters.
Wetmore graduated magna cum laude from Adelphi in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in psychology, and earned a master's from Columbia in 2012 in clinical counseling.
QUOTES ON WETMORE
"Cait Wetmore distinguished herself and emerged as our top candidate amongst an impressive and diverse group. There was strong interest in this position, as Monmouth is a first-rate institution with a demonstrated commitment to excellence. I am delighted to welcome a proven winner like Cait to Monmouth." - Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahy
"It is with great enthusiasm and pride that I welcome Coach Wetmore to the Monmouth family as our new head women's basketball coach. With a proven track record of success, dedication and passion for the game, she embodies the values and spirit of our University. Cait is wholeheartedly invested in the development of student-athletes, empowering them for success on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. In this new world of ever-changing college athletics, Cait is uniquely equipped to continue the recent success of Monmouth women's basketball and position the program for success in the future." - Monmouth University Director of Athletics Jen Sansevero
"I couldn't be happier for my friend. Cait is one of the sharpest coaches I know. Her attention to detail and preparation is unmatched. The players love and adore her. Most of all she is as high character and loyal as they come. Monmouth hit the lottery with this hire. She will continue advancing this program in the right direction!" - UNC Wilmington Head Coach Nicole Woods
"I'm super excited for the Monmouth Women's Basketball program and community. At UNC Charlotte, Cait was a great teammate and brought a ton of positive energy to the program. Cait has an amazing work ethic on top of great passion for the game of basketball. Monmouth Women's Basketball has its next great leader." - WNBA's Chicago Sky assistant coach, and former Atlanta Dream Head Coach Tanisha Wright
"Cait welcomed me with open arms and showed genuine care. Under her guidance, I reached numerous goals and earned awards I never imagined I could achieve. Cait's belief in me and her ability to see potential in me were invaluable. Monmouth University is fortunate to have her as a coach, but even more so as a person. Congratulations, Cait. I'm incredibly proud of you." - 2022 CUSA Defensive Player of the Year at Charlotte Keke McKinney
"We are excite for Cait to embark on this new journey of becoming Monmouth's next women's basketball head coach. She's been able to do great things with our student-athletes here at Charlotte, and we wish her the best of luck." - Charlotte Executive Associate AD Ragean Hill
