After assistant coaching women’s basketball teams at high schools and colleges, Liddell, who comes with a slew of athletic awards and accomplishments, was eager for a head coaching spot. “That’s how I learned about Mercersburg,” said the tall and lean California native. “I remember driving here on a road in the middle of nowhere and then finding this beautiful campus.”  During her interview, she recalls feeling a pull toward the school and, especially, toward the basketball team she met briefly—“I sensed they were eager for me to come back and immediately felt that I had work to do here.”

Among the highlights of her first season? “A convincing win against Lawrenceville (58–36) and the fact that my team (now at 9–11) is laughing and smiling. We’re working hard and having fun.”

Being a teacher who is also an accomplished athlete directly influences how Liddell runs her classroom, her practices, and her life. “Discipline is everything to me; it’s how I was raised and how my best teachers and coaches were with me. It is something I impart to my students and my players every day. I believe that everything falls into place with discipline and a firm grasp of the fundamentals.” As an added bonus, she has found that a boarding school environment takes mentoring to a whole new level. “There are so many areas of the students’ lives where we can make a positive impact.”

One of six siblings, and the only one to attend college, Liddell is grateful toward the female role models and mentors who altered the direction of her life. “At a certain point in high school, I felt indifferent about playing basketball until one of my coaches told me that I had some talent and she wanted me on the team. From that point , everything changed, and I became more focused and goal-oriented.”  She goes on to say—“For me, having mentors led to my being able to travel, to see the world, and realize that I have options.” At Mercersburg, Monique Liddell’s vision is clear: “My passion and purpose is to give back to the kids—I am here to mentor.”