Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague

Patty Clarke remembers the first time she saw Monica Bagan.

“It was at a time when I was not coaching,” said Clarke, the head softball coach at Rutgers-Newark. “I used to umpire in a grade school recreation league in Garfield and Monica was in the seventh grade or so. I just remember that she used to hit bombs and that she towered over her teammates.”

“I do remember her,” Bagan said. “I was very surprised she remembered me.”

Bagan moved with her family from Garfield to Wallington, a town with a high population of its residents being of Polish descent, like Bagan’s parents. She went to Wallington High, where she played both volleyball and softball.

During her senior year of volleyball, Bagan suffered a serious knee injury, a torn anterior cruciate ligament that kept her off the field for the entire softball season of her senior year.

“The first thing I thought was that I would never get a chance to step on a softball field ever again,” Bagan said. “I didn’t find out what was wrong with my knee until after the volleyball season was over. I was devastated. I didn’t think I’d get a chance anywhere. It was definitely very painful, the most pain I ever experienced.”

Clarke kept an interest in the young lady who hit the stuffing out of a softball when she was a kid.

“I knew she was a strong kid who could hit and we talked about her coming to Rutgers-Newark,” Clarke said. “I felt it was a coup for us, because she went unnoticed. I knew that the knee injury limited her range of motion a little, and it was going to take a bit to get her body to go back being a shortstop.”

Bagan was definitely interested.

“I was a little shocked that they were interested,” Bagan said. “I remember meeting Coach Clarke and being less nervous. I was glad that she thought I could contribute to the team. After I hurt my knee, I was scared and nervous that no one would want me.”

However, Clark alleviated those fears.

“After the surgery, she needed to work her way back in rehabilitation during the summer,” Clarke said. “I looked at the players we had and I figured that Monica would be better off at first base.”

Bagan had some experience playing first base from when she was younger.

“At first it was tough, but I knew I didn’t have the same range that I had before I hurt my knee,” Bagan said. “I just had to get accustomed and comfortable at first base. Once I got a chance to play regularly, my confidence level came back up.”

Clarke believes that Bagan is developing into a fine first sacker.

“I think she’s one of the best first basemen in our conference, definitely among the top three,” Clarke said. “I knew she was going to love first base.”

As for at the plate, there was never any doubt about Bagan’s abilities.

“She’s big and strong and hits the ball well,” Clarke said. “I really think she’s just coming into her own as a hitter.”

Now a sophomore, Bagan has been a major part of the Scarlet Raiders’ resurgent season. She’s batting .330 with two homers and 12 RBI and leads the team in doubles with 11 and is second in hits with 30.

“I can’t say enough about her,” Clarke said. “She embodies what you want from a Division III athlete. She works hard in the classroom and doesn’t miss a class, even though she doesn’t live on campus. She works her tail off playing softball and comes to every practice, even the 6 a.m. workouts when she has to drive in to come. She never complains about the early practices and she’s always the first one to volunteer to do other things.”

Bagan is truly enjoying her time at R-N.

“I feel like I was able to overcome some things,” Bagan said. “I’m able to do things that I never thought I could do after I got hurt. I’m confident now. Coach Clarke gave me the opportunity and I’m so grateful. I feel so much better now that I’m able to play the game I loved and played since I was little girl.”

Bagan was blessed to have some inspiration from her own home. Her older brother, Darius, was a fine three-sport athlete at Queen of Peace in North Arlington who went on to play linebacker at Boston College. Darius Bagan had his share of medical mishaps during his career at BC, so he tried to motivate his little sister as she dealt with her injury.

“Darius had a shoulder problem and he broke his leg,” Monica Bagan said. “I saw the stuff that he had to go through and he motivated me. He also pushed me. He took me to some of my rehab workouts and was yelling at me to get it done the right way. He was tough on me, but he knew what it took to come back. I saw him go through all of that in rehabbing and that absolutely helped me.”

Bagan is a history major at Rutgers-Newark. She is unsure of what the future holds, whether it’s as a teacher or a counselor. She also has a public service minor, so she might want to explore that field, working in urban development.

For now, Bagan’s just happy being a part of the Scarlet Raider program, one that is definitely on the rise.

“We have more girls to play and I’m happy about that,” Bagan said. “We still have a young team, but we’re learning to play together. It boosts up my confidence knowing we’re doing better. We have more of an opportunity to excel.”

And that pleases Clarke.

“I only want good things for Monica,” Clarke said. “I want good things to happen to her. She’s such a great kid, a humble kid. I like to think she’s made the right decision to come here, because we’re only going to see an explosion of talent in the future.”