Riverdale, NY - Manhattan women's basketball has announced that Candela Abejón from the Pac-12's University of Southern California will join the Jaspers for the 2018-19 season as a graduate transfer.
The 6'1" Abejón, from Gijon, Spain, played three years for the Trojans in the guard position, graduating early with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. A smart perimeter player with an ability to strike from long range, she played in 43 games during her time at USC.
"We are thrilled to have someone of Candela's character and talent join our program," said Manhattan Head Coach
Heather Vulin. "Candela is a true student of the game whose international and Pac-12 playing experience will make an immediate impact on our program, on and off the court. Her competitive fire and ability to score will shine in our uptempo offense. As another big guard, she'll also give us flexibility with different matchups. I'm very excited to welcome Candela to our team."
This past season, Abejón appeared in 24 games, averaging nearly six minutes per contest and earning one start. USC went 20-11 on the season and 9-9 in conference, finishing seventh in the Pac-12. The Trojans advanced to the second round of the league tournament, defeating Washington State 47-43. The team later fell to #16 Stanford, who went on to the Pac-12 finals and the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
"I think I can bring maturity and experience both to the court and the locker room," said Abejón, who returned home to Spain this summer before relocating to Riverdale. "I want to use my experience in the Pac-12 to help the team achieve everything we want."
Before arriving in California, Abejón attended IES Universidad Laboral in Gijon and then spent a year at the University of Oviedo. She played club basketball for Basketmar Gijon and won five regional championships, earning tournament MVP three times and winning a league MVP honor. She averaged 16 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in her final season playing for the club.
At Manhattan, Abejón will pursue a master's degree in applied mathematics/data analytics. Under NCAA graduate transfer rules, she will be eligible to play immediately.
"Manhattan College is a great school in all aspects," said Abejón. "The moment I met the coaching staff, I knew that I would be comfortable and very well-coached, and I loved the team culture and got along really well with the players, as well. It was just the perfect fit for me."
The Jaspers will return 10 letterwinners next season, including the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Sixth Player of the Year,
Gabby Cajou (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland), and MAAC All-Rookie Team selection
Courtney Warley (West Chester, PA / Bishop Shanahan). Manhattan will also be able to utilize junior guard/forward
Tuuli Menna (Helsinki, Finland / Makelanrinne), who sat out the 2017-18 season after transferring from the University of Richmond.
