NEW YORK, NY (December 30, 2025) — A New York Times Athletic article published Tuesday profiles Monroe University women’s basketball coach Damel Ling for his leadership after the fatal shooting of player Amira McCleod.
The piece by Ian O’Connor describes Ling’s role as a father figure and grief counselor following the Nov. 22, 2025, death of 19-year-old sophomore Amira McCleod.
McCleod, a Queens native majoring in business administration, played 30 minutes that day, with four steals and rebounds in a Monroe Express win that raised the team’s record to 8-1. Hours later, she was killed by likely a stray bullet in a triple shooting at a Hempstead, Long Island, house party from an unrelated dispute. Two others were injured.
Known for strong defense, joyful energy and dreams of owning a clothing and sneaker store, McCleod had planned to spend Thanksgiving with Ling’s family in Jersey City.
Ling, who works overnight as a county investigator, supported the team through grief. McCleod’s mother, Monique Baldwin, asked him to visit the funeral home to ensure her daughter was properly presented for viewing, a task she could not bear.
At the packed Queens funeral, Ling’s eulogy described McCleod’s growth under his demanding style, celebrated her positive energy and urged focusing on her life over the tragedy, drawing applause.
He aided devastated players while processing his own grief, as noted by friends including high school coach Eric Lyles.
The team opted to continue playing in her honor, eyeing a national tournament and her goal of a Division III junior college championship.
O’Connor notes no playbook exists for such loss, contrasting with tragedies involving coaches like Don Mattingly and Brian Schottenheimer, and calls Ling’s guidance the “essence of true leadership.”
Monroe University President Marc Jerome praised the article on LinkedIn, calling it “a wonderful and accurate tribute to Damel Ling” and saying Ling’s leadership and compassion “are an inspiration to us all” as the community mourns and finds strength.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.