Ahead of this week’s Newcastle Eagles Women’s fixture against Leicester Riders, the club can announce that guard Maria Mongomo will miss the remainder of the 2025/26 season due to pregnancy.

Both Maria and her family are doing well, and the team has expressed its full support as she focuses on her health and this exciting new chapter in her life.

“We are incredibly happy for Maria, she has been an essential part of our team on and off the court”, said head coach Chloe Gaynor.

“While we will certainly miss her presence on court this season, Maria will still be around supporting the team in an off-court role.

The club is committed to supporting Maria every step of the way, wishing her and her family well as they look forward to welcoming the newest Eagle in the summer.

“I’d like to thank the Eagles for their kindness and incredible support after sharing my pregnancy news”, expressed Mongomo.

“The support they’re giving me is huge for women’s basketball, and I feel truly fortunate. I hope every woman in our sport can experience the same level of support that I’ve been given. I also look forward to see what the rest of the season has in store for us as a team.”

You can catch Maria and her Eagles teammates at the Vertu Arena in a rare Friday night women’s tip-off as they face off against the Riders at 7:30pm with tickets still available from the box office.