PC Women’s Basketball Signs Two Transfers Including Former Johnston Standout Bandoma
Providence College Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Providence College women’s basketball Head Coach Erin Batth announced today [April 20] that Marta Morales Romero (Granada, Spain) and Rhode Island-native Sarah Bandoma (Johnston, R.I.) each signed an athletic aid agreement and will transfer to Providence College for the 2023-24 season.
Morales played the previous two seasons at Wake Forest (2021-23) and officially signed with the Friars on April 18, becoming Batth’s first commitment as a head coach. Bandoma signed with the Friars on April 20.
Morales Romero, a 6-1 guard/forward, enrolled at Wake Forest mid-year during the 2021-22 campaign and played a total of 21 games during her two seasons with the Demon Deacons as Wake Forest made back-to-back appearances in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
A native of Granada, Spain, Morales Romero has represented her country in several FIBA-sponsored events.
Morales Romero competed in the 2021 FIBA U-19 Women’s Basketball World Cup and helped Spain advance to the Quarterfinals. She also helped guide Spain to the finals of the 2021 U-18 3×3 Basketball World Cup and earned a Silver Medal and won the individual title in a three-point contest as part of a skills competition held during the tournament.
Morales Romero played in back-to-back FIBA U-16 Women’s European Championships in 2018 and 2019. Spain claimed a Bronze Medal at the event in 2019 and Morales Romero was named to the Ideal European Quintet, recognizing the five best players in the tournament.
Bandoma played two seasons at St. Francis College Brooklyn (2021-23). She appeared in 49 games and was a member of the starting line-up 29 times. During the 2022-23 campaign, she led the Terriers in rebounding (7.0 rpg), offensive rebounding (3.3 orpg), blocked shots (44), field-goal percentage (.491, 81-165) and added 6.1 points per game.
She netted a career-high 15 points against top-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in the Northeast Conference Semifinal on March 9. She shot 6-11 from the field and added two blocked shots and six rebounds. She was one of five players named to the NEC All-Tournament Team.
Bandoma, a 6-3 forward, entered the NCAA transfer portal after St. Francis College announced it would be eliminating its Division I athletics program at the close of the Spring 2023 semester.
Bandoma became the second player in Johnston Senior High School history to jump directly to an NCAA Division I basketball program [with her commitment to St. Francis College], following former Friar great Chelsea Marandola (2005-10). Marandola was three-time All-BIG EAST selection and ranks third on the Friars’ all-time scoring list with 1,795 points and 19th all-time in rebounding (651).
At Johnston High, Bandoma earned Second-Team All-State and Second-Team All-Division I North.
