Student from Italy eager to experience Arkalah as a Queen finalist

Coming to Cowley College all the way from Italy, Ndack Mbengue will be experiencing Arklalah for the first time. Making things even better, she will be doing it as one of five finalists for Queen Alalah XCI. Coronation is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, in the Robert Brown Theatre.

Mbengue came to Cowley in November 2022, as she was a late addition to the Lady Tiger basketball team. Before attending Cowley, she graduated from Birmingham Metropolitan College in England. 

She started eight games as a freshman at Cowley and averaged 4.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest and is expected to take on a larger role as a sophomore. 

Her parents are Awa Niang and Ibrahim Mbengue (deceased). She has a brother, Fallou Mbengue. 

She stayed busy this summer playing with the European national team.

“I have been working hard and am excited for the season to start and show all the people what I have been working on,” Mbengue said.

Along with basketball, the business administration major is a resident assistant in the Docking Dorm

“I enjoy Cowley and am glad to be back,” Mbengue said. 

Having been at Cowley for less than a year, Mbengue was surprised to learn she was one of the finalists for Queen Alalah.

“It was unexpected,” Mbengue said. “I did not expect to be one of the candidates, but it is a nice honor.”

Mbengue hopes to use this experience to get closer to the other candidates and the community of Arkansas City. 

“I have seen how important Arkalalah is to the community, which I love,” Mbengue said. 

In her free time, she enjoys shopping and trying new restaurants. 

For now, Mbengue hopes to have a big sophomore season on the basketball court and parlay that into playing basketball at the NCAA Division I level.

“After college, I would like to do something in the business field but also play professional basketball in Italy,” Mbengue said.

Play Video

CCMG interviews Queen Alalah candidate Ndack Mbengue. She talks about traditions, Arkalalah and answers some interesting rapid fire questions about grass skirts and coconut bras.

Rama Peroo | Director of Institutional Communication
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
rama.peroo@cowley.edu