MONTEREY >> Not fielding a women’s basketball program this past season left a knot in the stomach of Monterey Peninsula College athletic director Wendy Bates.

Having coached the game for nearly three decades — including 16 seasons at MPC, the decision came down to the number of players — that is, the lack of enough players.

“It was brutal,” Bates said. “I put my heart and soul into that program and to not have one was devastating. But we had to protect the other colleges and not start a season and abruptly end it.”

With a decision by the school’s administration to bring the program back next season, Bates has started the process after rehiring Michael Villagrana, who is a current men’s assistant coach.

The former Marina High sharpshooter was actually hired last year to become the women’s coach on a contract basis before the program was shut down.

“There was never a doubt that it was coming back.” Bates said. “Finding the right fit and the urgency of someone being here now to recruit was super important.”

Villagrana reapplied and was rehired to resurrect the women’s program, which just three years earlier won a Coast Conference title with an undefeated conference season.

“Disappointment in not having a program this past season was an understatement,” Villagrana said. “I felt like I failed. It sat with me over these last few months.”

Villagrana returned to the men’s side under Blake Spiering, where he has spent the past 13 years as an assistant, doing defensive scout work and game planning.

Moonlighting on the side with no assurances he would be rehired, Villagrana compiled a list of 25 seniors in the area and began attending high school games, meeting prospective players.

“I had every intention of reapplying,” Villagrana said. “I wanted Wendy (Bates) to know what my focus is. I was doing it on my own time. I actually enjoyed doing both.”

Originally hired in late March last season — four weeks after the high school season ended — Villagrana found recruiting challenging, as players had already made up their minds about their futures.

“I was recruiting anyone I could, trying to connect with any senior available,” Villagrana said. “But kids had already made decisions. It wasn’t a deep pool in the area. That’s where it fell apart for me.”

While MPC did have summer workouts and started in the fall with the intention of having a women’s program, just five players were left by the time October rolled around.

“I felt good about what we had in those workouts,” Villagrana said. “But a couple of kids had a change of heart, another transferred. At that point, it was not going to happen.”

Villagrana has been all over the county this winter, introducing himself to players and parents, while gauging interest among a small group of seniors in the area.

“The difference this year for me is having an opportunity to recruit, get to games and meet the players,” Villagrana said. “I am just trying to build connections.”

The outlook has been bright. Four players remained on campus and will be sophomores next season. Villagrana believes he’ll have a roster between 12 to 15 players.

“I approached this past winter as if I needed to put it together and make up for lost time,” Villagrana said. “Whether I got the job or not, I wanted a base. It was a risk I was willing to live with.”

Bates felt the connections that Villagrana already has in the MPC athletic department and his work ethic were too hard to pass up when the position was reopened.

“He’s been on campus working with the men’s program for 13 years,” Bates said. “He’s always an even-tempered guy. He fits in our department. He knows MPC. Having knowledge of the program is always helpful.”

A 2011 Marina graduate who played at MPC, Villagrana believes he can build a winning culture on local talent, pointing toward the 2022 conference title team’s roster.

“That title team was based around local talent,” Villagrana said. “My focus for building the program is putting it back together locally. It will take time. We have to build our reputation back. I’m excited about who we have already had on campus.”

San Jose City College has won the last two Coast Conference South titles, with Hartnell and Cabrillo putting together winning seasons this past season.

“What I’ve continued to focus on is we have to get the players on the (Monterey) Peninsula and not lose them,” Villagrana said. “If I can get those kids, we will have the ability to compete, not just next year, but the years ahead.”

What will help in the rebuilding of the program is having the four players who stayed. Villagrana already sees them as leaders, building blocks in developing a competitive program.

“The pace of the game and physicality of the game is different at this level,” Villagrana said. “When you have sophomore leaders, it only helps. I’m confident in the conversations I’ve had with recruits and those that have already been on campus that we’re going to put a competitive product on the court.”