Columbia, MD - A new era has begun for Howard Community College's women's basketball program, as the Dragons have higher expectations than ever for the 2026-27 season.

Much like their male counterparts, the Dragons experienced an offseason of change. After a 15-16 2025-26 season that ended in the first round, the Dragons said farewell to head coach Eryn Barnes as she stepped away from the program. Taking her place is former Towson University and Harford Community College star Danielle Durjan. Durjan played under legendary JUCO coach Mike Seney at Harford, and has served as an assistant coach at Mount St. Mary's, Coppin State, Morgan State, and CCBC Essex. Her expectations for the Dragons heading into this season are higher than ever.

"I'm very grateful and blessed to embark on my new coaching journey here at HCC," said Coach Durjan. "I'm thankful for all the experiences and mentorships at my previous institutions, as they have prepared me for this moment."

Coach Durjan has quickly assembled a stacked coaching staff and roster to take on the gauntlet that is HCC's schedule. Her assistants include former CCBC Essex assistant Taariq Cephas, Morgan State and Washington Mystics practice player Nico Muniz, and former NCAA players Courtney Furr of Stony Brook University and Ani Gadson of Bowie State University.

"We have one of the best up and coming coaching staffs in the country," said Coach Durjan. "We have a group of student-athletes that love the game of basketball and are ready to set the standard right away."

The Dragons have built a strong foundation for their new era, with five returning players from last season. Returning sophomore Savannah Price led the Dragons in scoring last season, starting 17 games and averaging 11.7 points per game. Her 69 made three-pointers led the Dragons and make her a deadly outside option. Sophomore Jolie Hamilton led the Dragons in rebounds and blocks last season, with an average of 6.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Tough-in-the-trenches guard Laila Stevens made nine starts for HCC last year and scored a career-high 14 points in a crucial mid-season contest against Delaware Tech. The twin Oga sisters, Emmanuella and Adriel, were both nasty three-point shooters during their freshmen seasons. Emmanuella Oga started 23 games, averaging 4.9 points per game, while Adriel Oga played 23 games for the Dragons.

Alongside the returners, the Dragons have also brought in five transfers from four-year and two-year institutions. These five have already made their presence felt in the Dragons' preseason matches and are expected to be some of the most exciting prospects in HCC history. Daniya Brown averaged 17 points per game at Bishop O'Connell High School in Virginia, and comes to HCC after playing 19 games at Rider University last season. Soraya Ogaldez is already receiving offers from four-year schools before a lick of basketball has been played. The University of North Florida transfer played in 23 games for UNF, and prior to that averaged 23 points per game at North Thurston High School in Washington. London Turner made 28 starts for Garden City Community College in Kansas before transferring to HCC, averaging 8.7 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. Tamoy Hamilton played in 21 games for Arizona Western College last season, a nationally ranked Division I JUCO, and is expected to be one of the toughest centers on the Dragons' roster. Saran Camara previously played for Union College of New Jersey and Kansas City Kansas Community College, where she averaged 8.0 and 15.2 points per game respectively. She recorded 26 and 25 point games during her time at her prior schools, and brings her explosive scoring abilities to the Dragons stacked back court.

Howard's recruiting class of true freshman are expected to make an impact right out of the gate. Dallis Stewart hails from Norristown, Pennsylvania, and averaged 15.1 points per game at Renaissance Academy. She led her team to a Bicentennial Athletic League title and was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year twice. Hailing from Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo, Traidah Matongo played high school ball in South Africa, where she was an All-Star before moving to the USA. Columbia's own Quinn Corkeron comes from a basketball-rich family, as her older sister Kalani and older brother Kain both suited up for the Dragons. She played three years of varsity ball for WIlde Lake High School, helping her team win the 2025 regional championship. Finally, Jazlynn Curtis won a regional title for San Jose Prep in Jacksonville, Florida, and adds another piece to the depth of the Dragons' roster.

"The theme of this season is joy," said Coach Durjan. "That's our main focus. Winning basketball will just be the result of our consistency and discipline."

With a stacked lineup and an all-star coaching staff, the Dragons are prepared to take on a challenging schedule. Howard faces tough out-of-conference tests from Monroe Community College, Cape Fear Community College, and Essex County Community College early in the year at home. They will take on Mercer County and Bryant & Stratton at the Cecil Mixer in mid-November, then take on a gauntlet of conference opponents to close out the 2026 calendar year. The winter will see a massive test as the Dragons face nationally-ranked teams at the Bridge2Bigger Holiday Tournament hosted at HCC from December 17 to December 19.

The second half of the season kicks off with a showdown against #6 Union, followed by a long-awaited match with #13 CCBC Essex in what could be the biggest Region 20 game of the year. The Dragons conclude the season with a slew on conference games, including matchups against former Dragons at Prince George's Community College and CCBC Catonsville to close out the season.

Howard begins the 2026-27 campaign on Friday, October 30 against Tidewater Community College at 5:00 PM.