Longtime UCNJ Coach Donna Herran Inducted into NJCAA Region XIX Hall of Fame

Cranford, NJ – Longtime UCNJ Coach Donna Herran (UCNJ ’85), of Cranford, was named an inaugural inductee into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIX Hall of Fame. Herran became assistant coach of the women’s basketball team in 1975 and went on to serve as head coach from 1980 through 1999.

Coach Herran accomplished much during her time at UCNJ. Under her leadership, the team accrued 537 wins and had five National Tournament appearances. During her first season, the team won the first Garden State Athletic Conference, Region XIX Conference Championship, and a bid for the 1976 National Tournament held in Kansas. On six occasions, she was named the NJCAA Region XIX Coach of the Year. In honor of Herran’s many contributions to the Region, NJCAA Region XIX presents a deserving coach each year with the “Donna Herran Coach of the Year Award.”

In 1996 and 1997, she was named both the NJCAA National District Coach of the Year and received the Converse Coach of the Year award. Herran was inducted into UCNJ’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001 and received the New Jersey National Girls and Women in Sports Award in 2009. Currently, she serves as a member of the College’s Board of Governors.

“I am honored to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Coach Herran on this well-deserved recognition.  She has been a dedicated member of the College community for many years, from coaching to her current membership on the College’s Board of Governors. Her dedication to the College and presence in the UCNJ community is admirable. This recognition is a testament to her contributions both on and off the basketball court, and we are proud to celebrate this achievement,” stated UCNJ Board of Trustee’s Chair Victor M. Richel.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 20 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.