Former UCC Women’s Basketball Coach Receives National Award

SOUTH ORANGE – Former Union County College women’s basketball coach Donna Herran received the New Jersey National Girls and Women in Sports Award for 2009 at a ceremony held at Seton Hall University on Feb. 1

This annual award is given by each state to a woman who has promoted sports for girls or women throughout her career, and Herran certainly has been that role model and leader in her many years of coaching. She began working at Union County College as the assistant coach of the women’s basketball team in 1975. From 1980 to 1994, she served as a co-head coach with Athletic Director Fred Perry and later served as head coach from 1995 to 1999.

For six years, (1977, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1996 and 1997) Herran was named the NJCAA Region XIX Coach of the Year. In 1996 and 1997, she was named the NJCAA National District Coach of the Year.  In 1999, Herran was named to the WBCA Victory Club for 300+ wins for the junior college division. She currently is ranked in 34th place on the NJCAA “Retired” Coaching list for the most wins.

This year, the Garden State Athletic Conference has named a new award for the women’s basketball coaches this year in Herran’s honor.

The Roselle resident and Union County College graduate is currently a member of the college’s Board of Governors.