FLUSHING, N.Y. – Entering his second season at the helm, head coach Travis Ponton and the Queens College women's basketball team have announced their 2026-27 schedule, featuring a 28-game slate highlighted by a pair of early-season tournaments, 15 home contests, and a full East Coast Conference (ECC) schedule. The schedule also features three opponents that competed in the NCAA Division II East Regional Tournament and seven non-conference opponents that qualified for their respective conference tournaments last season.
 
The Knights open the season Saturday, Nov. 14, at the CACC x ECC Challenge, hosted by Thomas Jefferson University. Queens will face Chestnut Hill College before returning to action Sunday, Nov. 15, against host Jefferson.
 
Queens returns to Flushing for its home opener Wednesday, Nov. 18, welcoming Lackawanna College to Fitzgerald Gymnasium.
 
The Knights will then travel to Saint Anselm College for the Saint Anselm Thanksgiving Tournament, Nov. 21-22. Queens will face host Saint Anselm on Saturday before concluding the weekend against Franklin Pierce University on Sunday.
 
Queens concludes November at home Sunday, Nov. 29, against Southern Connecticut State University. The Knights begin December with a road matchup at Lackawanna on Wednesday, Dec. 2.
 
The Knights return to Fitzgerald Gymnasium for a five-game homestand, beginning with their ECC opener against D'Youville University on Saturday, Dec. 5. Queens will then host the College of Staten Island on Thursday, Dec. 10, and American International College on Saturday, Dec. 12. The homestand continues with matchups against Adelphi University on Tuesday, Dec. 15, and Pace University on Friday, Dec. 18.
 
Queens closes out the calendar year with a road contest at Georgian Court University on Sunday, Dec. 20, before returning home to host Lincoln University on Thursday, Dec. 31.
 
The Knights open the new year with back-to-back home games, welcoming the University of the District of Columbia on Thursday, Jan. 7, and Daemen University on Saturday, Jan. 9.
 
Queens continues ECC play with a pair of road contests, traveling to UDC on Saturday, Jan. 16, before heading to Roberts Wesleyan University on Saturday, Jan. 23. The Knights return to Fitzgerald Gymnasium for two conference matchups, hosting Mercy University on Thursday, Jan. 28, and Molloy University on Saturday, Jan. 30.
 
February features eight games, beginning with a road matchup at D'Youville on Thursday, Feb. 4, followed by a visit to Daemen on Saturday, Feb. 6.
 
Queens returns home Thursday, Feb. 11, to host St. Thomas Aquinas College before traveling to Molloy on Saturday, Feb. 13. The Knights then head to Staten Island to face the College of Staten Island on Thursday, Feb. 18, before welcoming Roberts Wesleyan to Fitzgerald Gymnasium on Saturday, Feb. 20, for Senior Day.
 
The regular season concludes with a pair of road contests as Queens travels to Mercy on Thursday, Feb. 25, before closing out the regular season at STAC on Saturday, Feb. 27.
 
Looking to return to postseason play for the first time since the 2022-23 season, the ECC Women's Basketball Championship will begin with First Round action Wednesday, March 3, at the No. 3 and No. 4 seed sites. The semifinals and championship game will follow at the No. 1 seed site from Saturday, March 6, through Sunday, March 7.

2026-27 ECC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll

Ponton and the Knights have been selected to finish sixth in the ECC Preseason Poll, earning the final projected spot in the conference postseason tournament. (Full ECC Story)
 
Senior forward Nkiru Awaka was named the ECC Preseason Player of the Year, adding another accolade to her decorated career.

2026-27 Roster Outlook

Ponton and his coaching staff have retooled the roster, which features 17 student-athletes: seven seniors, five juniors, one sophomore, and four freshmen, as the Knights look to put together a successful campaign.
 
Queens will be led by Preseason Player of the Year Awaka, who is coming off an outstanding junior season in which she earned All-ECC First Team honors and her second consecutive All-Met First Team selection. Last season, Awaka started all 27 games, averaging 15.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.3 steals, 1.6 blocks, and 1.1 assists per game.
 
The Hyde Park, N.Y., native recorded an ECC-best 19 double-doubles, added five 20-point performances, and grabbed at least 10 rebounds in 19 contests. She finished the season with 405 points, 314 rebounds, 62 steals, 43 blocks, and 29 assists. On Feb. 15, 2026, Awaka etched her name into the program record book, becoming just the 16th player in Queens College history to surpass the 1,000-point milestone.
 
Alongside Awaka, the Knights return sophomore guard Enise Hodzic, senior forward Chyna Bryant, and junior Chinyere Ukaegbu, who will look to build on their previous experience and contribute to the team's success this season.
 
The Knights welcome four senior and graduate transfers, including forward Faith Greene, a graduate transfer from Framingham State University who earned Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors; forward Reilly Sunday, a graduate transfer from Saint Peter's University; point guard Jayla Cook from North Greenville University; and versatile forward Kash Holmes from Saint Francis University.
 
Queens also adds four junior transfers: guard Reghan Robinson from CCBC Essex, center/forward Ehi Iselen from Laney College, guard Sisi Brown from Parkland College, and forward Millinda Marigliano from Atlantic Cape Community College. The group brings additional collegiate experience and versatility as the Knights look to strengthen their lineup for the upcoming season.
 
Rounding out the incoming class are point guards Skyla Simmons and Tatyanna Watson, along with guards Angelica Do and Serenity Cummings. The four freshmen will look to make an impact and gain valuable collegiate experience throughout the season.
 
With a combination of returning experience and new talent, the Knights look to build on their foundation under Ponton as they prepare for the 2026-27 campaign.

For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), X Main Account (@QCKnights), Queens College WBB (QCKnightsWBB), and Instagram (qcknightsny), women's basketball (qcknightswbb).