For the first time in program history, the women’s basketball team at Dallas College Richland Campus qualified for the NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament, marking a major milestone for the young Thunderducks program.
The team headed to the tournament in Brownwood March 13, where they made a push for the championship before losing 62-69 to Jefferson Community College in the consolation round.
Despite the loss, head coach Troy Thrasher said the achievement represents a significant step forward for a program still in its early stages.
“It’s a huge step for our program,” Thrasher said. “It’s not a very old program here. It’s only been around five or six seasons since we went to the NJCAA from a club team.”
The Thunderducks’ path to the national tournament was not always smooth. The T-Ducks struggled early in the season before finding its rhythm late, winning five of its final six games to secure a spot in the postseason.
“We struggled out of the gate a little bit,” Thrasher said. “But we got hot when it mattered. Anyone who’s been around basketball knows February and March are when it matters.” For the players, the moment they realized they had qualified for the national tournament was both exciting and unexpected. Freshman Kiana Thornton said the team was surprised by how quickly things turned around.
“We had a rough start, but then we won our last five out of six games, and when we realized we qualified, it was crazy,” Thornton said. “We were all shocked,” Sophomore Essence Hurndon said the accomplishment carries special meaning because of the program’s short history. “It means a lot knowing it’s a new program,” Hurndon said. “I’m proud of us to be able to go there and be the first group.” Freshman Mikayla Mercer said the team’s success is especially meaningful for players who joined the program recently. “It means a lot, especially being on a new team,” Mercer said. “The fact that we were able to do this within a year was pretty great.”
Players also said they hope their historic season will lead to new recognition for the program.
“We’ve talked about getting a banner because we’re the only team in the gym that hasn’t gotten one yet,” Hurndon said.
The team credits its success to demanding practices, film study and growing chemistry throughout the season.
“We had a lot of hard practices and watched a lot of film,” Hurndon said. “We studied different teams and just tried to get better.”
This season also prevented challenges, including adjusting after losing a key offensive player from the previous year while integrating several new teammates.
“We lost a major part of our offense last year,” Hurndon said. “So we had to learn a whole new dynamic and work together.”
Despite those obstacles, players say their determination helped the team grow stronger as the season progressed. According to Thrasher, that resilience ultimately defined the team’s identity.
“If I had to describe this team in one word, it would be toughness,” Thrasher said. “They’ve had to fight through things not just in basketball but with academics and life.”
Regardless of the outcome at the national tournament, the Thunderducks’ historic season left a lasting impact on the program. Players hope their accomplishment will inspire future teams to continue building on what they stated.
“This is a starting point” Hurndon said. “We want the teams after us to keep pushing forward and go even further.”
