Hudson County Community College’s Hudson Hornets Rally Supporters to Attend Their Debut NJCAA Basketball Games
November 2, 2026
The inaugural celebratory event features a ceremonial tip-off, and HCCC Spirit Ensemble and Dance/Cheer Team performances.
November 2, 2026, Jersey City, NJ – The birthplace of Hudson County’s storied hoops history can be traced to the Lafayette
King’s Sons Basketball. The Amateur Athletic Union was organized in 1897 on the south
side of Pacific Avenue in Jersey City, according to The Hudson County Basketball History
and Legends Club. From street-ball competitions and youth leagues to school rivalries,
the teams and leaders who followed led to Hudson County basketball’s meteoric rise.
Bob Hurley, Sr. coached the St. Anthony High School Friars in Jersey City to eight
undefeated seasons and 26 state titles. Saint Peter’s University Peacocks won five
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championships. Saint Peter’s Prep Marauders and
Bayonne High School Girls’ Bees both captured 2026 tournament championships.
Hudson County Community College’s (HCCC) Hudson Hornets women’s and men’s basketball teams will play their first games on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at High Tech High School in Secaucus, NJ. The HCCC teams will vie against the Essex County College Wolverines.
Befitting this basketball legacy, the Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Hudson Hornets basketball teams will bring new pride to the region. The women’s and men’s teams will take the court at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively for their historic first season home games against the Essex County College Wolverines on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The games will take place at High Tech High School, One High Tech Way in Secaucus, NJ. Free parking is available.
The games mark HCCC’s debut as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region 15 Division III. The celebration will begin with Amayra Younger and Sarah Marie Ortiz singing the national Anthem. The ceremonial tip-off will feature Allison Torres from the Hornets women’s team and Jephthe Alda from the HCCC men’s team as The HCCC Spirit Ensemble and Dance/Cheer Team will perform before the game and at half-time.
“This is an exciting time at HCCC and one that we have anticipated for years! All eyes are on the Hornets, our players and leadership,” said HCCC Interim President Dr. Lisa Dougherty. “We are confident the Hudson Hornets will make us proud as they enter this exciting new era of HCCC Athletics. Let’s go, Hornets!”
The Hudson Hornets women’s Head Coach is Carlos Cueto; Assistant Coaches are Isaura Guzman and Anissa Arteaga; and Managers are Nardos Teklu and Esther Victoria. The men’s Head Coach is Ethan Nardone; Assistant Coaches are Kevin Baksh, Eugene Antwi, and Jayquan Thomas; and the Manager is Giovanni Noel.
HCCC Director of Athletics Jonathan Sisk and Associate Athletics Director Shawn Bragg lead the College’s Athletics Program, which will be headquartered in the HCCC Center for Student Success. The 153,186 square-foot, mixed-use tower – currently under construction on the Journal Square Campus – will feature a full-size NCAA gymnasium, fitness center, walking track, and athletic training facility.
Visit the Hudson Hornets online at www.HudsonHornets.com, follow them on social media at @HCCC_Athletics, @HCCC_WBB, and @HCCC_MBB. The entire NJCAA schedule is available by clicking here.