WASHINGTON - The Howard University women's basketball program expects to be the final team standing in Norfolk, celebrating its second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championship in three years. Eighth-year head coach Ty Grace has built a championship culture where excellence is expected, and excuses aren't tolerated. 

Howard enters the 2023-24 season having to navigate a massive obstacle as it learned Preseason MEAC Player of the Year Destiny Howell (Queens, NY) will miss the year with an injury. It's a crucial blow as Howell was one of the most dynamic players in the country. While it's an added challenge for the Bison along with a powerfully built non-conference schedule, Howard believes it still has what it takes to make this season memorable. 

"My message to the team following the news of Destiny's injury was we can't die here," Howard 5-foot, 3-inch redshirt senior guard Iyanna Warren (Accokeek, Md.) said. "As much as it hurt me to hear the news of her being out this season, it also gave me a different fuel and motivation because her hard work this offseason and preseason will not be in vain. 

"To the team, I wanted to make sure they realize that, yes, with Destiny down for the season, it will make our journey tougher, but we all have to step up and carry that load because we will not lay down and die like I'm sure most people are assuming. One person being down can't define us as a team. We must use it as fuel and motivation every game." 

It's the Howard way. 

Howell's injury creates plenty of opportunities for the talented players on Howard's roster. 

"This is a bump in the road," Grace said. "We'll go over the bump and keep the car moving as we push the needle to get to the championship. I know we'll have people step outside themselves, get out of their comfort zone, and contribute at a different level. I am looking forward to seeing what emerges. We have the next woman up mentality." 

While Howard will miss Howell, the Bison can refer to last year when Warren missed the rest of the season after playing nine games for reference. Warren's absence allowed 5-10 senior guard Kaniyah Harris (Capital Heights, MD) to blossom. Both players were named to the Preseason All-MEAC Second Team. 

Harris started 16 of 24 games. The Maryland native was named to the MEAC All-Tournament Team. She led the MEAC in assists per game (4.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.4). Harris was eighth in steals (0.7 per game) and 12th in rebounding (5.6). 

Warren is pumped to return to the court after a grade three ankle sprain. She averaged 9.3 points per game and scored in double figures six times. Warren scored a season 18 points in games against La Salle and Towson. The diminutive guard, affectionately known as "Deuce," averaged 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 80 percent from the free-throw line. 

"Rehab is what you make it," Warren said. "It is not only a physical process but also mental as well. Some days were a lot harder than others, but being back on the court was my goal at the end of the day, so I would tell myself, 'If this is what we want, we have to work for it.' With that mindset, I attacked every day as if it was my last. Pushing through the pain, along with the physical and mental fatigue, was the most challenging part. But when you have someone like me who not only works as hard as I do for myself but also each person around me, it makes the process truly worth it. Being back is honestly an indescribable feeling." 

Other key returnees for Howard include 6-1 sophomore Nile Miller, who earned Freshman All-MEAC honors last season, 5-7 junior guard Nyla Cooper (Fayetteville, NC), 6-2 junior forward Marissa Steel, 6-1 junior guard Amira Allen (Raleigh, NC), 6-5 sophomore forward Jenesis Perrin (Norwich, CT), and 5-10 senior forward Kaiya Creek (Seat Pleasant, MD). Cooper was third in the MEAC in 3-point field goal percentage (34.5). 

Grace is excited to have 5-9 redshirt freshman guard Tyana Walker (Leawood, KS) this season. Walker practiced with the Bison last season and knows the system. Radford transfer Vanessa Blake (Summerville, SC), a 6-2 junior forward, also provides size and experience for Howard. 

Howard has an exciting freshman class that features 5-7 guard Aaliyah Frazier (Plainfield, IL), 6-0 forward Sa'lah Hemmingway (San Bernardino, CA), 6-0 guard Taleiyah Gibbs (Charleston, SC), 6-1 forward Te'Keyah Bland (Pittsboro, NC), and 6-0 guard Janyah Bohanon (Cleveland, OH). 

Highlighting Howard's challenging schedule is its participation in the Battle For Atlantis Tournament in the Bahamas from Nov. 18-21. Howard is energized by the opportunity to battle high-caliber competition, beginning with Ole Miss, which reached the Sweet 16 last season. Howard knows it's representing more than just its fantastic school in this event. 

"Having the opportunity to play in the Bahamas means a lot to us this season, and we don't take the invitation lightly," Warren said. "It not only gives us a chance to play against some of the top competition in the nation, but it allows us to showcase the talent we have at the Mecca and put on for not only the illustrious Howard University but for every other HBCU as well." 

Howard will be slightly different this year without its leading scorer from last year, but the Bison have the pieces and skill to accomplish their goals. A demanding pre-MEAC schedule that features opponents from 10 different conferences will prepare Howard once January rolls around. By then, roles will have been established, and each team member will have had the opportunity to leave an impression. 

"You can expect grit, hard work, dedication, and laying everything we have on the line every single night," Warren said. "We are playing for something more than just the orange round ball this year. This is about more than wins and losses. It's about more than individual stats and accolades. We are trying to make a statement that Howard women's basketball is and will always be a championship culture program."