While the 2025-26 season wasn’t all bad for the Detroit Mercy women’s basketball team, it was one that everyone was ready to move forward from.
The Titans finished 7-24 overall and 4-16 in Horizon League play, a season that tested the team in nearly every way imaginable. It was a tough go at times, especially offensively, as they shot just 38.8 percent from the field, and didn’t take care of the ball the way that they wanted to either, resulting in 16 turnovers a game. At the same time, there were good things to build off, as they beat Oakland on the road and notched quality wins over Cleveland State and Northern Kentucky at home before surviving Milwaukee in the conference tournament.
Head Coach Kiefer Haffey said he liked the team’s “late fight” last season, particularly as they grew more resilient and began to find a clearer offensive identity late in the year.
All of that is in the rearview mirror now, though.
The 2026-27 season arrives with a roster that looks different in several different places, but the expectations are different, too. This is no longer the first season of Coach Haffey’s tenure. Haffey has now already spent a full year establishing his standards, implementing his expectations, and experiencing the grind of a Horizon League schedule from the head coach’s position. He enters his second year with a better understanding of the biggest keys for this team if they want to have sustained success.
“The number one key on the offensive side of the ball for us to be successful is going to be taking care of the basketball,” Haffey said. “If we can limit our turnovers, I think we have a chance to be really good.”
“On the defensive side, it’s rebounding. The way that we play, we haven’t changed a whole lot defensively. We’re going to be a stout man to man defensive team. I thought last year we did a lot of zone defensive work to be able to mix it in with some of our size issues, and I thought it almost hurt how good we could be man to man wise. So this year, we’ve just committed even further to our man stuff, but it all comes down to finishing possessions.”
The Titans lost both Aliyah McQueen and Jasmine Edwards, two big-time talents who contributed much to the Detroit Mercy program across multiple seasons, as well as Myonna Hooper, who did the same. However, they also return several players who are both building blocks and those that gained valuable experience last season.
But this year’s roster is not simply last year’s team with another season of experience.
Detroit Mercy has added plenty of new pieces, creating a roster with a solid blend of youth and those that bring a veteran presence.
What stands out about this roster, though, is the impressive size they possess at all positions, while still having a group that is capable of creating offense and applying pressure on the perimeter with their length and quickness. Haffey said the team’s average height is about two inches taller than it was last year, but he also wants the roster to carry the same edge he has emphasized since arriving.
“We want to be tough defensively. We want to be tough in transition, and to be tough on the glass.”
The 38.8% that they shot from the field and the 26.7% they shot from three qualified as another area in need of attention. Coach Haffey addressed how he wants to simplify things a bit more offensively this year.
“I think a big part of the problem was just how I had us structured in doing things early,” Haffey said.
“We were doing too many things and we weren’t doing any of them great. Because of that, I thought we struggled, especially early, to help us find our flow of knowing when and where shots were coming from. I thought it was hard for our girls to be able to get into different things and have that level of confidence and rhythm. So this year, we’re doing a lot less and we’re just trying to be really good at what we do.”
All this being said, Detroit Mercy has a chance to look considerably different from the team that struggled to find a true identity throughout stretches of last season.
But before things begin to take shape, the Titans will have to answer some important questions that will only sort themselves out on the court:
Can the new pieces find chemistry? Can the returning players take on bigger roles? Can they turn their increased size into an advantage?
Without further ado, let’s take a look at this year’s squad.
Returning Players
Makayla Jackson, Senior, 5-9, G, Alexandria, Virginia, Bullis School
First up is the only returning senior, as Makayla Jackson is back for her fourth season in the 313. She’s the only one on the roster that has played for that long at the school and is poised to continue taking on a large role for this year’s squad. As a junior last year, she started 25 of 29 games, scored 11.1 points per game and reached double figures 18 times. Coach Haffey also described Jackson as “one of the best defenders in our league” and she used a team-leading 56 steals and an average of 1.9 steals per game last season to showcase that, a mark that was good for fifth in the conference.
Haffey also praised her commitment to the program:
“She just keeps recommitting, trying to help Detroit Mercy be the best program it can be.”
If Makayla Jackson can do what she has shown she’s capable of on a more consistent, night-in and night-out basis, she is certainly a player to watch for in the conference as a whole, let alone to help lead her own team.
Maya Anderson, Junior, 5-8, G, Detroit, Michigan, Cass Tech HS
The Cass Tech grad took another step forward as a sophomore, appearing in 28 games and making eight starts. She averaged 5.6 points and 1.7 rebounds while shooting 32.6% from three. Anderson also reached double figures six times and produced several signs of an expanding offensive game, including a career-high 14 points at Milwaukee. Coach Haffey made clear the increased anticipation for her junior season.
“We’re just proud of her every year because she just keeps getting better. She got better in her freshman year. She got better in her sophomore year, and we saw that in [both] her stats and her confidence. Plus she’s playing her best basketball right now on both sides of the ball. So, I think she’s poised to have her best year that she’s had.”
If things continue to trend upward for Maya Anderson, look for the junior to have an even more significant role in the backcourt rotation this season.
Anna Lassan, Junior, 5-11, F, South Lyon, Michigan, South Lyon East HS
Anna Lassan is a player whose true value has oftentimes not shown up in the box score. As a sophomore, she appeared in 28 games and made 15 starts, finishing with 122 total points and 94 rebounds (32 offensive). She also shot 64.3 percent from the free-throw line and showed an ability to score, including two double-digit outputs and an eight-point performance in the Horizon League tournament win over Milwaukee. Lassan is a player that plays hard though and at 5-11, plays physically and is able to use her size to her advantage. She’s nursing a foot injury that has bothered her in the offseason, but it isn’t predicted to be anything long-term.
Her junior season, though, may be a key one for her. Lassan has now two years of exposure to lean on and has gone from a young rotational player to someone with meaningful starting experience. Her rebounding specifically could become particularly important as the Titans try to use the size they have on this year’s squad to help close the gap on opponents that outrebounded them 38.6 to 35.9 per game last season.
Addisen Mastriano, Junior, 6-2, C, Richmond, Indiana, Northeastern HS
Another interior player that returns to Detroit for her junior season is Addisen Mastriano. The Indiana native appeared in 29 games last season and made one start, averaging 4.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game while shooting 41.7 percent from the field. Although her minutes fluctuated a lot depending on the matchup or game flow, there were a lot of positives to take away from the development she showed last year. Mastriano had seven games where she scored eight or more points, which included a career-high 18 points in the team’s win over Cleveland State at home. She also showed the ability to step out and knock down the trey, shooting 41.2% from downtown, albeit in limited attempts (7-for-17).
Addisen Mastriano is certainly prepared to have a role in the frontcourt this season, as she provides good length on both ends. If she continues to evolve her game on both ends of the floor and is able to bring more consistency, expect the junior from Richmond to be a player to watch this year.
Naïma Diawara, Sophomore, 6-1, F, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Gérard-Filion Vortex (Dawson College)
Diawara enters her second season with Detroit Mercy ready to take things to another level. The 6-1 forward appeared in 27 games and made 10 starts, averaging 3.8 points and 2.7 rebounds. She didn’t necessarily burst onto the scene, but worked her way into a fairly sizeable role by December. She ended the season having shot 39.6 percent from the field and 70.8 percent from the free-throw line. Her best moments came as her role expanded: she had nine points and six rebounds against both Delaware State and Green Bay, eight points at Wright State, and six games where she recorded six or more rebounds.
In year two, Diawara will be looked upon to continue being one of the team’s best rebounders, as well as play with the toughness that she brings. She may have an opportunity to be even more of an impact player on both sides of the ball, and play an even more prominent role in her sophomore season.
Incoming Players
Paula Lopez, Senior, 5-7, G, Alicante, Spain, EPLA (Buffalo)
The headliner of the plethora of new additions to the program arrives in Detroit after spending three seasons at Buffalo, where her production steadily climbed. In 2025-26 as a junior, Paula Lopez averaged a career-best 7.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while starting 29 of 30 games. She scored in double figures nine times and posted a career-high 24 points at Vermont.
Lopez brings something particularly valuable to this roster: a proven player that has played a significant role for a team that had success in a solid conference. She also showed she can play on the big stage, scoring 13 against nationally ranked Kentucky and 21 at UMass while knocking down four threes in that performance. She also competed for the Argentinian national team at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2027 American Qualifiers this past summer. Head Coach Kiefer Haffey had nothing but positives to say about the newcomer.
“Paula is kind of this match made in heaven where she shoots it really well, runs the floor, and she guards. I think she’s poised to have potentially an all-conference level season.”
Her ability to space the floor, make smart decisions with the ball and provide steady scoring at all three levels could complement Detroit Mercy’s other perimeter options very well. Look for Lopez to waste no time stepping into a large role for this Titans team, leading the charge in the backcourt.
Marie Outlay, Senior, 5-9, G, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, Sun Prairie West (Roosevelt)
If you’re an opposing player on offense, you must be aware of where Marie Outlay is at all times. The Wisconsin native comes over to the Motor City after being named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year and Second-Team All-GLIAC at Roosevelt last season, after leading the league with 115 steals and averaging 4.32 steals per game. This included an 11-steal performance against Saginaw Valley State, good for a school record. She ranked second nationally in total steals and led Division II in steals per game, while also averaging more than seven rebounds and 1.36 blocks per contest.
The defensive numbers are impressive, but Outlay has already shown she can contribute offensively as well. She averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds in 2024-25, then matched her career high with a 22-point game during her final Roosevelt season. Her ability to pressure the ball, rebound from the guard position and create extra possessions could immediately make a huge impact. She has the ability to be something that the Titans lacked for much of last season: a true tone-setter.
Stephanie Utomi, Junior, 5-11, F, Detroit, Michigan, Arbor Preparatory (Mercer)
Next up is another highly touted addition made via the transfer portal as Stephanie Utomi returns back home to Detroit after spending her first two seasons at Mercer, where she gained valuable Division I experience. Last season she played in 30 games and made eight starts, averaging 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 46.8 percent from the field. Utomi is a tenacious rebounder, as she hauled in five or more rebounds in 11 different games her sophomore season. Her season included a 24-point outing verses Erskine and a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double against Furman.
Expect Stephanie Utomi to be a high-usage player in the Titans frontcourt this season, helping provide a big boost in both the rebounding and interior scoring departments.
Colleena Bryant, Sophomore, 5-6, G, Detroit, Michigan, Wayne Memorial HS (Saint Mary’s)
Colleena Bryant enters Detroit Mercy as one of the more intriguing young pieces on the roster, even though her college résumé is still waiting to be written. Bryant didn’t see action as a freshman at Saint Mary’s last season, but her high school career offered plenty of evidence of what she can bring. At Wayne Memorial, she averaged 18.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game across her four-year varsity career. She was a four-year KLAA All-Conference selection, a McDonald’s All-American nominee and a finalist for Michigan Miss Basketball.
Now back in Detroit, Bryant has an opportunity to begin to write the next chapter of her career. Her combination of scoring, passing, good rebounding for her size, and defensive activity gives the Titans another option in a backcourt that has a new look this season. There’s always an adjustment to make anytime you go from one program to another, but her ability to create for herself and others could make her one of the more interesting newcomers to watch. For a team looking to improve its offensive efficiency, she could be one of the season’s more significant developments as the season goes on.
Alonna Divine, Freshman, 5-7, G, Indianapolis, Indiana, Pike HS
Well, she wanted to be by a big city, and now she’s gotten her wish. Alonna Divine arrives in Detroit after being a four-year letterwinner at Pike. She earned All-Metropolitan Conference First-Team honors and Indiana Super Team recognition as a junior after previously being named honorable mention All-Metropolitan Conference as a sophomore. Divine looks to hopefully provide some depth in the backcourt, and if she can make the transition to the Division I college level, she could play some impact minutes as the campaign progresses.
Audrey Tchako Tchako, Freshman, 6-3, F, Bruges, Belgium, Sint-Franciscus-Xaveriusinstituut
The 6-3 freshman from Belgium comes to the 313 after playing four seasons with House of Talents Kortrijk Spurs and competing for the Belgium U18 national team. During the 2025-26 season, she averaged more than 16 points and five rebounds per game while helping the Spurs finish second in Belgium’s Top Women’s Division. She reached double figures seven times, recorded 14 blocks and produced a 21-point, 14-rebound double-double against Charleroi.
The adjustment to American college basketball will be the obvious storyline, but Tchako Tchako’s player profile suggests she isn’t just a long-term project. She has already played against international competition and has shown an ability to score and rebound at a high level. As already mentioned, Detroit Mercy struggled to keep opponents off the glass last season, so her 6-3 frame could have an impact immediately in the front court. If she’s able to adapt to the physicality and pace of the Horizon League, she gives the Titans another interior option capable of creating matchup problems for opponents at both ends.
Projected Starting Lineup
Guard – Paula Lopez, 5-7, SR
Guard – Maya Anderson, 5-8, JR
Guard – Makayla Jackson, 5-9, SR
Forward – Stephanie Utomi, 5-11, JR
Forward – Naïma Diawara, 6-1, SO
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