A New Era on The Cliff: Dan McDermott Returns to Lead Charger Athletics
Students athletes training on the new floors of Briar Cliff University weight room.
Photo by Juju Neves
Briar Cliff University is entering a transformative chapter in its storied athletic history. With a familiar face taking the lead and a big focus on student-athlete development, "The Cliff" is doubling down on its commitment to excellence both on the field and in the weight room.
The most significant change comes at the very top. Dan McDermott, the former baseball coach at Briar Cliff, has officially returned to Sioux City—this time as the Director of Athletic. For McDermott, the move he has been expecting to do in a while. He first arrived at BCU at just 26 years old, building a powerhouse baseball program, and recently before coming back “home”, he served as the Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities, Events, and Operations at Colorado Mesa University.
"It attracted me to BCU, the fact that I had always been in athletics... it was a great place then and still is now," McDermott said during a recent interview. "I always wanted to come back here. I applied once and I didn't get it, and then I applied again and I got it. It’s just a wonderful place." McDermott is stepping into the role with a clear vision centered on four pillars: academic, athletic, financial, and social fit. His primary challenge… finding students who truly match the culture of the university.
Regarding the pressure and the set expectations of everyone McDermott noted "Pressure makes diamonds, I welcome pressure and expectations. You need to look at challenges as an opportunity. Realism but optimistic is my philosophy."
While McDermott focuses on the big picture, but never forgetting the details of it all, the day-to-day grit of athlete development has shifted into the hands of Cory Carignan. Following the departure of longtime strength coach Darrian Stickney, Carignan has stepped up to lead the Strength and Conditioning department at BCU.
Despite the high-pressure transition, Carignan is focused on stability and future growth rather than radical changes. "My biggest priority is making sure the in-season teams have as smooth of a transition as possible," Carignan explained. "Now is not the time for a switch in training philosophy... continue to do the basics extremely well and keep the main thing, their sport, the main thing."
A key component of this new era is the improvement of athletic facilities. McDermott has emphasized that facility upgrades are essential for promoting the department and supporting the impact athletes have on campus life.
One of the most anticipated projects is the athletics facilities “Amongst the many things, it’s important to promote athletics. Keep improving our facilities is very important. Athletics provide a lot of things for people,” said McDermott.
As the department evolves, McDermott is working to manage the varying expectations of coaches across different sports. His strategy relies on transparency and a unified mission. "I want all coaches to understand that we all need to share a common philosophy and not a common style," McDermott said. "Everyone is different, they each grow at a different rate, learn at a different pace."
With a Hall of Fame leader in the front office and a dedicated team in the weight room, Briar Cliff Athletics is positioning itself for a "diamond" finish and a brilliant future ahead of them.