Briar Cliff winter sports preview: Women’s Basketball and Esports
Brooklyn Heineman dribbling up the court to start the offense.
As temperatures drop and winter nears, Briar Cliff University’s campus is heating up with excitement for the start of its winter sports season. Connor Sonius and Jack Moehrke, are leading their teams into promising seasons with fresh energy and focus.
For Women’s Basketball, this season marks a new era under first-year Head Coach Connor Sonius, who previously served as an assistant coach for three years. “It feels good. It’s a different role, but it’s been fun taking over with this team,” said Sonius.
His experience as an assistant has helped him prepare for the challenge. “Just being hands-on with scouting reports and working with players from day one has helped me build strong relationships with them,” said Sonius.
Sonius plans to maintain the strong foundation of the program while also shaping it in his own way. “We want to keep the strong culture, recruit players who fit our system, and gel with the new coaching staff to stay successful,” said Sonius.
With new leadership, the team has set clear expectations for the season. “We have big goals to compete for a conference and national championship, build great team chemistry, do well in the classroom, and stay involved in the community,” said Sonius.
Having worked closely with many of his returning players, the familiarity has been key to a smooth transition. “It’s really important to know their strengths and weaknesses. It helps us move quicker in practices and games to make them better basketball players,” said Sonius.
With the team having a strong offensive and the chemistry among his players, there is always room for improvement. “We’re strong offensively with shooting, driving, and passing. Our team works well together, and our chemistry is great. Defense is the main area we’re focusing on improving before conference play begins,” said Sonius.
Several returning players will play key roles this year, including Mallie McNair, Brooklyn Heineman, Kenna Mongan, and Taylor Sodeman. The GPAC conference is known for its challenging opponents and the Chargers are looking to continue their hot streak. “We just need to stay connected on the defensive side, communicate, and play good team basketball for the full 40 minutes,” said Sonius.
The team has been to the national tournament since Sonius has arrived on campus in 2022 and is looking to continue the streak. “Just come out and support, pack the Newman Flanagan Center, and bring energy. We’ve got a good group of girls who need the support in the Newman Flanagan Center,” said Sonius.
Meanwhile, in the Esports arena, Coach Jack Moehrke continues to build on the foundation he has created when he launched the program in 2022. “The first year was tough with setting up the arena, building computers, getting equipment, and recruiting players,” said Moehrke.
The program has grown quickly under his leadership, now featuring around 25 student players. “I used to micromanage a lot, but now I let players struggle and learn. They’ve shown they’re mature enough to handle that,” said Moehrke.
Even with national recognition, Moehrke hopes for more local and campus engagement. “We’re ranked among the top 20 in the nation, but we need more community support. We’re planning live-stream watch parties and looking to expand the arena,” said Moehrke.
For Moehrke, Esports players are athletes in their own right. “These players train and compete like any other athletes. They deserve recognition for that,” said Moehrke.
As both programs enter the winter season, the excitement at Briar Cliff is clear. Whether it’s on the court or in the digital arena, the Chargers are ready to compete, grow, and represent their university with pride.