Youth and Resilience Define Briar Cliff Women’s Basketball TransitionA different year for the Chargers

Mallie McNair shooting 3-pointer to secure the basket

Photo by Colby Cox

For the Briar Cliff University women’s basketball team, the 2025-26  season was defined by a new face at the top and a young roster that proved it  could handle the pressure of the national stage. 

After stepping up from his role as an assistant, Head Coach Connor  Sonius navigated a debut season filled with both the growing pains of a  leadership transition and the triumph of a national tournament appearance.  While the Chargers fell just short of their ultimate goal, playing at the Tyson  Events Center, the foundation for a powerhouse return is clearly under  construction. "Taking over as a head coach, this has been my most  challenging year as a coach," Sonius admitted. "You’re in a different role with  the players. As an assistant, you interact with the players differently." 

Despite the shift in dynamics, the team embraced the change. Sonius  praised the group’s "coachability" and their ability to execute a new vision  under pressure. The Chargers' resilience was tested most during a brutal late season road stretch against GPAC rivals like Hastings and Dakota Wesleyan,  teams that eventually proved their mettle in the Sweet 16. Sophomore  standout Brooklyn Heineman noted that the team’s youth was their greatest  thing, but also their greatest lesson. "We learned a lot about each other  because we were a very young team this year," Heineman said. 

While the team celebrated making the national tournament, no small  feat in a competitive year, the hunger for more remains. Reflecting on the  team's goals, Heineman was candid about the bittersweet ending. "Sadly, no  we did not reach our goal," she said. "We didn’t make it to Tyson". Coach  Sonius views the season as a "big win" for a developing squad, but he is  already setting his sights on higher ground for next winter. The Chargers  finished fifth in the conference, just outside the elite tier they hope to reclaim. "I think we did a good job; we accomplished the goal of going to the national  tournament," Sonius said. "We fell a little short on going to the Tyson, but I’m  really proud."

With a year of head coaching experience under Sonius’s belt and a  roster that is no longer "the young team," Briar Cliff enters the off-season with  a clear chip on its shoulder and a roadmap back to the top of the conference.