Individual and team improvement will be key to the success of this year’s Briar Cliff men’s basketball team. Gone are 2nd team all GPAC selection Jaden Kleinhesselink, starters Kyle Boerhave, and Nick Hoyt and sharpshooter Conner Groves. Mark Svagera enters his seventh season at the helm of the Chargers after one of the more challenging summers of his tenure, where he’s challenging his role players to become the go to players.

Returning senior starters Matthew Stilwill and Quinn Vesey are the veteran team leaders who will be called upon to lead the inexperienced group. Stilwill comes off a season where he started the year as the sixth man but worked his way into the starting lineup and averaged 12.2 points per game. Stilwill is excited with the new roster additions, as well as watching a few players make solid improvements.

Vesey meanwhile elected to play one more year after being named third team all GPAC, averaging 11 points per game, and was 4th best in the GPAC with 44 steals. The tenacious defender has tremendous confidence in his teammates entering the season.

Briar Cliff opens the season Thursday night with the home opener at the Newman Flanagan Center against Dakota State.

Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins has gone from transfer to the Cyclones’ leading receiver. The transfer from Eastern Kentucky leasds ISU with 23 catches, including three touchdowns as they prepare to visit Baylor.

Higgins had six catches in a victory at Cincinnati. It was ISU’s first road win of the season.

After starting the season 1-2 the Cyclones have rebounded and are currently tied for second in the Big-12. Higgins says they are not surprised by the turnaround.

Iowa State’s defense is making progress as the Cyclones open the stretch run of the season at Baylor this week. After getting hurt by the big player early in the season the Cyclones have yielded a total of 24 points in wins over TCU and Cincinnati.

That’s defensive end Joe Peterson. Baylor has the second best passing offense in the Big-12 but Peterson says they still want to make the Bears one dimensional.

As he said the first chore is to stop Baylor’s run game.

At 3-1 in the Big-12 Peterson says the Cyclones are excited about being in the hunt.

Linebacker Caleb Bacon says like the Cyclones, Baylor has made a lot of progress as of late. The Bears are 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the league race.

With three wins in the last four games the confidence is growing.

Bacon on the progress the defense has made this season.

The Roling Valley Conference Volleyball Selections have been announced for 2023. Below are the All-Conference 1st and 2nd Teams.

All-Conference 1st Team: 

• Senior, Jessica O’Day, Boyer Valley
• Senior, Eva Steffensen, CAM
• Senior, Maclayn Houston, West Harrison
• Senior, Lauren Malone, Boyer Valley
• Senior, Meredith Rich, CAM
• Senior, Addy Boell, Glidden-Ralston
• Junior, Danyelle Steinkuehler, Woodbine
• Senior, Tiela Janssen, Glidden-Ralston
• Senior, Emma Follmann, CAM
• Sophomore, Jaelynn Petersen, Exira-EHK

All-Conference 2nd Team: 

• Sophomore, Gwen Neilsen, Boyer Valley
• Junior, Maria Puck, Boyer Valley
• Senior, Addison Murdock, Woodbine
• Senior, Delaney Schurke, Ar-We-Va
• Sophomore, Malia Clayburg, Coon Rapids-Bayard
• Senior, Jenna Platt, CAM 
• Junior, Ashlyn Tigges, Glidden-Ralston
• Sophomore, Sylvia Sullivan, Boyer Valley
• Freshman, Taryn Petersen, Exira-EHK
• Sophomore, Rylee Evans, West Harrison

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head coach Jamie Pinkerton has named Sydney Albaugh, an Elkhart, Iowa, native, as Director of Softball Operations for the Cyclones.

Albaugh comes to Ames after playing five collegiate seasons between Kirkwood and Omaha, having just recorded 12 starts with the Mavericks last season. Albaugh initially joined the Cyclone softball program as a graduate assistant before being promoted.

“I am very excited to join Coach Pinkerton and his staff and to be a part of the culture they have created here in Ames,” said Albaugh. “Coming back home and being able to work at such a prestigious university and program is truly a dream come true for me.”

After attending North Polk High School, Albaugh began her collegiate career at Kirkwood. There, over three seasons, she recorded 138 hits in 133 games played, recording 28 homers and 23 doubles. She slashed .400/.443/.728 with the Eagles and tallied 125 RBI while scoring 96 runs.

At Omaha, the infielder played in 42 games, making 20 starts over the last two seasons. Sydney was surehanded in the field, recording 112 putouts and a .983 fielding percentage.

“We’re happy to welcome Sydney to the staff as our director of operations,” said head coach Jamie Pinkerton. “She’s been a part of our program for the last semester, so when the position came open, it was an easy transition for her and for us. Sydney is a lifelong Cyclone fan and has played at the JUCO and the DI level and knows the inner workings of a softball program. She’s a welcome addition to our staff!”

Albaugh earned her bachelor’s degree (’23) from Omaha in communication studies and is currently getting a mass communication and media studies master’s degree from Iowa State.

The (9-0) CAM Cougars are preparing for the second round of 8-player playoffs after an overpowering 75-12 win against Southeast Warren. It was a game that saw over 400 yards of total offense for the Cougars, a 4+ turnover margin for CAM, and a kickoff return for a touchdown. CAM Quarterback Chase Spieker was 10-13 for 209 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air. Spieker also scrambled for 91 yards and 3 scores. The run game was assisted by Brody Paulsen with 9 carries, 82 yards, and one touchdown.

Everything was clicking for the Cougars last Friday and Head Coach Barry Bower was pleased with the sharp efficiency by his team.

Now a week later and the competition is only getting tougher for Coach Bower and his CAM squad. They face off against a (7-2) West Bend-Mallard Wolverines team who are also coming off an impressive 64-26 win against Riceville.

One of the major keys for the Wolverines is their deadly duo in the backfield of quarterback Landon Montag and Cole Fehr who combined have over 2100 rushing yards. Coach Bower knows they will be a tough test for the Cougars.

The Wolverines offense relies on their up-tempo style to catch defenses off guard and get in as many plays as possible. The results have been impressive, with the West Bend-Mallard offense averaging 66 points in their last four games. Preparing for this type of offense has been a focus for CAM.

Being undefeated would give most programs an abundance of confidence and have them look past opponents. However, Coach Bower has just one message for his successful Cougar team. He wants them to take it one day at a time because you never know when it could be your last game.

Friday’s matchup will be covered by KJAN with the pregame starting at 6:30pm and Kickoff at 7:00pm.

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