SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – “Defend and Win Games.” That’s what Briar Cliff women’s basketball calls the “D.A.W.G” menality.

Last season, the Chargers won its first GPAC Postseason Tournament title while advancing to the NAIA Tournament Round of 16, aiming to replicate that success with a revamped roster.

Briar Cliff, who finished last year with a 26-8 record in head coach Brian Ortmeier’s first year, returns second-team All-American Konnor Sudmann as well as All-GPAC honorable mention Payton Slaughter alongside All-GPAC second-team choice Kennedy Benne.

Joining the Chargers’ crew this season are a pair of transfers in Mallie McNair and Grace Flanagan. McNair spent two seasons at the University of Nebraska-Kearney while Flanagan comes from Quincy University, shooting over 44% from three-point range.

“Defend and Win Games”, a motto the Chargers have embraced ahead of the season.

“Coach started to say “D.A.W.G” as in “Defend and Win Games.” That’s our big motto for the year,” Slaughter said.

“Our new motto for the year is be a “D.A.W.G.” Defense wins games, so that’s what we pride ourselves on is defensively and we’re going to going to get out there, hold teams, and defense leads to offense,” Benne added.

“One thing that the girls brought up this year…they talked about being a “D.A.W.G”, having that “D.A.W.G” mentality. I think that’s us in a nutshell. We’re a bunch of scrappy, hard-nosed, tough players and that’s really what our team has bought in to and that’s our motto and our mentality,” Ortmeier highlighted.

The Chargers take on Iowa Central at home in its first scrimmage on October 21.