Cole Baggett, Campus Carrier asst. sports editor
As the 2025-2026 academic year draws to a close, athletic teams across campus are reflecting on their seasons, pushing through the home stretch of current seasons, and preparing for the future. As with every year, some athletes from each team will not be returning next year after graduation. For head football coach Tony Kunczewski, this means a staggering 34 players will not be returning. Despite this, Kunczewski feels confident in his team’s chancesnext year.
“There’s a huge gap to fill, but I wouldn’t say we’re going to be young next year. We’re just going to be inexperienced, but hopefully they’re taking good notes and learned from the example that was set forth before them,” Kunczewski said.
After progressing the furthest the team has ever gotten in the NCAA playoffs, ultimately getting to the quarterfinal round, Berry’s football team ended the season with an 11-2 record. Furthermore, the team also placed ninth in the country, reaching their goal of finishing in the top 10. When reflecting on the achievements of the previous season, Kunczewski attributes a large part of the success to the shared mindset and culture emphasized throughout the season.
“What wins on the scoreboard is really your culture,” Kunczewski said. “Culture wins, and the reason why we were successful last year was because our guys were selfless and we’re really close as a team.”
As Kunczewski describes, football is the ultimate team sport because it brings several different kinds of people from different backgrounds together to an environment that encourages personal connection with one another. He believes this is exemplified by the selfless nature of his team. He said that several of his players sacrificed personal gain for the betterment of the team.
Kunczewski recalls moments like their third game of the season against Carnegie Mellon University, their first loss that was then followed up by a bye week. He believes this extra time between games allowed the team to properly learn from their mistakes, as this loss was followed by a series of nine wins until their loss in the quarterfinals.
“I think we learned a lot from that loss, and what a wasted opportunity if you don’t learn from a loss,” Kunczewski said.
Head volleyball coach Caitlyn Moriarty similarly attributes much of her team’s success to the resilience and culture developed by her players across their season. After their final four placement in the NCAA championship last December, the team has now had the opportunity to compete in the AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball Championships last weekend, in which the team placed second among a total of nine division III teams. Moriarty believes this result is the culmination of her team’s commitment and dedication across the season.
“Throughout the season we made a consistent commitment to growth, whether that was in practice, in competition, or in how we prepared mentally,” Moriarty said. “That mindset helped push us to this point.”
Furthermore, Moriarty has noticed her team’s culture and identity has influenced their success over time. She said her team has grown significantly in nearly every area of note, including leadership, partnership, and a better balance of offense and defense on the court. After enduring what Moriarty described as the toughest schedule they have ever faced, she believes her team, especially her graduating seniors, have laid a strong foundation for the future, leaving room for plenty of excitement moving forward.
“Our spring break trip gave the team a chance to connect off the court, and a lot of the inside jokes and team culture really developed during that time,” Moriarty said. “That experience carried into the rest of the season and helped shape a fun, connected team identity heading into Nationals.”
The women’s basketball team was another team united by a shared sense of hardship this year. According to head coach Thomas Johnson, several key players faced major injuries including an ACL injury, a torn hip labrum, two bone bruises and a concussion. Despite these setbacks, the team pushed forward, ultimately ending their season one game away from qualifying for the championship.
“I was really proud of our team, how hard they worked, and how tough they were as far as fighting through adversity,” Johnson said.
Like other teams across campus, Johnson attributes a lot of his team’s success to his team’s culture and identity. He describes the team and those who work with them as a family, connected by a shared sense of belonging. Johnson believes their game against Oglethorpe University during the SAA conference tournament in February exemplifies this culture, as his team took the lead with twelve seconds remaining. He said this shows the resilience and determination of the team.
“Nobody ever comes through the office doors unless they know they’re cared for, and our offices are full of our players all the time,” Johnson said.
During this reflective period at the end of the academic year, coaches and players across Berry are still working hard to prepare for the upcoming athletic season. Johnson also emphasizes the academic commitment players across Berry are making as essential to their careers.
Furthermore, Kunczewski has emphasized the continuous work student athletes put into training for the upcoming seasons, believing that his team’s success truly began in January 2025 during weight training. According to Kunczewski, his players train in the weight room until spring break, with spring practices and summer training commitments soon after. Because of this level of commitment and dedication shown by his players, Kunczewski, like other coaches at Berry, feels optimistic for the future.
“Every team is different,” Kunczewski said. “There’s going to be new leadership and a new team chemistry, so I’d love to see returning players learn from both past mistakes and past successes, because I think history is a great teacher.”