Holmquist and his legacy is put to the test with new team

Reaching 800 coaching victories last season and averaging 25 wins per season, Biola University men’s basketball head coach Dave Holmquist has proven to be an effective coach throughout the past 32 years. But this year there is a greater challenge as the men’s basketball team starts its arduous training with no returning players.

Losing key players such as Josh Miller, David Cline and NAIA All-American Dwight Gordon, to name a few, has put Biola’s success in much doubt for the 2011-2012 season. But with the many years of experience and the patience of coach Holmquist, recruiting and coaching a new team has not been as difficult a task as expected.

“Recruiting involved a lot of work and a lot of hours. Our staff worked really hard at it but I think it went well and we got some good players,” Holmquist said. “We do however have to play some games in order to find out.”

Holmquist focuses not just on basketball, but on personal development

According to sports information director Jeff Hoffman, Holmquist’s coaching techniques have proven successful as he trains each player on and off the court; he expects to do no different this year. Holmquist challenges each player on the field and in their spiritual lives so that they may mature and succeed in both areas.

“He cares not only about the sport, but about each player,” Hoffman said.

Junior transfer student and forward Andre Murillo spoke more about the important characteristics that Holmquist demonstrates and passes down to the team each day.

“He’s not all about basketball,” Murillo said. “He loves basketball and has a big priority for it, but it is in the right priority because he definitely cares a lot about school and faith. He expects everyone on the team to give their hardest in every area.”

His care for each individual player is also known to be a big part in determining the amount of games that are won each season in the past.

“Every time I think of coach Holmquist I think of wisdom,” Murillo said. “ He talks a lot about caring deeply about what you do, and that’s what brings out anyone’s best performance — when you care.”

Consistency will be key to Eagles’ success

It is hard to say whether this year’s basketball team will be as successful as the last, but Holmquist’s positive and encouraging personality will not only help win games, but will help this new team work together. His coaching methods will remain the same regardless of the new team he’s working with this year and Holmquist explains how the attitudes of each player is a key factor this season.

“How much each individual cares, what type of teammates they are, how hard they are going to work at developing themselves as players and how much they put into it is always the big question,” Holmquist said. “If you can get a team full of people like that, it doesn’t matter if they’re new, you’ll still do well.”

Although Holmquist isn’t the least worried about the new team this year he does recognize that the team as a whole needs to work hard together.

“It’s all new for them,” Holmquist said. “The plays we run and the defense is a little different for many of them so we just have to have more patience. There’s more patience involved because we have to learn new things and you don’t have a core of guys back to set the tone for what we’re doing.”

Biola students will be able to support the team, and see their strengths and weaknesses as basketball season is now underway. The Eagles are 2-0 after a 75-48 rout of Menlo College on Thursday, Nov. 3 and 82-63 win over Pacific Union College on Friday, Nov. 4.

The team plays its first home game on Saturday, Nov. 12 against Arizona Christian University.