New era, same fight: Men's basketball closes first year under Schilling

As the final buzzer echoed through the arena, the Augustana men's basketball regular season came to a close – a season defined by resilience, key victories and a team that continued to push forward through every challenge.

The No. 11 Vikings finished the 2024-25 season with a conference record of 8-14, 11-17 overall.

“We have a competitive group,” head coach Cody Schilling said. “Night in and night out they fight for 40 minutes. We’ve played in so many close games: games that have come down to the last few minutes. I firmly believe this team has grown together in our late-game successes and failures.”

This season marks Schilling’s first year as head coach. Before the current season, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach under former head coach Tom Billeter.

“Year one of a new roster, coaching staff and culture have had a lot of positives but also shown us we have a lot of areas to continue to improve and grow on,” Schilling said. “We have a lot of talented and great guys in our locker room.”

The lone senior on the roster, Akoi Akoi, served as a captain and was a vocal leader for the Vikings throughout the season. His impact was felt on both ends of the court as he set the tone for younger players.

“This year's squad was special because, at the end of the day, we were brothers,” Akoi said. “Win or lose, I know my teammates and coaches had my back, and I had theirs.”

Akoi played a key role in helping Augustana navigate a midseason rough patch, particularly during a seven-game losing streak in conference play. The team rebounded with a six-game win streak, a turning point that Akoi credits to the group’s trust in one another as the team beat Southwest Minnesota State and Wayne State before the winter break.

While Akoi was the only senior, several upperclassmen took on leadership roles, including a key junior who stepped up both on and off the court.

“I think the biggest challenges I’ve faced this year involve our whole team rather than just myself,” Tanner Te Slaa said. “It’s a long process to get everyone on the same page with energy, effort and execution when you have a young team with a lot of new faces and a new staff. But we’ve definitely come a long way from the start of the season, and we’re continuing to get better every day together.”

Te Slaa believes his biggest area of personal growth this season was defense.

“I think I have improved on the defensive side of the ball more than anything,” Te Slaa said. “I’ve been far from perfect, but I’ve become a lot more comfortable on that side of the floor.”

With only one senior departing, the Vikings will return a core group of players next season, setting the foundation for continued growth. Schilling emphasized that this year’s experience will be crucial moving forward.

“I’m excited to see how hard they work this spring and summer to get to where this program is winning at a high level,” Schilling said.

One of the key focuses for the offseason will be improving health, as the Vikings battled injuries to key players throughout this year.

“We need to get healthy,” Schilling said. “Missing Caden Hinker, Don Ferguson and Brady Helgren this season was something we had to battle through. Getting those three healthy is a key priority for this offseason, along with bringing in another high-level recruiting class.”

As the Vikings prepare for the postseason, their journey so far has already laid the groundwork for what’s to come. With a competitive roster, a strong team culture and a coach focused on long-term success, Augustana looks to build on this season and take another step forward.

The outcome of the weekend's matchups will decide Augustana's opponent in the first round of the NSIC Tournaments as the team gets ready for a road game on Feb. 26.