Lucas Beireis takes over as WCA head girls basketball coach

By Sam Peterson
Grant County Herald

With former head girls basketball coach Becca Holland returning home to coach on the Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta staff, it left a hole on the WCA bench for the 2026-27 season. Lucas Beireis will step up from his B-squad coaching role to take over the position this year with plenty of coaching experience under his belt.

The foundation Holland laid for the Knights led to the only state title in program history. Beireis was along for the ride on the bench as an assistant coach and plans to continue many of the pillars Holland put in place to get the Knights to that level. “Working with Becca was definitely a privilege. One thing we were able to hang our hats on was our defensive intensity and how that could single handedly win games. Defense was always a key focus in our practices and game plans and that’s something I want to continue moving forward,” Beireis said.

Beireis grew up in Alexandria playing basketball for the Alexandria Cardinals under the tutelage of coach Forrest Witt. Before WCA, he spent three years coaching at Carlton High School, serving one season as the assistant coach before taking over the head coaching duties the final two seasons. This school year will be the seventh for Beireis as a WCA employee and the fifth year as a member of the girls basketball staff. Other coaching experiences include various AAU programs in the spring and summer over the years.

That familiarity with the school, players and basketball program Beireis has developed will be a key resource for him in his new position. “I think being a part of the program and already having coached many of these girls is a huge benefit going into this season. I have a good understanding of what our strengths and weaknesses are, so we won’t have to spend the first few weeks trying to figure out our personnel. I also think it helps that the players already understand my coaching style and know what to expect in practice,” Beireis said.

As far as the basketball on the floor during games, the style of play may not be discernibly different with Beireis emphasizing the same core principles he always has, just as the head coach this season. “I still believe defense is what wins games, especially in the playoffs. Typically, in smaller class basketball, if you can pressure the ball and create chaos, it gives you a great opportunity to win. That’s something Becca really emphasized and believed in,” Beireis said. “Fans can expect a high intensity defensive approach with the goal of making everything as difficult as possible for our opponents.”

After finishing the 2024-25 season 27-6 and winning the Class A state title, the Knights finished last season 16-12 and lost in the second round of the Section 6A playoffs. “The goal this year is to make a deep playoff run. Our section graduated a lot of talented players last season, and I think it’s wide open heading into this year. Hillcrest returns most of its squad, but after them there are a lot of new faces throughout the section. I believe that gives us a great opportunity to make a statement,” Beireis said.