Briar Cliff welcome Riley Miessner as its new head coach for the track & field and cross country programs this 2025 season.
Miessner joins the Cliff after serving as an assistant coach at Southwest Minnesota State University, where he helped guide the program to a NSIC Conference Championship. During his tenure at SMSU, the Mustangs set 53 school records, produced more than 50 all-time top-10 performances, and earned nine All-Academic awards. He also coached the program’s first-ever All-American in women’s track and field. Over fiver years, Miessner played a key role in doubling the roster size of both the track and field and cross-country teams.
Prior to his time at SMSU, Miessner gained coaching experience as an assistant at the University of Sioux Falls from 2017-2018 and as a graduate assistant at Dakota Wesleyan University from 2015-2017.
Miessner holds a USATF Level 1 certification and is NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He also carries credentials from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association as a Strength and Conditioning Coach, Program Management Specialist, Jump Specialist, and Combined Event/Multi Specialist.
A native of South Dakota, Miessner earned a Bachelor of Science in exercise science with a minor in athletic coaching from Black Hills State University and went on to complete a Masts of Arts in educational policy and administration at Dakota Wesleyan University.
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