Former MCC Basketball Rivals Team Up at Mount Mary University
Five former Milwaukee City Conference student-athletes have traded in their rivalries for jerseys on Mount Mary University’s women’s basketball squad as they make the transition from high school competitors to college teammates. And now, following a few weeks of preseason prep under their belts, Deriya Wilson, Amani Berry, Rionne Turner, Jayda Wilson-Nash and Norriah Broomfield have kicked off their first season together under one Blue Angels banner.
The players hail from four different MPS high schools across Milwaukee. Freshmen point guards Wilson-Nash (Bradley Tech), Wilson (Reagan) and Turner (Washington) join freshman forward Berry (Reagan) and sophomore forward Broomfield (Milwaukee School of Languages) on Mount Mary’s roster. Together, they are poised to boost a program that’s on the rise and brimming with fresh talent, youthful energy and a healthy dose of Milwaukee grit.
Discovering Milwaukee Talent
For Mount Mary assistant coach Erik Brooks, the Milwaukee City Conference represented a goldmine of untapped potential.
“I really enjoyed it,” Brooks said about recruiting from the MCC. “I spent a lot of time watching MCC games and athletes. I felt like there’s a lot of great talent in this league.”
Brooks estimated attending 10-15 MCC games during the 2024-25 school year, and what he saw convinced him that Milwaukee’s public high schools were producing college-ready players who needed the right opportunity.
He had good reason to be excited about what he was seeing — these players weren’t just talented, they were already proven winners in high school. Deriya Wilson earned Freshman of the Year honors in her first high school season and racked up multiple all-conference and all-defense selections. Jayda Wilson-Nash captured Player of the Year honors for the 2024-25 season, along with first-team, all-defense, all-sportsmanship and most improved recognitions. Broomfield, a transfer into Mount Mary, and Turner earned three consecutive all-conference selections apiece, while Berry made her mark with an all-defense selection in 2023.
“What we try to find are good people who work hard, who are good students, and of course, are really, really talented basketball players,” said head coach Joshua Steffen on the quality of his Milwaukee recruits. “All five of our kids from the MCC really fit that bill, and they’re doing great so far.”
Former Foes Find Common Ground
The transition from competitor to teammate was an interesting one, as most of the players knew of each other (or had already faced off on the court) before arriving at Mount Mary. Turner described the switch as fun, noting that the former rivals get along well, while Jayda Wilson-Nash said the experience was “a little weird at first” after spending four years trying to beat her future teammates.
Deriya Wilson echoed a similar sentiment, adding that the change was also motivating.
“It’s kind of weird because I’m used to having that competitive spirit playing with them, but it’s nice because now we’re all on the same team,” she said. “I get to compete with them, but I can see how that talent from around Milwaukee is going to be of use to help win some games here at Mount Mary.”
Conference Competition Breeds College-Ready Players
While still early in the 2025-26 season, the five student-athletes already feel adjusted to the fast-paced environment of college ball, attributing much of their success on and off the court to the MCC.
“[The MCC] was really competitive, and a lot of us were fighting to win first team all-conference, second team, all-defensive,” explained Berry.
For Jayda Wilson-Nash, the rigorous coaching style at Bradley Tech proved instrumental in her development. “My coach was really hard. It was tough love. Tech really prepared me for everything,” she said.
But the lessons learned in the MCC extended far beyond the hardwood. The academic demands of high school proved equally valuable in preparing the athletes for college. Turner emphasized this, noting her priorities in high school were “getting my work done, making sure my grades are good to stay eligible to play basketball,” a lesson she plans to carry with her into this new chapter.
Deriya Wilson added that acquiring time management skills equipped her to balance basketball and coursework in college, especially when the team is playing on the road. Her commitment to excellence in the classroom didn’t go unnoticed — that academic foundation led to Wilson’s selection as a Caroline Scholar at Mount Mary, earning a full-ride scholarship on the basis of strong grades and community service hours.
“Being a Caroline Scholar is a huge deal,” Brooks explained. “I believe [Deriya’s] the first basketball player here to ever have that honor. But a full-ride scholarship as a Caroline Scholar is a really big deal for the school and for our program as a whole.”
Looking Ahead
Steffen has spearheaded a revival at Mount Mary, taking a program that had its season canceled in 2020-21 and went winless in his first season as the head coach, and elevating the Blue Angels to seven wins in 2022-23 and a combined 22-26 record over the 2024-24 and 2024-25 seasons. He credits a large part of that success to the Milwaukee pipeline.
“Honestly, it kind of coincided with our improvement as a program,” Steffen explained. “Two years ago, we set the school record for wins. And prior to that, Mount Mary basketball hadn’t had a great reputation. As we improve, it’s much more exciting for coaches and players to see us.”
The MCC connection has proven invaluable for this purpose. “Recruiting with Milwaukee Public Schools has just been an added blessing,” Steffen said. “I think we’re just starting to see some of the many, many benefits that will come from it.”
The Blue Angels are 5-1 to open the 2025-26 season, marking the best start in program history, and the MCC alumni are right in the thick of that progress. Through the first six games, Broomfield has emerged as a force in the paint, averaging 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Deriya Wilson has been lethal from beyond the arc, shooting 42 percent from three-point range. Turner posted eight points, three steals and three rebounds in last week’s home opener against Andrews University, while Jayda Wilson-Nash contributed off the bench in the team’s first two contests. Berry is currently recovering from a knee injury suffered during her senior season at Reagan.
The success of these five players has created a blueprint for future MCC athletes. For incoming MCC athletes considering their college options, the Mount Mary crew has a clear message: don’t overlook what’s in your own backyard. They have proven you don’t need to leave Milwaukee to find a quality college basketball experience, and sometimes the best opportunity is right at home.
