PUEBLO, Colo. – During the recently completed 2022-23 academic year, Colorado State University Pueblo student-athletes logged a little more than 5,900 hours of community service combined.
 
The ThunderWolves had 14 of its athletic teams record 200 or more hours of community service during the year, with five of those programs recording 400 or more hours of community service. In addition, 12 of the Pack's athletic teams averaged over 10 hours of community service per student-athlete.
 
"Serving the Pueblo community is a priority for CSU Pueblo Athletics. With approximately 675 student-athletes aligned for community engagement, we feel we have made a huge impact," said Dr. Paul Plinske, CSU Pueblo Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships. "It's a privilege to be in collegiate athletics and giving back is a vital part of our mission. I'm proud of the role we have played in this critical area."
 
The top program in terms of community service hours for the 2022-23 academic year was the softball team as they recorded 493.5 hours of community service among its 19 players and averaged 25.97 hours per student-athlete. Among the community service efforts for the softball team were working the State Fair Rodeo, Rake-up Pueblo, assisting in clinics and coaching at Runyon Sports Complex and reading to elementary school students.
 
The cheerleading team was second in terms of community service hours as they recorded 411 hours among its 15 student-athletes and averaged 25.69 hours per student-athlete, while the dance team was third among women's teams with a total of 185 hours among its eight student-athletes and averaged 23.13 hours per student-athlete. The cheerleading and dance teams helped at Move-In Day on the CSU Pueblo campus, State Fair Rodeo, Trunk or Treat, Discover Days and reading to elementary school students.
 
Meanwhile, on the men's side, the baseball team recorded 764 hours of community service among its 47 student-athletes and averaged 16.26 hours per student-athlete. Among the community service efforts for the baseball team was working the State Fair, Toys for Tots, YMCA Home Run Derby and the MLK Day Parade.
 
The No. 2 men's program was the wrestling team as they recorded 301 community service hours among its 26 student-athletes and averaged 11.58 hours per student-athlete, while the men's soccer team was third with a total of 432.5 hours among its 42 players and averaged 10.30 hours per student-athlete. The wrestling team assisted with Let's Move Pueblo, Health Fairs and Coaching Kids Clubs, while the men's soccer team assisted with Top Soccer, Boys and Girls Club and Science Olympiad.
 
Community service has become a hallmark of Division II athletics and Division II athletics programs are asked to actively engage with their communities, which not only helps drive attendance at athletics contests but also fosters relationships between student-athletes and community members and develops more of a shared civic experience.
 
For Division II, community engagement is much more than just community service. That sense of engagement is achieved when the athletics program truly interacts with both its campus and regional communities. Division II schools have successfully integrated community-engagement initiatives into game days, championship events and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meetings.
 
Here is a breakdown of community service hours, number of student-athletes and breakdown of community service hours by student-athletes achieved by CSU Pueblo's athletic teams during the 2022-23 academic year.