PUEBLO, Colo. – The 2025-26 season is officially underway for Colorado State University Pueblo Athletics, as four of the Pack's marquee programs returned to their respective turf this morning to begin preseason training and the road to another historic campaign. Volleyball, Men's and Women's Soccer, and Cross Country all hit the ground running as Pack Athletics continues its pursuit of championships.
Volleyball Opens a New Era
Inside Massari Arena, first-year head coach and Pack alumna Jordan Bruere will guide the CSU Pueblo Volleyball team through its first practice of the fall. Bruere, who takes over after a successful run at Western Colorado, inherits a program hungry to return to the NCAA Tournament after narrowly missing last season. The ThunderWolves finished 16-11 overall and 9-5 in RMAC play in 2024, earning a spot in the RMAC Tournament.
The Pack's roster features a blend of experience and fresh talent, with 12 newcomers joining six returners. Veterans Megan Mattingly (OH), Maddox Richtmyre (L), Andi Nothdurft (MB), Taylor Cary (OH), Golden Finch (MB), and Kendall Schmitz (S) will provide leadership and stability as Bruere sets her sights on guiding the Pack back to national prominence.
Soccer Hits the Pitch at ALG Stadium
At 6:30 a.m., the first whistle of the soccer preseason blew at ALG Stadium as both Pack programs got underway.
On the women's side, second-year head coach John Constable is building momentum after his first year at the helm. CSU Pueblo finished 4-10-4 last fall, but with seven starters returning and key playmakers like Caytlynn Garland (second on the team in scoring with five points) and defensive anchor Mara Ganje, the ThunderWolves look poised to climb the RMAC ladder. The Pack were picked ninth in the RMAC Preseason Poll, but Constable's proven track record suggests the squad will exceed expectations.
The men's program enters a new chapter under first-year head coach Nick Blackwell, who steps in for long-time leader Oliver Twelvetrees. Blackwell, a key part of the ThunderWolves' recent dominance, inherits a program that has become a national powerhouse. CSU Pueblo reached the NCAA Division II National Championship match in 2022 and 2023, before earning another Final Four appearance in 2024. With a massive roster turnover—27 new members join the squad—Blackwell's challenge will be blending new talent with championship expectations.
Cross Country Runs Toward More History
Meanwhile, head coach Matt Morris welcomed back his nationally recognized cross country squads. In 2024, CSU Pueblo turned heads by finishing 14th nationally on the men's side and third nationally on the women's side, marking the women's program's best-ever performance. The Pack also earned recognition in the USTFCCCA Program of the Year standings, further solidifying Pueblo's status among the nation's elite.
The ThunderWolves will need to overcome the loss of several standout runners, including All-American Reece Sharman-Newell (transferred to Texas A&M after winning a track national championship), Matisse Virey (graduation), and women's All-Americans Helen Braybrook (graduation), Leah Keisler (transfer), and Margot Thomas-Gatel (graduation). Even so, Morris—an NCAA Coach of the Year finalist—has reloaded his teams and will have the added excitement of hosting the South Central Regional Championship in Pueblo later this fall.
A Department on the Rise
The start of preseason comes on the heels of a banner year for Pack Athletics. CSU Pueblo placed third in the RMAC All-Sports Cup and recorded its best-ever finish in the Learfield Directors' Cup, claiming 12th nationally across all of NCAA Division II.
With multiple programs ranked among the nation's best, new coaching leadership, and a campus buzzing with excitement, the ThunderWolves now set their sights on raising the bar even higher in 2025-26.
