PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo Athletics welcomed students, fans and members of the Pueblo community to Massari Arena on Thursday evening for Massari Madness 2026, a night filled with basketball, entertainment, giveaways and ThunderWolf spirit.
With the "Voice of the ThunderWolves" Jim Brooks serving as the evening's emcee, the event featured an exciting lineup of activities, including a three-point shootout, men's dunk contest, skills challenges and interactive games that brought CSU Pueblo students and residents together for a night of fun.
The three-point shootout saw sophomore guard Bryce Riehl (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mesa Ridge) take home the title, holding off fellow competitors fifth-year senior guard Cash Callaway (Pasco, Wash./South Mountain CC) and senior forward Kate Gallery (Pueblo, Colo./Regis) in an entertaining shooting competition.
The excitement continued with the men's dunk contest, as senior forward Kyren Allen (Commerce City, Colo./Trinidad State) stole the show with a high-flying performance. Allen claimed the dunk contest crown after throwing down an impressive dunk over freshman forward Corey Hill (Cheyenne Wells, Colo./Cheyenne Wells), freshman guard Aymen Ismail (Salt Lake City, Utah/Judge Memorial Catholic) and team manager Hunter Belore to secure the victory.
CSU Pueblo's Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement (SLICE) and Admissions offices helped sponsor the event, with representatives Brianna Sammons and Austin Belore addressing those in attendance, sharing information about their respective organizations and providing shirts to the crowd.
The CSU Pueblo Foundation also added to the excitement by providing two $500 scholarships, which were awarded to CSU Pueblo students through a skills challenge and a dribble knockout competition.
Local businesses ThunderZone and Shiver & Shake contributed to the festivities by providing gift cards that were raffled off throughout the evening. CSU Pueblo Head Men's Basketball Coach Zach Ruebesam and Head Women's Basketball Coach Tommie Johnson also helped provide a television, which served as one of the night's grand prizes and was raffled off at the conclusion of the event.
Massari Madness 2026 served as a celebration of ThunderWolf basketball and an opportunity to bring the Pueblo community together ahead of the highly anticipated 2026-27 men's and women's basketball seasons.
