PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo Department of Athletics honored its student-athletes and doled out awards for the 2025-26 school year at the 2026 Wolfies, the department's annual student-athlete awards banquet, which was held here Monday evening in the Occhiato Student Center Ballroom in front of nearly 550 people. UC Health sponsored the Wolfies Awards Banquet.

ThunderWolves coaches and administrators recognized nearly 90 student-athletes and all 20 athletic teams and handed out awards to 25 student-athletes. The athletic department's SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) nominated the award winners and voted on the department's administration staff.

Along with handing the annual student-athlete awards, CSU Pueblo Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Paul Plinske also recognized the department's athletic accomplishments during the 2024-25 school year and also gave special recognition to the department's individual and team Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Champions, the department's All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, and National Champions from this past winter sports season – the women's Distance Medley Relay team and Febe Wessels (women's shot put). Dr. Plinske also recognized the school's RMAC and National Players of the Week, the school's All-Conference and Academic All-Conference honorees, and student-athletes and teams that set school records during the school year.

The program began with an introduction by Dr. Plinske, who served as the banquet's emcee. Dr. Plinske gave recognition to UC Health and also introduced members of the University Administration in attendance, along with the athletic department's head coaches and administrative team.

Jim Brooks, who serves as the radio broadcast voice for CSU Pueblo football and men's and women's basketball, served as the master of ceremonies for the prizes that were given out five times during Monday night's banquet. Each student-athlete was given a raffle ticket for a chance to win a prize, and the winning tickets were drawn randomly. 
 
Following his welcome, Dr. Plinske recognized the athletic department's Athletes/Players of the Week, All-Conference and All-Academic honorees, and school record holders from this year. The first award was handed out by Kelsey Rodriguez, who announced the winners of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA Award) Integrity Award.
 
The winners of that award were redshirt freshman men's football player Nate Sandy (Elizabeth, Colo./Legend) and senior women's volleyball player Caelyn Gunn (Denton, Texas/Arkansas-Fort Smith. The other female nominees for the award were senior softball player Caitlyn Cole (Merced, Calif./Stone Ridge Christian), freshman softball player Cali Cole (Merced, Calif./Stone Ridge Christian), senior women's soccer player Caytlynn Garland (Gillette, Wyo./Thunder Basin), and senior women's track and field heptathlete Mary Scoggins (Rangely, Colo./Rangely), while the male nominees were freshman wrestler RJ Didrickson (Hoonah, Alaska/Mt. Edgecumbe), senior men's basketball player Landen Dvorsky (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty), sophomore men's track and field thrower Ryan Lane (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo South), redshirt freshman football player Jessie Matthews (Denver, Colo./Dr. MLK Jr. Early College), freshman track and field athlete Kendrick Peairs Jr. (Pueblo, Colo./Centennial) and junior football player Colton Rose (Castle Rock, Colo./Valor Christian).
 
Following the FCA Integrity Award, CSU Pueblo Associate AD/SWA Jenna McKinley-Fall then awarded the Athletic Director Award of Excellence to Karen Marley, who is a senior lecturer in CSU Pueblo's School of Health Sciences and Human Movement.
 
After the Athletic Director Award of Excellence, Dr. Plinske recognized the department's 32 All-American performances, Academic All-American honorees, National Athletes of the Week, National Champions, and National Runners-up from the 2025-26 school year.
 
McKinley-Fall then recognized the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and also recognized the winners of last week's Second-Annual SAAC Olympics.
 
Dr. Plinske began announcing the rest of the award winners for the 2025-26 school year.
 
Here is a list of the other award winners and nominees for the 2026 Wolfies Student-Athlete Awards Ceremony.

Following the awards presentation, Dr. Plinske had all the department's graduating seniors with no eligibility remaining gather up front for a 2025-26 Senior group photo.