From the Desk of the Athletic Director: A Year in Review (2025-26)
 
Pack Athletics Family,
 
As we reflect on the 2025-26 academic year, I could not be prouder of the accomplishments of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and supporters. This year demonstrated what makes CSU Pueblo Athletics truly special — excellence in the classroom, commitment toward competitive success and meaningful engagement within our community.
 
Our student-athletes continued to excel academically while representing Pack Athletics with pride. Across more than 500 student-athletes, our department achieved an impressive 3.281 cumulative GPA, including 183 student-athletes earning a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout the academic year. These achievements reflect the discipline, work ethic and support systems that define our athletic department and university community.
 
Competitive success was once again a hallmark of the year. CSU Pueblo will finish among the top 5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Sports Competition Cup among 15 member institutions, while several programs achieved national prominence throughout the year as reflected in our LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standing. Both results will be published in mid-June.
 
Our women's cross country program earned a Top 10 national finish, while football, men's and women's golf, softball, men's and women's track and field, volleyball and wrestling programs continued to establish themselves among the nation's elite scoring in NCAA post-season competition. Women's Indoor Track & Field produced the highest national finish in school history with a fourth-place team finish at the NCAA Division II Championships.
 
The year also featured extraordinary individual and relay team accomplishments on the national stage. We celebrated National Championships from:

Additionally, CSU Pueblo student-athletes earned multiple national runner-up finishes and combined for 28 (and counting) All-American performances across eight different sports. These accomplishments demonstrate the depth and consistency of excellence across our department.
 
Conference success also highlighted the year, as CSU Pueblo captured RMAC Championships in Football, Women's Golf (fourth consecutive) and Softball, the 2026 RMAC Tournament Champions.
 
This year brought tremendous individual recognition as well. Several ThunderWolves earned major conference and regional honors, including RMAC Players of the Year (Caelyn Gunn and Elena Stankovic, volleyball and McKenna James, softball), Athlete of the Year (Febe Wessels, track and field), Coach of the Year (Matt Morris, track and field) and Freshman of the Year (Caleb McLeod, track and field and Thale Victoria Estensen, golf) honors and statewide recognition through the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (Katherine Higgins). Evan Smith, golf, received the prestigious Threlkeld Prize of Excellence from CSU Pueblo. These accolades are a reflection of the outstanding leadership provided by our coaches and the relentless commitment of our student-athletes.
 
Beyond competition, our student-athletes continued to make a profound impact throughout Southern Colorado. Pack Athletics completed 10,839 community service hours while supporting local schools, youth organizations, parades and community events. Our partnerships with District 60, District 70, Boys & Girls Club, YMCA Junior ThunderWolves and many other organizations continue to strengthen the bond between CSU Pueblo Athletics and our community.
 
We were also proud to host the 2025 CHSAA State Football Championships at the ThunderBowl, welcoming student-athletes, families and fans from across Colorado to our campus.
 
While we celebrate these achievements, we also recognize that our success would not be possible without the unwavering support of our alumni, donors, fans, corporate partners, campus leadership and community members. Your investment in our student-athletes continues to create life-changing opportunities and elevate CSU Pueblo Athletics to new heights.
 
As we look ahead, the future of Pack Athletics remains incredibly bright amid a challenging and ever-changing landscape. We are committed to continuing our tradition of academic success, competitive excellence and community engagement while building championship experiences for our student-athletes.
 
Thank you for your continued belief in CSU Pueblo Athletics and for being an important part of the Pack family.