PUEBLO, Colo. (July 31, 2026) – Colorado State University Pueblo Athletics officially kicked off its 2026-27 athletic campaign here Thursday evening as nearly 400 alumni, community members, donors, student-athletes, coaches and administrators gathered for the annual Pride of the Pack celebration at the Occhiato Student Center Ballroom.

Presented by UCHealth, Pride of the Pack serves as the official launch of the Pack Club year, bringing together the ThunderWolf family to celebrate the accomplishments of CSU Pueblo Athletics while encouraging new and returning members to invest in the success of more than 500 ThunderWolf student-athletes through annual Pack Club memberships.

"Pride of the Pack is about more than kicking off a new season—it's about celebrating the incredible community that stands behind ThunderWolf Athletics. Every student-athlete who wears our colors benefits from the generosity, passion and belief of our alumni, fans and supporters. The energy in the room last night reminds us that together, we're building something special, and we're excited for what's ahead in 2026-27," said CSU Pueblo Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Paul Plinske.

PRIDE OF THE PACK PHOTO GALLERY

The evening began with a social hour, silent auction and raffle opportunities before Dr. Plinske welcomed attendees, including CSU Pueblo President Dr. Rhonda Epper. Plinske's welcome message highlighted the importance of the Pack Club, introduced the newly launched CSU Pueblo Athletics Online Team Store in partnership with Colorado Sports and Thundergals, and thanked the many sponsors whose support made the evening possible.

Plinske also thanked presenting sponsor UCHealth, along with Pepsi, Keg One, Canvas Credit Union, Houston Construction, Pueblo Bank and Trust and the Simmons Family for their generous support.

After Plinske's welcome message and introductions, CSU Pueblo Head Wrestling Coach Dax Charles talked about the purpose of the Pack Club and the important role the Pack Club members play in supporting ThunderWolf Athletics through scholarship funding and annual giving.

Guests then enjoyed dinner featuring five themed food stations prepared by Elior, which is CSU Pueblo's Dining Services provider. The American Backyard Grill station included hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fresh vegetables, pasta salad, chips and watermelon, the Southern Hospitality offered fried chicken, corn on the cob, collard greens, mashed potatoes and cornbread, while the BBQ station featured pulled pork, smoked brisket, macaroni and cheese and chips and the Barbacoa station served beef barbacoa with vegetables and calabacitas, and the evening concluded on a sweet note with a Desserts station featuring cherry pie, peach cobbler, assorted cookies and brownies, and ice cream.

Following dinner, CSU Pueblo head men's basketball coach Zach Ruebesam reflected on his team's successful 2025-26 season before highlighting the department's accomplishments from the past academic year. Following his presentation, Pack cheer and dance coach Vonnie Taibi, energized the crowd prior to a highlight video celebrating the achievements of CSU Pueblo's student-athletes from the 2025-26 school year.

Following the hype video, CSU Pueblo women's basketball coach Tommie Johnson and CSU Pueblo women's swimming and diving coach Susanne Divelbiss came forward to announce the winners of the raffle drawing. This year's raffle drawing that sold tickets for $100 featured a 14-karat white gold 2.75-carat diamond eternity bracelet donated by Cory Vetta and Carleo Creations, a Pueblo County sourced cut of beef donated by Ernie Meyer of Bay's Meat Market and a market hog donated by Robert and Amy McKinley from the McKinley Family Farm.

After the raffle drawing, the assembled crowd heard previews of the upcoming fall sports season as women's soccer coach John Constable, volleyball coach Jordan Bruere, men's and women's cross country and track and field head coach Matt Morris, men's soccer coach Thomás Pazo Tourinho and football coach Philip Vigil shared their excitement for the upcoming 2026 campaigns.

One of the most meaningful moments of the evening came when former student-athletes Jadyn Herron (women's cross country and track and field), Sam Howery (men's basketball) and Evan Smith (men's golf) shared personal stories illustrating how Pack Club scholarship support and the generosity of Pack Club members have positively impacted their experiences at CSU Pueblo, both academically and athletically. Their stories illustrated the lasting impact donor support has on the lives of ThunderWolf student-athletes. The student-athlete perspective segment was led by CSU Pueblo Director of Golf Josh Koschke.

Throughout the evening, supporters participated in the silent auction that featured about 40 items, raffle drawings, and a Heads or Tails competition, which was led by CSU Pueblo women's lacrosse coach Taylor Ward, along with football player Kahden Rullo and CSU Pueblo Athletic Relations and External Relations Officer John Wristen. The winner of the Heads or Tails competition earned a $200 shopping spree from the CSU Pueblo Athletics Online Team Store. Attendees also had the opportunity to purchase or renew their 2026-27 Pack Club memberships, reinforcing the organization's commitment to providing the financial support necessary for CSU Pueblo's student-athletes to excel in competition, in the classroom and throughout the community.

The Pack Club is the official fundraising organization of CSU Pueblo Athletics and provides annual scholarship support and program enhancements for the University's 22 varsity sports. Memberships for the 2026-27 year remain available throughout the year. Contributions directly support scholarships and program enhancements for more than 500 Pack student-athletes competing across CSU Pueblo's 19 varsity sports, helping them succeed in competition, in the classroom and throughout the community.