This week's recap showcased a lot of hard work and competition. The week began with a huge win for men's golf as freshman, Bradley Mulder, took first place in the tournament helping his team to a second place finish overall. It was only his fourth collegiate tournament against some big top teams! The soccer teams and volleyball had some tough losses and ties but are ready to get back at it this week. The men's team begins the week at Regis and then takes on South Dakota Mines this Friday which is also their senior day! Women's soccer will compete on Sunday and also celebrate their seniors. Volleyball also has two more home games this week so make sure to come out and support Friday and Saturday! Cross country also has a big week ahead as they take on RMAC Championships at Wash Park this Saturday! The perfect weekend to support our runners and catch volleyball afterwards. Last but not least, men's golf ends the week in Hawaii as they wrap up their last two tournaments before RMAC Championships!
Women's Golf Recap
10/10 PUEBLO, CO- The Cougars headed south to take part in the Sam Proal Insurance Invite at the Pueblo Country Club October 9-10. Competing among 13 teams, Colorado Christian tied for 9th place overall.
ROUND ONE
Mary Beth Doss got things started with a 79 as she had a pair of birdies on the day. Raya Schulz followed with an 83, while Kylee Hughes shot an 85. Makenna Brown and Anna Mettler each shot 88s to close the first round out.
ROUND TWO
Doss closed strong, carding a 77 on three birdies to claim 15th overall. Schulz followed with another 83 as she claimed 36th at the invite. Mettler finished with an 84 as she closed in 46th place. Brown and Hughes shot an 86 and 89 respectively as they each placed in a tie for 49th.
Over the two rounds, the Cougars shot a total of 665 as they tied for 9th place overall.
Men's Golf Recap
10/10 WESTMINSTER, CO- Colorado Christian took part in the Centennial Cup October 9-10, hosted at the Walnut Creek Golf Preserve. After two days of excellent play, CCU came away with a second place team finish and Bradley Mulder won the individual title after a thrilling playoff hole. Xavier Bighaus had a career low round on the final day as he took third place overall.
ROUND ONE
From the jump, Mulder came out firing as the freshman carded five birdies on his way to a 68 in the first round. Adam Duncan was steady as usual, posting a 70 with four birdies and an eagle. Dylan Arthur was strong as he scored a 71 to remain under par by a stroke. Xavier Bighaus shot an even-par 72 to start the tourney, while Peyton Jones tallied a 73.
Three individuals competed for CCU, led by Ben Fowler with a 71 in round one. Cole Grossl tallied a 73, while Cameron Sandland shot a 77.
ROUND TWO
Mulder stayed consistent in the next round, posting a 71 with just one bogey on the 18 holes as he lowered his score to -5 overall. Duncan was strong as well, posting a 70 to go -4. Bighaus and Arthur shot 73s, while Jones went even-par with a 72.
Fowler shot a 75, while Sandland and Grossl shot 76 and 78 respectively.
ROUND THREE
Mulder played a great final round, with no bogeys and four birdies for a 68. At the end of the round he was tied for first with Colorado School of Mines' Max Lange, forcing the pair to a playoff hole. Mulder hit a strong drive and an even better approach shot. With a tournament win on the line, Mulder remained calm, cool and collected as he sank his putt for birdie to claim the title.
Bighaus had a career best round, shooting an incredible 63 with an astounding 11 birdies as he took third place overall. Duncan was consistent with a 72 as he tied for 11th. Arthur had a strong final day as he shot a 71, aided by a hole 18 eagle, to take 19th place. Jones shot a 77 as he tied for 37th.
Fowler closed with a 73 as he tied for 29th overall. Sandland netted a final round score 76 as he took 48th, while Grossl shot an 80 to claim 50th.
Overall, the Cougars finished with a score of 841 (281, 286, 274) to take second place overall at -23. Their final round of 274 was the lowest across all teams at the tournament through the three rounds played as they secured second place.
10/12 LAKEWOOD, CO- After taking first place at the Centennial Cup for his first collegiate win, Bradley Mulder has been named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Golfer of the Week.
Mulder was stellar throughout the three rounds played at the Walnut Creek Golf Preserve. He started off in round one by carding a 68, including five birdies as he went four under par. He remained steady in round two, firing off a 71 to put himself in a great position going into the final day. In round three, Bradley was locked in as he shot another 68 with no bogeys on his scorecard.
Mulder had to play extra golf to claim the title as he sat tied with Colorado School of Mines' Max Lange after 54 holes at -9. The pair played hole 10, and after a quality drive, Bradley put a really good approach shot onto the green for a difficult but makeable putt. With the win on the line, Mulder stepped up and hit the ball at the perfect speed and exact line needed to drop it into the hole for a birdie to claim the victory. It was an incredible result, as Mulder claimed the win in just his fourth collegiate tournament.
Congratulations to Bradley Mulder on being named the RMAC Golfer of the Week!
Volleyball Recap
10/13 LAKEWOOD, CO- The Cougars returned home on Friday evening for an RMAC matchup with Adams State. The Grizzlies came out with fire and played their way to a 3-1 victory over the hosts.
From the jump, ASU came out with energy as they jumped to an 8-2 advantage early on. Kills from Renee Phillips and Abby Breeding brought CCU within 14-9, and they later fought back to tie the set at 21 apiece after an Izzy Jones kill. With the set at 24-24, the Grizzlies managed to score the final two points to take the set 26-24.
In the second set, things leveled out as the teams fought back and forth for control of the set. Libby Goodman slammed down a kill to tie things at 10 before Phillips made it 18-17 to tighten the set late. Trailing 20-17, the Cougars ripped off an eight-point run to close the set out, led by several Goodman kills to win the set 25-20.
After gaining a lead at 16-14, the Grizzlies rattled off a run to take the 20-16 advantage. The visitors were able to close it out as they took the third set 25-20.
Adams State came out strong in the fourth set as they looked to finish off the match with an early 13-7 lead. The Cougars fought back to within 23-16, but the Grizzlies ultimately took the set and the match 25-17.
Goodman led with 18 kills, while Phillips tallied 11. Jones registered 46 assists, and Tarryn Debenedetto picked up 12 digs.
10/14 LAKEWOOD, CO- Colorado Christian played for the second straight night in the CCU Event Center as they took on CSU Pueblo Saturday evening. After splitting the first two sets, the visitors pulled away in an eventual four-set victory in a tightly contested match.
Suzanna Conner started off hot with an early kill, and later Libby Goodman made it 11-9 as they closed the gap. From there, CSUP started to pull away, gaining a 21-13 advantage before closing out the set 25-15.
Set two saw the Cougars firing on all cylinders as Renee Phillips slammed one home for an early 8-4 lead. Goodman stretched that lead to 12-6 with a kill, and later Phillips got an important point to make it 21-19. With the set tied at 23, a pair of Thunderwolves errors gave the set to the hosts 25-23 as the game stood level at one set apiece after two.
CSU Pueblo took an early lead in the third set and never really looked back. Phillips closed the gap to 20-16 late, but a talented CSUP squad closed it out for a 25-22 set win.
The fourth set was back and forth for the majority of the set, as the teams grappled for an advantage. An Izzy Jones ace brought the set level at 15 apiece, but then a long six-point run from the Thunderwolves gave them control. They eventually closed things out 25-18 to end the match with a four-set victory.
Goodman led with 18 kills, and Phillips was strong with 12. Jones tallied 37 assists, while Tarryn Debenedetto registered 14 digs.
Men's Basketball Recap
10/13 LAKEWOOD, CO- After a stellar career at Colorado Christian from 2020-2022 and a tremendous final year of collegiate basketball at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Ross Williams has signed a pro contract to play for the Fribourg Olympic of the Switzerland Basketball League.
It has long been Williams' dream to play basketball professionally, and he will join a team in Fribourg with a rich history of success in the SBL. The league is the highest level of basketball in Switzerland, and Ross has already begun to play with the team as he quickly transitioned to his new life overseas.
"It's what I prayed for, so I've always had that mentality of staying ready so you don't have to get ready," Williams said. "It's been an adjustment not only with the crazy time change, but also with family reaching out and congratulating me and I'm getting calls in the middle of the night. The food is way different, definitely a language barrier because everybody speaks French, but at the end of the day I wanted to be a professional basketball player and I knew these would be the stipulations. Definitely an adjustment, but enjoying it and learning a lot."
Williams honed his game for two years at Colorado Christian, scoring 907 points in his two years of play for the Cougars before he took his talents to TAMCC and made a lasting impression on many scouts. While there, he helped the Islanders win the Southland Conference and make the March Madness tournament. In a win against Southeast Missouri State, Ross had 13 points to setup a matchup with #1 Alabama. He dropped another 11 points against one of the best teams in the nation as his name began to be recognized nationally for his play in the highly viewed tournament.
"March Madness is one of the most viewed sporting events across the world, especially in the United States. It definitely played a huge part in me landing this contract. When it comes to sports and getting an opportunity to become a professional, I think it's all about performing when the bright lights are on," explained Williams. "Whenever you get an opportunity to perform and play in front of that many people, you've gotta trust your work that all comes from the early mornings and late nights in the gym. When you get out there it's time to play and have confidence in your game."
Williams joins a veteran team in Fribourg, and he hopes to make a quick impact and contribute his talents to the team as a point guard.
"I want to come in and be the hardest worker. I'm a rookie so it's like I'm starting back from ground zero, but I pride myself on putting the work in and outworking the competition. I want to come in, compete and scrap for minutes. When I do get on the court, I want to just do what I do, knock down some shots, play defense and help my team get wins," said Williams.
Ross spent time at the NAIA level, Division II here at CCU, and Division 1 at TAMCC, but he is grateful for his time spent at Colorado Christian as he feels it grew him both as a player and person.
"CCU was a place that I needed to go and I needed to learn what it takes to be a leader. Not only did I grow as a basketball player, but also as a man," said Williams. "Coach Simmons and Coach D challenged me as a leader and allowed me to grow as an individual."
As he adjusts to the game in Europe, Williams knows that his experience at many levels will help him with this transition.
"Being a journeyman allowed me to learn how to adapt and learn on the fly. Like anything it's an adjustment so you've gotta get used to it," Williams stated. "Not only is it physical, but the motion steps you can take in America you can't take out here, that's a travel. With goaltending, if your ball hits the rim and is spinning around they can knock it out. You gotta welcome and expect the learning curve, but then you also have to hold yourself to that high standard of being able to produce."
Ross already has three games under his belt for the Olympic, and has seen 31 minutes on the floor. As he continues to gain experience and get more minutes, he will look to help his team in the SBL as they search for another league title. Williams has achieved a dream he has had for a long time, and he is very thankful to many people who helped him get to where he is today.
"Big thank you to God first and foremost, none of this is possible without him. Also to my family, it takes a village and there were a lot of family members that had a play in my life. To all my coaches and teammates from my first school and from CCU. Coach [Liam] Simmons was definitely the first coach to talk to me about being a pro, what it looks like and how to strive towards that. Big shoutout to Coach Simmons and Coach [Chris] Dendinger, there were a lot of early mornings that they were in the gym with me, and they gave me the opportunity to move up from the NAIA level," Williams said. "To my coaches and teammates at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, allowing me to play on one of the biggest stages in the world to contribute. I definitely understand that nobody gets anywhere by themself, and I've had a lot of people look out for me along the way. Thank you to everybody who has had a hand in my journey."
As Williams continues his basketball career in Switzerland, we are excited to see the development and growth he has as he impacts his team at the highest level of basketball in that country. Congratulations on your first professional contract Ross, CCU Athletics is cheering you on!
Women's Soccer Recap
10/12 LAKEWOOD, CO- It was a blustery fall day as the Cougars took on Colorado School of Mines at Trailblazer Stadium on Thursday morning. A goal in the first half from the Orediggers turned out to be the difference as they held on for a 1-0 victory.
Mines started on the front foot offensively as they held a majority of the possession to begin play. Colorado Christian remained steady defensively though as they repelled each attack well. However, a short corner in the 25th minute resulted in a look from a Mines attacker, and she slotted home a goal from distance to give her team the lead. Keeper Alana Lopp made a pair of saves to close the half with the visitors leading 1-0.
The wind picked up in the second half as the two teams battled for control. Skylee Deladurantaye got off a shot on goal in the 71st minute, but the Mines keeper was there for the save. The Orediggers hit the woodwork twice in the closing minutes, but the game ended in a 1-0 victory for the visitors.
10/15 LAKEWOOD, CO- Colorado Christian took on Adams State at home on Sunday afternoon in a rematch of an earlier season matchup in Alamosa. After a quick strike from the Grizzlies, CCU leveled late in the first half as the game ended in a 1-1 tie.
Adams State came out firing offensively, and after consecutive corners they got off a shot that was blocked by keeper Alana Lopp, but the rebound was finished by a Grizzlies striker for the 1-0 lead. The Cougars did not let the quick goal discourage them though, as Jessica Sims forced a save minutes later. They continued to pressure, and cashed it in with a goal in the 37th. Ava Dinverno made a beautiful run down the wing and crossed the ball to a waiting Capri Dewing. Dewing's shot deflected off the keeper who attempted to make the save and made its way into the back of the net for the equalizer. The goal sent the teams to halftime tied at 1-1.
The Cougars came out aggressive to start the second half, spending a lot of time in the attacking third and taking shots to threaten the Grizzlies. Dinverno nearly had a goal in the 67th as she hit the near post and saw the shot ricochet out. The shots continued to come as it felt like CCU dominated the second half, but they could not manage to notch another goal as the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Colorado Christian took 17 shots with four being on goal, and they took 11 corners throughout the game.
Men's Soccer Recap
10/13 LAKEWOOD, CO- It was an intense matchup on Friday morning as Colorado Christian took on Westminster University in a rematch of last year's RMAC playoffs. In a very well played and hard fought match between the two sides, the game ended in a 0-0 draw despite some very good looks from both teams throughout.
Early on it was a game of possession as each team felt the other out for a way to break through into the attacking third. Lucca Casci got off the first shot of the game from distance but saw it collected by the Griffins keeper. A few minutes later WU got off a look but Michel Pinoncely was there to deny the shot. After a nice run down the sideline from Devon Najarro in the 14th, he found Gabe Roloff who saw his shot barely go wide on a good look for the Cougars. Pinoncely continued his strong play between the posts with a pair of saves on well driven balls to send the teams to the break scoreless.
The intensity grew in the second half as each team tied their last game and were desperate for a victory. The Griffins had a good look 10 minutes into the second half, but Pinoncely snagged the ball that was heading top shelf. The defense really set in for both teams as attempt after attempt was repelled by the backlines. CCU got off one last shot in the 88th but could not connect as the final whistle blew on a 0-0 tie after 90 hard fought minutes.
Pinoncely was strong in goal, registering six saves for his sixth clean sheet of the season. The shots were even with seven per team, while Colorado Christian took three corners to their opponents two.
10/15 LAKEWOOD, CO- The Cougars took on Colorado Mesa in an RMAC home matchup on Sunday afternoon at Trailblazer Stadium. After an absolute screamer of a goal from distance off the foot of Gabe Roloff, the Mavericks scored the next three goals to claim a 3-1 victory.
The two teams started off with a lot of midfield play as they felt each other out and tried to find a way to break through the middle of the field and score. As the Mavericks began to intensify their offensive pressure, CCU stayed resolute on defense as they repelled each attack. Then, a moment of individual brilliance came in the 22nd minute. Gabe Roloff pressured high to try and force a mistake from the CMU backline. He did just that, stealing the ball away and quickly looking towards the goal. Seeing that the keeper had come out of his six yard box to receive a potential pass, Roloff blasted a shot from 45 yards out that rocketed over the goalie and into the back of the net. The stunner shocked the visitors and sent the home bench and crowd into a frenzy. With the brilliant goal giving CCU the lead, the Mavericks fought to level. They did so less than two minutes later as a penalty kick was given that tied the game and sent the teams to the break at 1-1.
Colorado Mesa wasted little time breaking the tie in the second half, putting a through ball into space for a one-on-one that was finished for the 2-1 advantage. Unfortunately, the Cougars lost Shane Donnelly on a challenge in the 52nd as he was sent off and the hosts went down to 10 men. They fought valiantly despite the man down, as Roloff nearly scored another stunner from distance but saw the shot saved this time around. A late goal from CMU put the visitors in control as they eventually won by a score of 3-1.
Each keeper made two saves, while Devin Najarro, Silas Hess and Roloff got off shots for their team.
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