Although all games were away, it was a busy past week! Women's soccer wrapped up their season as they played their last game in Denver against MSU. Three key players, Ava Dinverno, Zoe Sims, and Capri Dewing received RMAC Honorable Mention this past week as well Ben Hess and Gabe Roloff from the mens team. Congratulations to them and a great season! Women's Volleyball was on the road this week in South Dakota and took on two teams with a great win against Black Hills State. They have one last home game this upcoming Friday where we will also be celebrating our four seniors, so make sure to come on out and support! Our men's and women's cross country teams also had a huge weekend as they competed at Regionals in Lubbock, Texas. The men took fifth place out of 25 top teams and women claimed seventh out of 26 teams. A huge accomplishment as our top runners from each team were Matthew Storer who came in fourth place and Shannon King who came in 15th! The teams also just received an at-large bid to Nationals-stay tuned in the weeks ahead as we get closer to November 18th!
Last but not least, we have some teams starting up again for their Championship seasons! Men's and women's basketball have competed in a few exhibitions and the women's team has their first non-conference home game this Friday at 3pm! Men's basketball is on the road and will take on two teams in Texas this weekend. Lots of exciting things this week! 
 
XC going to Championships!!
LAKEWOOD,CO- The NCAA announced the 34 teams that will be competing at the Cross Country National Championships in Joplin, Missouri on November 18, and for the third straight year, both the men and women from Colorado Christian have earned a spot. This marks the fourth consecutive year that the men have earned a bid to the last meet of the season. 

 
The women make their third straight appearance at Nationals after a strong fall that saw them earn top-10 finishes in all five meets they competed in. The team ran very well at Regionals this past weekend, taking seventh of the 26 teams competing there in an extremely competitive Region that features nine nationally ranked teams and four of the top five teams in the nation. The Cougars proved they are a strong contender and for their efforts earned a third consecutive bid to Nationals. 
 
The men earn their fourth consecutive bid to the National Championships after yet another strong year. After taking second at the highly competitive Lewis Crossover, the team went to Regionals and took fifth place in arguably the toughest region in all of division two. After a third place finish last year at the championships, CCU will look to remain one of the top teams in the country as they head to Missouri later this month. 
 
Head Coach Jon Poag spoke on his team, saying "We are excited to be returning to the championships this year, it is an honor we are not taking for granted. Both of our teams have worked incredibly hard this year and I am eager to see what transpires in a few weeks. This will be our men's 4th consecutive trip to the national championships and women's 3rd, certainly a credit to our student athletes' sense of focus and resolve." 
 
The teams will be competing at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course in Joplin, Missouri on November 18 as they look to further stamp the CCU name as a mainstay at the Championships. For all updates regarding the championships, stay tuned to ccucougars.com and follow the team on Instagram at runccurun. 
 
NCAA Release on Teams Competing
 
Women's Soccer Recap
11/1 DENVER, CO- The Cougars closed their season on Wednesday evening as they took on MSU Denver on the road. Despite a great battle from Colorado Christian, the host Roadrunners claimed a victory by a final score of 1-0.

Jessica Sims got the offense started early with a shot less than a minute in, but the strike sailed high. A few minutes later, the Roadrunners put a shot on goal, but Alana Lopp made the save. Breenalyn Shimabukuro then put a shot on goal but saw it saved by the MSUD keeper. In the 18th minute, MSU Denver struck for a goal to grab the lead. They pressured again shortly after as Lopp made another save. The two teams grappled to halftime with the hosts holding a 1-0 lead. 

Sims again got the half started out strong as she forced another save a few minutes into the second 45. Lopp remained stellar, making three more saves as the Roadrunners threatened to expand the lead. CCU continued to try and break through and level the match, but despite their best attempts they were unable to get the tying goal in an eventual 1-0 defeat.

Colorado Christian closed the 2023 season with a record of 3-10-4 and a mark of 1-8-3 in the RMAC. The Cougars will now look forward to 2024 as head coach Anne Metz enters her second season at the helm of the program.
 
11/5 LAKEWOOD, CO- The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced their women's soccer postseason awards on Sunday, and three Cougars were named Honorable Mention by the conference. Zoe Sims, Capri Dewing and Ava Dinverno all received the honor after stellar seasons from the trio. 


Sims brings home the honor after a tremendous season in her first and lone year with the Cougars. The graduate transfer time and time again made heady plays that put her team into the right position and helped them both defend and score. The skilled midfielder started all 17 games the team played in this season, and she tallied a goal against Eastern New Mexico to lead her team to victory in that game. Sims had a definite impact on the team's success, and she has been honored for her efforts.
 
Dewing had another strong season in her third year at CCU, continuing to be a force from her forward position. She too started in all 17 games for her team, and she made things happen every time she took the pitch. Using her excellent technical skills and speed, the junior tallied the most points on the team as she netted a trio of goals and three assists. Capri was a big reason for the wins the team saw this season, and the conference recognized her skill with an honorable mention.


Dinverno transferred in from DBU this season, and she made her presence felt in each and every game for her team. The forward from texas showed off incredible speed, making defenders and keepers across the league uncomfortable all year. With truly blazing speed and impressive skills on the ball, Ava netted a goal and assist, and always threatened to score when she had the ball on the wing or in the middle. The RMAC saw the talents of Dinverno and honored her for the strong season she had.

Congratulations to Zoe Sims, Capri Dewing and Ava Dinverno for being named RMAC Honorable Mention!

RMAC Conference Award Release 
 
Men's Soccer Recap 
11/2 LAKEWOOD, CO- The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Announced their all conference rosters on Thursday, and two key pieces of the Cougars team were named Honorable Mention. Seniors Ben Hess and Gabe Roloff earned the distinction after leading the team this year and making a noticeable impact on the pitch. 
 
A key cog of the CCU team, Hess played his midfield position excellently in his last season as a Cougar, providing a presence that can flow from the back forward with speed, aggression and precision. Hess wore the captain armband this season, and continually showed his leadership in all areas of the game. Ben started every single conference game the team competed in, and he repeatedly showed off great technical skill and set up runs forward with his smart decision making. The conference recognized the leader and player that Hess is with an honorable mention as he closes his senior season. 

An attacking forward, Roloff is a constant threat to put the ball into the back of the net. Using his 6'2'' frame, Gabe is constantly winning 50/50 jump balls and heading them towards the goal or to the waiting foot of a teammate. Roloff put in a trio of goals for the Cougars this year, and all were stellar strikes from the senior from Taiwan. The first came against nationally ranked Colorado Mesa when he depossessed a Mavericks defender and blasted a goal over the keepers' head from 50 yards out. His next came against Regis, and he showed off his incredible athletic ability with a bicycle kick goal off his chest. The last of the season came in the final five minutes against Mines when he closed his career out strong with a winning goal on a snowy day in Golden. 

Congratulations to Ben Hess and Gabe Roloff for being named RMAC Honorable Mention!
 
RMAC Conference Award Release 
 
Women's Volleyball Recap 
11/3 RAPID CITY, S.D.- The Cougars continued their three-game road trip on Friday night as they took on South Dakota Mines in Rapid City. Unfortunately, the hosts came out firing and never looked back as they went on to sweep CCU on this night. 
 
From the start the Hardrockers came out firing, racing to a 10-4 lead quickly. Colorado Christian rallied from there as Renee Phillips put down a kill to bring her team within three at 10-7. Another long run keyed by kills from Alli Douglass and Libby Goodman brough the two teams level at 12 apiece. However, a long run at the end of the set gave SDM the set by a score of 25-14.

 
The second set began tightly contested and midway through it 15-10 in favor of the hosts. Similar to the first set, the Hardrockers got on several long runs to close it out 25-16. 
 
It was a hot start for CCU in set three, as they scored four of the first five points of the set on a pair of kills from Goodman and a Phillips ace. The hosts rallied back, but Phillips notched a pair of kills to bring her team within two at 14-12. Still trailing by two at 18-16, CCU saw the Hardrockers go on another long run that just about sealed the match, and they ended things with a sweep on a 25-18 set victory. 
 
Goodman was the leader in kills for the offense with 10 followed by Phillips with six. Krista Traynor had 15 assists, while Izzy Jones notched four in her return to play. Douglass tallied eight digs as part of a strong overall night for her. 
 
11/4 SPEARFISH, S.D.- Colorado Christian closed their three-game road trip on Saturday night with an important RMAC matchup at Black Hills State. They picked up a key victory, taking down the Yellowjackets in four sets to claim the win.

The hosts took a quick 12-6 lead early in the first set, but the resilient Cougars did not flinch. A five-point run keyed by three straight kills from Libby Goodman brought CCU closer, and later an ace from Abby Breeding sent the teams to a tie at 19 apiece. The teams battled from there, and the set eventually stood level at 24-24. That was when Goodman took over, putting down two straight kills to clinch the 26-24 set victory. 

The second set started with a quick eight-point run from the Cougars, led by a trio of kills from Connelly Kilgore. The hosts clawed their way back into the set, though, and they eventually took a 22-18 lead. Goodman put down two more kills, but in the end the Yellowjackets won the set 25-22.

With the two teams level at one set apiece, it was CCU who took control in the third set. An ace from Abby Newell put them ahead 7-2, and later an Izzy Jones kill made it 12-4. Renee Phillips started to get going, putting down a pair of kills, and eventually they sat at set point at 24-21. Another Goodman kill ended things as they claimed the set 25-21.

Another fast start in set four put the Cougars up 5-0 early as Alli Douglass tallied a pair of aces. A four-point run led by consecutive kills from Douglass made it 15-7, and a Jones ace later made it 21-12. Leading 23-16, Kilgore and Douglass finished things off with kills as the Cougars took the set and the match by a score of 25-16 in set four.

Goodman was strong throughout the match, putting down 20 kills while Phillips tallied 15. Jones was fantastic, dishing out 51 assists, and Breeding led the defense with 14 digs.

Colorado Christian closes the regular season at home on November 10 as they take on New Mexico Highlands at 7 p.m. MST.
 
 
 
Cross Country Recap 
11/4 LUBBOCK, TX- Cross Country headed to Texas on Saturday as they took part in the NCAA South Central Regionals hosted by Lubbock Christian at Chaparral Ridge Cross Country Course. The teams battled hard as the women took seventh place out of the 26 teams competing, while the men finished in 5th out of the 25 teams taking part. 
 
The women started the morning off as they took part in the 6k. Shannon King led the effort for her team, taking 15th place overall with a strong time of 21:02.94. Molly Miller was next, and she impressed with a 26th place finish with a time of 21:29.92. Paige Tack posted a time of 22:06.16 as she claimed 45th. Zanzie Demco was just behind Tack in 47th with a 22:12.65. Lucy Pidek rounded out the top five in 50th as she ran a time of 22:16.16. Callie Ketner ran a mark of 22:40.92, while Michelle Burroughs posted a time of 23:01.41. 

 
The men came next, taking part in the 10k. Amongst a field of top national talent, Matthew Storer showed he is one of those talents, claiming fourth place overall with a run of 29:48.28. Following him was Trent Cochran in 15th as he posted a time of 30:30.11. Freshman Zach Vance had a strong showing in his first regional appearance as he took 32nd with a mark of 31:00.33. Caleb Hershey and Alex Vance finished closely, taking 39th and 40th with times of 31:14.58 and 31:15.10 respectively. Isaac Roberts posted a time of 32:16.10 to round out the Cougars runners. 
 

With the women claiming seventh, and the men taking fifth overall, the teams will await their fate and look to garner one of 10 at-large bids that will be announced on Monday. 
 
Women's Top-10: 1. Brianna Robles (Adams State) 20:13.69; 2. Eleonora Curtabbi (WTAMU) 20:23.18; 3. Allison Beasley (Western Colorado) 20:38.81; 4. Anna Fauske (UCCS) 20:40.44; 5. Ava O'Connor (Adams State) 20:45.93; 6. Clare Peters (Mines) 20:46.41; 7. Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge (Mines) 20:47.43; 8. Sarah Koomson (WTAMU) 20:49.69; 9. Elena Carey (Adams State) 20:51.43; 10. Holly Moser (Mines) 20:52.44
 
Colorado Christian Women: 1. Shannon King: 21:02.94; 2. Molly Miller: 21:29.92; 3. Paige Tack: 22:06.16; 4. Zanzie Demco: 22:12.65; 5. Lucy Pidek: 22:16.16; 6. Callie Ketner: 22:40.92; 7. Michelle Burroughs: 23:01.41
 
Men's Top-10: 1. William Amponsah (WTAMU) 29:32.59; 2. Romain Legendre (Adams State) 29:40.62; 3. Loic Scomparin (Mines) 29:44.86; 4. Matthew Storer (CCU) 29:48.28; 5. Andrew Amor (NMHU) 29:55.37; 6. Paul Knight (Mines) 30:04.08; 7. JP Rutledge (Mines) 30:04.61; 8. Harry Lourador (WTAMU) 30:07.85; 9. Awet Beraki (Adams State) 30:13.61; 10. Dayton Brown (Adams State) 30:16.58
 
Colorado Christian Men: 1. Matthew Storer: 29:48.28; 2. Trent Cochran: 30:30.11; 3. Zach Vance: 31:00.33; 4. Caleb Hershey: 31:14.58; 5. Alex Vance: 31:15.10; 6. Isaac Roberts: 32:16.10
 
Track and Field Season Preview 
LAKEWOOD, CO- The Indoor Track & Field season is quickly approaching as the team gets ready to begin competition on the first of December, and after a strong season last year, the team will look to take another step forward during the winter.

The first meet of the season will take place at Mines December 1-2 in nearby Golden. The team will then head to UCCS back-to-back meets December 8-9 and again in the New Year January 19-20. The team will then send athletes to Topeka, Kansas to take part in the Washburn Open before sending more runners to the prestigious David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston February 9-10. They will close the regular season at the Air Force Collegiate Open in Colorado Springs on February 16. Next up comes the RMAC Indoor Championships that will be held in Spearfish, South Dakota February 23-24 and will be hosted by Black Hills State. The indoor season wraps up at the National Championships that will be held in Pittsburg, Kansas this year on March 8-9. The Cougars sent two athletes to the championships last season, and they will look to send even more this year. 


On the women's side of things, sprinter Hannah George returns and will look to make an impact in the 60m and 200m. Tara Smoker will look to impress in the 400m, while Alayna Wallace, and Michelle Kuipers will push for NCAA Qualifying Times in the 800m. In the mile, Callie Ketner will be featured and look to post strong times throughout the season. Ashley Vil has become an excellent triple jumper over the course of her time at CCU, and she will look to keep the momentum going this season. The team has a lot of strong returning student-athletes and they will surely turn some heads during the indoor season.

On the men's side, the two runners with the most expectations will be Matthew Storer and Hudson Majeski. Storer had an incredible season all around last year, claiming four All American honors across the three sports he competed in for Cross Country and Track & Field. In the indoor track and field season in 2022-23, Storer made the NCAA Championships in the 5000m, claiming All American honors with a fifth place finish. Hudson Majeski made it to the championships in the extremely competitive Mile, and he shined in his first appearance at a championship, claiming 8th in the event to earn All American honors. Other runners to watch out for will be Josh Pierantoni in the distance events, and Jonah Beard in the sprints. The team will look to have a strong season and send even more athletes to the NCAA Championships.

Come out and support your Cougars as they begin the season at the Mines Alumni Classic December 1-2 in Golden. Follow along with all things CCU Track & Field at ccucougars.com and on Instagram at runccurun.
 
Women's Basketball Season Preview 
LAKEWOOD, CO- The women's basketball season is right around the corner, and with a new year upon us, the program is excited to get going on November 10. With some key additions and a lot of returning starters, this year's team has high hopes to make some noise in the conference. 


Coming off the most wins since Diane Thompson took over the program with 10 in 2022-2023, the team will look to continue to push the standard even higher as they begin the year against Lubbock Christian and University of Texas at Tyler November 10 and 11. Following their opening weekend at home, the team will travel to Pueblo to take on Langston and Colorado Mesa in non-conference play. They then return home for a pair of games against Seattle Pacific University and Eckerd College as the team is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to not have to leave the state in pre-season play.

Conference play begins December 1 at New Mexico Highlands as the squad kicks off 22 RMAC competitions that will extend into March of 2024. The Cougars will look to defeat UT Tyler for the second straight season, as they took down the regional power last season on the back of a program record 13 three-pointers. In conference play, CCU took down CSU Pueblo, Chadron State, Fort Lewis, UCCS, Chadron State and Western Colorado last season. They will be looking to repeat those results and push towards more victories over the rest of the RMAC.

Helping the efforts from beyond the arc this season will be Junior Maggie Phipps and Senior Regan LoConte. The duo combined for an impressive 81 threes last season, and they are a constant threat to pull up and drain shots from far beyond the three-point line. Down low, it will be returners Agnes Paul, Dasiya Jones and Maggie Hutka who will be expected to snag rebounds and put up points in the paint. Paul led the team with 183 boards last season followed by 149 from Hutka and 123 from Jones. They will be joined by two new freshmen in Kennedy White and Kora Huff, who stand at 6 '2 and 6' 3 respectively.

As far as ball-handling is concerned, the combo of Nicole Bowlin and Victoria Perez will lead the charge as they routinely distribute the ball efficiently and make clutch jump shots from all areas of the court. Bowlin dished out a team high 86 assists last season, and Perez tallied 40 in an injury hampered year. Both are healthy and ready to go as the new season approaches, and the team will rely on their leadership and smart decision making to secure victories.

It is an exciting time of year as basketball season is just about to get underway, and you can catch the Cougars at home on November 10 as they battle Lubbock Christian inside the CCU Event Center with tipoff slated for 3 p.m. MST. Keep up with all things women's basketball at ccucougars.com and on Instagram at ccu_wbb.