It was a big week for the Colorado Christian Athletics programs as our spring teams are just getting started.The week began with the track team traveling to Air Force for a last chance meet on Friday, a week before RMAC Championships. We saw some new PR's and more secured spots for next weekend! The day continued with our basketball teams traveling to Colorado School of Mines on Friday, followed by a trip to Metro the next day. Both teams had some close games and we are excited to see how the next few go this upcoming week. Softball had another huge weekend as they had a four-game sweep over Chadron State. In between games on Saturday, the softball team was also awarded their 2021-22 RMAC Championship rings. Following the wins, our very own Softball Head Coach, Larry Hays, reached his 200th milestone win in softball! This team has a big season ahead of them.

Track and Field Recap 

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO- Colorado Christian headed to nearby Air Force to race in the Collegiate Open hosted by the Falcons. The Cougars saw fast times as they tune up for the RMAC Championships next weekend in Alamosa. 

Molly Miller led off with the mile, running a converted time of 5:10 in the event as she continues to impress after playing women's soccer for the Cougars her whole career. Hannah George was remarkable in the 60m, flying to a time of 7.89 to take second place. She then followed that with a first place finish in the 200m, breaking another one of her school records with a mark of 25.97. Tara Smoker also ran the 200m, placing third with a time of 26.19. 

Four  Cougars took part in the 400m, led by Jonah Beard in 12th place with a 51.68. Gabe Ring followed in 15th with a 52.75, and Nate Johnson secured 18th with a 53.46. Dawson Hancock closed with a 23rd place finish at 56.18. Alexander Vance shone in the 800m, placing second with a time of 1.56.69. Mason Gansz came in at 2:05.75 in the same event. Tyler Bradley flew to a school record for the second straight week, breaking the 200m mark with a 21.79 to take second place in the event. Beard ran a 22.55 for ninth, while Hancock tallied a 24.67 for 17th. 

CCU will now take part in the RMAC Championships on February 24-25 in Alamosa hosted by Adams State.

Women's Basketball Recap 2/17

GOLDEN, CO- Colorado Christian took on nationally ranked and second place in the RMAC Colorado School of Mines on the road Friday evening. CCU pushed the Orediggers to the limit, barely falling 70-69 after battling all game long. 

Makenna Bodette and Agnes Paul and Maggie Hutka led with 14 points each, while Mykaela Moore put up 8 points. Moore pulled down six rebounds, while Paul and Hutka secured five rebounds respectively. Moore was facilitating well all night, dishing out eight assists to lead her team. Regan LoConte played strong with five assists. 

The Cougars led in bench points by a margin of 21-16, and they put up 34 points in the paint to their opponents 26. The score was tied eight times throughout the game, and each team had seven second chance points. CCU shot an impressive 52% from the field as they nearly pulled off the upset. Paul had a late look at the winning basket, but the ball rolled halfway down and out as the hosts claimed the narrow victory.

Men's Basketball Recap 2/18

DENVER, CO- The Cougars played on the road for the last time this season, taking on MSU Denver on Saturday. In a tight game that needed extra minutes, CCU fell in overtime 75-73 to the Roadrunners.

DJ McDonald excelled with 20 points, while Noah Kon tallied 16 on the night. Isaiah Alonzo and Schafer Reichart each pulled down six rebounds to lead the team, and Shaylen Woodberry recorded five. Kon put out three assists, followed by McDonald, Alonzo and Woodberry with two.

CCU was effective in transition, scoring 20 points off of turnovers to their opponents' 10. They secured 14 second chance points, and the score was tied 12 times in a back and forth affair. They put in 38 points in the paint and saw their bench score 9 points. In the end a few late buckets that did not fall resulted in a narrow MSUD victory in overtime. 

Woodberry was strong all night, picking up several offensive boards and putting second chance points in. McDonald was responsible for the game going to OT, hitting a clutch three with six seconds remaining. The game was tight throughout, with each team leading by five in the first half and three in the second, not allowing either to pull away. It was fitting that such a contest required another five minutes to decide a winner. McDonald put his team up one with 2:20 left in overtime, but then the Roadrunners got a dunk to change the momentum, and a three-pointer forced the Cougars to take a timeout. A late look from CCU from three did not fall to give Metro the win in a thrilling game. 

The Cougars will return home for their second to last game of the year on February 22 at 7 p.m. against #2 Black Hills State.

Softball Recap 2/18

LAKEWOOD, CO- The Cougars hosted their first games of the year on Saturday at All Star Park, opening conference play against Chadron State. The day was festive throughout, as CCU celebrated last years' RMAC championship with a ring ceremony between the first and second games. Everyone went home with a smile, as Colorado Christian showed they are a threat to win the conference again with two shutout victories on the day.

GAME ONE

The first contest was dominated by the home team, as they scored in the second inning and never trailed again. Kayla Middleton picked up the games' first RBI with a single to score Savannah Tourville. In the third, a pair of fielders' choices scored two more to make it 3-0. The fifth and sixth saw CCU blow the game wide open, starting with an RBI double from Tourville. Leah Garcia then jumped on a pitch and sent it sailing over the fence for a two-run shot to make it 6-0. Logan Menzies put the nail in the coffin, slamming a two-run homer in the sixth to walk-it-off and run rule the Eagles 8-0. 

Back-to-back RMAC pitcher of the week Kali Crandall was dominant yet again, twirling six shutout innings on just two hits allowed and six strikeouts to snag her fifth win of the season. Logan Menzies and Leah Garcia powered the offense with their home runs.

GAME TWO

In the days' second game, there was much less scoring involved and a pitchers duel was brewing early. Abrie Castillo took on Chadron States' Tori Haug and the two did not allow a run through the first four innings. The Cougars broke through in the fifth, as Kenzie Middleton tallied two RBI with a double to score Camryn Quilling and Miki Berg. A fielders' choice resulted in a third run of the inning scored by Middleton and the teams went to the sixth with CCU leading 3-0. Miki Berg launched a ball over the fence in center-field in the sixth, netting her second long ball of the year and putting her team ahead 4-0. Castillo closed things out in the final frame for a 4-0 victory. 

Castillo was dominant with a seven inning shutout victory, striking out eight and allowing only one hit. Kenzie Middleton came through in the clutch, netting the first two runs of an eventual 4-0 victory.

With the second win on the day, head coach Larry Hays secured his 200th win all-time in softball, an impressive milestone in just six years coaching the sport. 

The Cougars close their series with Chadron State on February 19 with a doubleheader at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at All Star Park.

LAKEWOOD, CO- With a pair of wins on Saturday, head softball coach Larry Hays has reached 200 victories in the sport all time. After one year at Lubbock Christian where he won 54 games, Hays then came to Colorado Christian in 2018.

At CCU, Hays has turned the program into a national powerhouse, winning 146 games with the Cougars. He has taken them to Regionals twice, and last year Colorado Christian claimed the programs' first-ever conference title. It was fitting that Hays' Cougars received their RMAC Championship rings and celebrated last years' accomplishments on the day he reached 200 wins. 

CCU is hungry for more, and there surely are many more victories in coach Hays' future. Congratulations to Larry Hays on reaching the 200 victories milestone in softball!

2/19

LAKEWOOD, CO- For the second straight day, the Cougars took on Chadron State in a doubleheader to close their first RMAC series. The defending conference champs backed it up to start league play, winning two more for a four-game sweep of the Eagles. 

GAME ONE

Colorado Christian got things going in a hurry, starting with a first inning double from Leah Garcia to plate two runs. CSC tallied a run in the second to close the game to 2-1, but they never got any closer. Kenzie Middleton cranked her first homer of the season to push the lead back to two, sneaking a ball inside the right field pole to make it 3-1. The third inning saw more hitting from CCU, beginning with a single from Kayla Middleton and a prompt triple from Miki Berg for another run. Savannah Tourville then picked up an RBI groundout to make it 5-1. A mini rally from the Eagles in the fifth made it 5-3, but Colorado Christian took over from there with three runs in the sixth led by a two-run homer from Logan Menzies as the hosts secured an 8-3 victory. 

Kali Crandall picked up the win with five innings pitched and four strikeouts on three runs allowed. Abrie Castillo secured the save with two perfect innings of shutout ball on two strikeouts. Garcia and Menzies led with two RBI apiece to push the offense. 

GAME TWO

The second contest saw Alexis Hamilton take the mound for the Cougars, and she did not disappoint. She was helped to a shorter outing than usual by her offense. A three-run second began with a triple from Garcia, and Kayla Middleton scored her with a single. Tourville singled to score Middleton and make it 3-0 early. Garcia continued a wonderful day at the plate with a ground-rule double to score Sami Edwards. Kayla Middleton then tripled to score another run and make it 5-0. CCU closed it in the fourth, as Mikayla Oaks singled in a run to start the inning off well. Kenzie Middleton then doubled in another run before Taylor Olsen singled home the eighth run of the game for her team. Hamilton then closed out the run-rule victory in the fifth, shutting down Chadron State for a complete game victory. 

Hamilton secured her second win of the season on five innings pitched, with four strikeouts and six hits allowed. Garcia again topped her team with RBI at two, matched by Kenzie Middleton with a pair of RBI as well. 

The Cougars now sit at 4-0 in the RMAC and are riding a 14 game winning streak. They will take that streak on the road next weekend as they play at CSU Pueblo on February 24 at 12 and 2 p.m.