GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— Colorado Mesa University indoor track and field athletes will compete in three different meets this weekend as they make their final pushes for spots in the upcoming Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II National Championships.

Nine Maverick middle and distance runners are in Allendale, Michigan for the Grand Valley State University Big Meet, which will feature more than 3,000 total athletes in what is the biggest meet in America this weekend.  They will be looking to take advantage of what will be CMU's lone low-altitude trip of the season.  That competition is divided into two separate meets known quite appropriately as GVSU Big Meet-Friday and GVSU Big Meet-Saturday.

Meanwhile, 15 more Maverick runners will hope to use the banked track at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico's largest city during the Don Kirby Elite, which will be held on both Friday and Saturday.

The Mavs will then send their largest contingent of nearly 50 athletes, including a host of field event athletes and other runners to the Mountain Lion Open in Colorado Springs, which will only be contested on Saturday.

Details about each meet, including links to the various schedules, live results and live streams will be posted below.

Recaps will also be posted on www.cmumavericks.com throughout the weekend.

Last Time Out

CMU runners and throwers were in action this past weekend at the Colorado Classic in Boulder.

The field events were contested on Friday as a contingent of Maverick throwers competed in the shot put and weight throw events.  Augustine Hancock (women's weight throw) and Austin Schultz (men's shot put) led the way with seventh place finishes as the only NCAA Division II throwers to make the finals.

The Maverick runners then raced on Saturday on the University of Colorado's Indoor Practice Facility track, combining for 19 new times on the program's all-time top-10 performers' charts. 

Many of CMU's distance runners made their season or career-debuts.

Full recaps of the Mavs' solid performances can be seen at the links above.

Ranking Update

The Maverick men held on to a top-25 spot in this week's U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's NCAA Division II TFRI (Track & Field Ratings Index), which was released on Tuesday.  The Mavericks now have 31.11 points at Checkpoint #3, good for 25^th.

They had surged a national-leading 59 spots to 20^th in last week's Checkpoint #2 after being ranked 79^th in the first weekly edition of 2026.

The Maverick men are also ranked seventh out of 23 teams in the South Central Regional index with 154.08 points and are fourth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference index with 277.74 points.

The Maverick women sit sixth in the RMAC (233.75) and are 12^th in the region with 76.69 points.

#EventSquad

The Maverick men are also ranked sixth in Division II for the 60 meters and seventh for the 200 meters, per the USTFFCCA's #EventSquad rankings.  Those rankings add up each team's best four athletes' season-best performances in a particular event throughout the season.

The Mavs have a combined time of 27.28 in the 60 meters and 1:26.53 in the 200.  The Mavs have  a pair of NCAA Division II Championship provisional qualifiers in both events.

Top 10's

As mentioned earlier, the Mavericks had an impressive day of running action at the Colorado Classic, turning in 19 new marks on the program's all-time top-10 performers charts in ten different disciplines.  The Maverick distance runners fueled the charge on what was one of CMU's most successful distance running days in program history.

Here's a breakdown of all the new marks.

Men (12 Marks)
60m- 3. Marik Cummings (6.77)
400m- 6. Blake Anderson (49.53)
800m- 4. Kyle Towne (1:53.86); 8. Peter Leary (1:55.58); Jayden Thulson (1:55.70)
Mile- 4. Clayton Wilson (4:19.38); 8. Chase Brown (4:21.59); 9. Colton White (4:22.36)
3K- 3. White (8:38.36); 4. Wilson (8:40.78); 9. Brown (8:53.00)
60 Hurdles- 8. Solomon Griffen (8.31)

Women (7 Marks)
400m- 10. Elaina Arcand (58.82)
Mile- 6. Jordan Staniszewski (5:15.18); 9. Maya Kobylanski (5:16.61)
3K- 10. Shirely Weaver (10:39.18)
5K- 5. Lauren Hodges (18:20.42); 6. Daisy Lalobnde (18:24.74); 7. Wehazit Kelati (18:25.65)

Championship Qualifying Procedures

The Mavericks will be gunning for championship qualifying marks throughout the season, including at this weekend's meets, which are shaping up to be quite important to the Mavs' postseason aspirations.  To qualify for the RMAC Championships, athletes must be amongst the top 18 declared athletes in their respective events on the conference's season-long performance lists, which will also factor in altitude and track-size conversions, which try to level out the various conditions and locations that RMAC athletes compete in.

The RMAC Championships will be held on Feb. 27-28 in Gunnison.

The national championship selections will be made on a similar basis with the top 18 declared athletes in each of the individual event qualifying.  The top 16 combined event performers (heptathlon/pentathlon) will also receive an invite to the Mar. 13-15 NCAA Division II National Championships in Indianapolis.  The top 12 relay teams will also be selected.

This procedure is identical to 2024-25, but a slight tweak from previous seasons when the number of qualifiers in each event varied slightly when the national committee used a "desired field size" mandate, rather than a hard cutoff.

National List Representatives

Marik Cummings became the fourth Maverick athlete to set a NCAA Division II Championship provisional qualifying mark this season with his 60-meter time at last Saturday's Colorado Classic.  The Mavericks now have five combined marks.

Here is a look at the current Maverick rankings on the national lists.

Men
60m- T15. Mateo Casados (6.74*); T36. Marik Cummings (6.79*)
200m- 3. Joseph Randolph (20.99*): T6. Casados (21.10*)

Women
Triple Jump- 29. Kendra Ritzmann (11.86m/38-11)

*-Altitude/Track-Size Converted time

RMAC Leaders

Twelve different Maverick individuals plus the women's 4x400-meter relay rank amongst the RMAC's top five in their respective events heading into the weekend.

Here is a look at the Mavs represented amongst the top five in their respective events.

Men
60m- 1. Teo Casados (6.74*), 3. Marik Cummings (6.79*)
200m- 1. Joseph Randolph (20.99*), 2. Casados (21.10*)
High Jump- 5. Benson White (1.97/6-5.5)
Long Jump- 4. Weston Domich (7.12m/23-4.5)
Weight Throw- 5. Van Chambers (17.73m/58-2)

Women
200m- 5. Hannah Schissler (24.84*)
400m- 3. Kammi Merritt (57.24*)
4x400m Relay- 3. Schissler, Brooke Miller, Kaitlyn Pearson, Merritt (3:51.57*)
High Jump- 4. Kaela Gibson (1.62m/5-3.75)
Pole Vault- 5. Taiya Carl (3.62m/11-10.5)
Triple Jump- 3. Kendra Ritzmann (11.86m/38-11)
Weight Throw- 4. Augustine Hancock (16.91m/55-5.75)

*-Altitude/Track-Size Converted time
The GVSU Big Meet website is the best source of information for both days.

The meets can be seen with a subscription to FloTrack at https://www.flotrack.org/events/14688593-2026-gvsu-big-meet.

Live results will be available here on Athletic.net and provided by Fairchild Sports Timing at these links: FRIDAY | SATURDAY

Friday's meet will begin at 8:30 a.m. EST (6:30 a.m. Mountain) while Saturday's is slated for a 10 a.m. EST (8 a.m. Mountain) start.

The Mavericks have nine athletes slated to compete in the same number of total disciplines as listed below.  Four Maverick women will compete in individual events on Friday and then team together for CMU's first distance medley relay effort of the season on Saturday.

Hot off strong efforts in Colorado last week, Chase Brown, Kyle Towne, Colton White and Clayton Wilson will represent the Mavs as will heralded Greek freshman Vasleios Salpas, who will compete for the Mavs for the first time in the 800 meters on Friday.

Friday Entries

Men (5 Athletes, 6 Entries)
800m (2): Vasleios Salpas, Kyle Towne
Mile (2): Chase Brown, Clayton Wilson
3K (2): Colton White, Wilson

Women (4 Athletes, 5 Entries)
400m (1): Kammi Merritt
800m (2): Brooke Miller, Jordan Staniszewski
Mile (1): Megan Hodges
3K (1): Hodges

Saturday Entries

Men (2 Athletes, 2 Entries)
800m (1): Kyle Towne
3K (1): Chase Brown

Women (4 Athletes, 1 Relay Entry)
DMR (1 Team): Jordan Staniszewski, Kammi Merritt, Brooke Miller, Megan Hodges
Fifteen Maverick runners will race in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The trip is the Mavs' second to New Mexico this season.  The Mavs' Joseph Randolph set a 200-meter school record in the first at the New Mexico Team Open two weeks ago.  Randolph will run both that and the 60 meters.  Fellow national championship provisional qualifier Teo Casados, who is CMU's 60-meter record holder, will also contest both events.

Track events will begin at 2 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.

The full schedule and heat sheets can be seen on the meet information page. 

Live results will be available here.

The meet will also be streamed on FloTrack at https://flosports.link/3VbmvUU

CMU's Entries

Men (8 Athletes, 14 Entries)
60m (3): Teo Casados, Amaris Mora, Joseph Randolph
200m (5): Aidan Brownell, Casados, Alonzo Leiba, Mora, Randolph
400m (3): Brownell, Jordan Fraser, Antonio Wadsworth
Mile (1): Dominick Muller
3K (1): Muller
4x400m Relay: 1 Team

Women (7 Athletes, 12 Entries)
60m (1): Hannah Schissler
200m (3): Elaina Arcand, Cami Costello, Schissler
400m (2): Arcand, Schissler
Mile (4): Lauren Hodges, Maya Kobylanski, Daisy Lalonde, Autumn McQuitty
3K (2): Hodges, Lalonde
The Mavs' largest contingent of athletes will be at the Mountain Lion Field House on the campus of UCCS in Colorado Springs.

A total of 46 Maverick athletes are entered a combined 75 times in 25 different disciplines.

Action will begin in the field at 9 a.m. and on the track at Noon, according to the final meet schedule, which can be seen with all sorts of other good information on the meet information page.

Live results can be accessed here.

The meet will be streamed on the RMAC Network.

CMU's Entries

Men (23 Athletes, 38 Entries)
60m (4): Weston Domich, Hayden Moreno, Roman Sackman, Devin Shea
800m (6): Dillon Elliott, Peter Leary, John McGill, Jack Singleton, Jayden Thulson, Winter Whittle
Mile (1): Quintin Collins
3K (3): Jackson Baker, Collins, Alex Spink
5K (1): Baker
60m Hurdles (2): Asa Keim, Trevor Kendall
High Jump (3): Keim, Shea, Benson White
Pole Vault (2): Keim, Grant Pekurney
Long Jump (5): Domich, Jalen Hale, Keim, Moreno, Shea
Triple Jump (2): Domich, Hale
Shot Put (4): Van Chambers, Dillon Davis, Kaiden Major, Austin Schultz
Weight Throw (5): Chambers, Davis, Kannon Garrettson, Major, Schutlz

Women (23 Athletes, 37 Entries)
60m (2): Taiya Carl, Emily Hruby
400m (1): Jessie Schaffer
800m (3): Quin Gregg, Gianna Kirking, Sofia Voss
Mile (2): Elizabeth Boice, Gregg
3K (4): Caitlyn Boyle, Wehazit Kelati, Kate Linstedt, Shirley Weaver
5K (1): Boyle
60m Hurdles (2):Atahlia Mills, Schaffer
High Jump (4): Misha Edwards, Addison Hayes, Kaelea Gibson, Kaitlyn Pearson
Pole Vault (1): Carl
Long Jump (6): Harvey, Hayes, Hruby, Addy Kirkpatrick, Pearson, Kendra Ritzmann
Triple Jump (3): Harvey, Hayes, Ritzmann
Shot Put (4): Aaliyah Bos, Augustine Hancock, Brilee Jensen, Elly Thiem
Weight Throw (4): Bos, Hancock, Jensen, Thiem

In the Polls

Both Maverick squads were picked fifth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Polls, which were announced by conference officials in early December.

The Maverick women received four third place votes and picked up 142 total points in the 15-team poll.  CMU's men received three third place votes and scored 100 points in the 13-team poll.

In conjunction with the polls, the RMAC also announced the preseason all-conference team, made up of one returning athlete in each individual event and based on last year's NCAA and RMAC Championship results.

Redshirt senior Jordan Burnett was the Mavs' lone selection after claiming the 400-meter title at last year's RMAC Indoor Championships.

A full summary of the polls can be seen here: https://cmumavericks.com/news/2025/12/4/womens-track-field-mav-track-field-squads-picked-fifth-in-rmac-indoor-polls.aspx

A look back

The Maverick women took third at last year's RMAC Indoor Championships, scoring 87 points in what was Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Travis Floeck's first year with the program.  The Mav women have now finished third in three straight years and have placed second or third in each of the last five and amongst the top four in six straight campaigns.

The Maverick men finished sixth at the RMAC Championships with 41 points.

The Mavs also had a pair of RMAC event champions and two NCAA Championship qualifiers.

Jordan Burnett (women's 400 meters) and Salem Brunk (men's triple jump) both return in 2025-26 after winning RMAC titles.

National qualifiers Gaby Horton (women's 200) and Antone Higgs (men's long jump) also return.

All-Conference returners

The Mavericks had 17 different athletes earn 20 total All-RMAC honors at the 2025 RMAC Championships.

All four of the Maverick men who garnered five total plaudits return.

Eight of the 13 Maverick women who combined for 15 total all-conference honors a year ago are back in 2025-26.

Here's a full list of the returning all-conference honorees.

Women (8 Athletes, 9 Honors)
Gaby Horton (60m-1^st Team; 200m-1^st Team)
Jordan Burnett (400m-1^st Team)
Brooke Miller (800m-2^nd Team)
Atahlia Mills (60m Hurdles-2^nd Team)
Kaitlyn Pearson (Pentathlon-2^nd Team)
Kaelea Gibson (High Jump-2^nd Team)
Addy Kirkpatrick (Long Jump-2^nd Team)
Augustine Hancock (Weight Throw-1^st Team)

Men (4 Athletes, 5 Honors)
Marik Cummings (60m- 2^nd Team)
Aidan Brownell (60m Hurdles- 2^nd Team)
Antone Higgs (Long Jump-1^st Team; Triple Jump-2^nd Team)
Salem Brunk (Triple Jump-2^nd Team)

First Team All-RMAC honors are given to the top three finishers in each individual event plus members of the winning relay teams at the conference championships.  Second team accolades are given to the fourth through sixth place finishers in individual events and to the members of second place relay teams.

RMAC Network News
 
The Mountain Lion Open will stream live on the RMAC Network, which has moved to a pay-per-view model for the 2025-26 season.  This season, all RMAC athletic events broadcast by its 15 full-member institutions and associate members will only be available for purchase via a single-game pass or a monthly or annual subscription. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league's membership to enhance their programs.
 
RMAC fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them with access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $10, which grants access to a single game for 24 hours.
 
Additionally, a discounted annual subscription price will be available to students, faculty, and staff of each member institution throughout the year. Purchasing options and pricing for individual RMAC Championships will be announced closer to each event.
 
Colorado Mesa turns 100
 
The CMU Century Celebration stands as the cornerstone of Colorado Mesa University's year-long centennial celebration. This ambitious initiative unites our community in honoring a rich heritage while boldly envisioning the next hundred years of academic excellence.

Led by the Steering Committee and six specialized sub-committees, we're orchestrating a transformative experience that will resonate through generations. Each committee brings unique expertise to create an unforgettable commemoration of our past, present and future.
 
To learn more about Colorado Mesa's 100-year celebration, visit cmucentury.com.
 
Up Next

The Mavs will send a contingent of athletes to next Saturday's (Feb. 21) Last Chance RMAC Qualifier at Western Colorado's Mountaineer Fieldhouse in Gunnison, which will be a last chance for Maverick athletes to earn a spot in the RMAC Championships, which will be there on Feb. 27-28.