GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— A contingent of just over 30 Colorado Mesa University track and field athletes will attempt to earn a spot in or tune-up for next week's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships, when they head to this appropriately named Last Chance RMAC Qualifier this weekend in Gunnison, Colorado.
Western Colorado University will host this meet and the conference championships in its Mountaineer Fieldhouse.
This weekend's meet will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday with the pole vault competition, which will include one Maverick entrant (
Grant Pekurney). The bulk of the relatively small meet will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday with action expected to go past 2:30 p.m.
The full meet schedule can be seen here.
Live results will be available here.
Saturday's portion will be streamed on the RMAC Network (more information below). Friday's pole vault competition will not be streamed.
The complete list of Maverick entries can be found below in this preview.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks split their squad between three different meets last weekend. The Mavs' performances were stellar and included four new school records, four NCAA Division II Championship provisional qualifying efforts and 21 combined new marks on the program's all-time top 10 charts.
The Mavs had a contingent of mid and distance runners at the Grand Valley State University Big Meets on Friday and Saturday in Allendale, Michigan.
The Mavs also had a contingent of sprinters, hurdlers and other distance runners at the Don Kirby Elite Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which was also contested on Friday and Saturday.
The largest contingent of Mavs, including all of their field-eventers, were at UCCS' Mountain Lion Open in Colorado Springs.
The daily recaps from all three meets can be found at the links below.
Record Setters
As mentioned earlier, the Mavericks set four new school records last weekend. On Friday, at the GVSU Big Meet-Friday freshman
Vasileios Salpas made his CMU debut, posting a school record time of 1:50.66 in the 800 meters, 0.64 seconds quicker than the former record.
Fellow freshman
Clayton Wilson also recorded a record time of 8:16.94, breaking the former record of 8:22.17.
Two-time track & field all-American Tony Torres had held both of the records since 2022 and still holds the Mavs' mile record of 4:00.86.
On Saturday, the Maverick women got in on the record setting. The Mavs' distance medley relay team of
Brooke Miller,
Kammi Merritt,
Jordan Staniszewski and
Megan Hodges posted a Valentine's Day time of 11:48.60, more than 21 seconds quicker than the former record of 12:09.89 that Hodes and Staniszewski were a part of on Valentine's Day team in 2025 that ran in Topeka, Kansas.
Meanwhile,
Van Chambers broke a 9-year old Maverick record in the weight throw, with his heave of 18.58 meters (60-11.5). He set the record three times during his series and had five throws better than the former record of 17.98 meters (59-0) that
Trevor Jensen had set at the 2017 RMAC Championships.
Top 10's
In addition to the records, the Mavs combined for 21 new marks on the Mavericks' all-time top 10 performers' lists, recording multiple marks at each of the three different locations.
Here's a breakdown of all the new marks.
Men (10 Marks)
200m- 6.
Amaris Mora (21.92)
800m- 1.
Vasileios Salpas (1:50.66)
Mile- 3.
Chase Brown (4:13.93)
3K- 1.
Clayton Wilson (8:16.94), 3. Brown (8:29.47)
60m Hurdles- 8.
Trevor Kendall (8.29)
4x400m Relay- 5.
Amaris Mora,
Aidan Brownell,
Alonzo Leiba,
Jordan Fraser (3:20.37)
Triple Jump- 10.
Jalen Hale (14.28m/46-10.25)
Shot Put- 3.
Austin Schultz (15.61m/51-2.75)
Weight Throw- 1.
Van Chambers (18.58m/60-11.5)
Women (11 Marks)
200m- 5.
Hannah Schissler (24.63)
400m- 4.
Kammi Merritt (56.41)
800m- 2.
Jordan Staniszewski (2:15.93)
Mile- 2.
Megan Hodges (4:56.02), T4.
Autumn McQuitty (5:02.22), 6.
Lauren Hodges (5:12.69)
3K- 7.
Lauren Hodges (10:32.09)
Long Jump- 5.
Addy Kirkpatrick (5.67m/18-7.25)
Shot Put- T4.
Brilee Jensen (12.38m/40-7.5), 6.
Aaliyah Bos (12.25m/40-2.25)
DMR- 1.
Brooke Miller, Merritt, Staniszewski,
Megan Hodges (11:48.60)
Championship Qualifying Procedures
The Mavericks will be gunning for championship qualifying marks throughout the season, including at this weekend's meet. 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
Three Maverick individuals plus the women's distance medley relay team added their name to the
NCAA Division II Championship provisional qualifying list with their efforts last weekend.
The Mavs now have nine qualifying marks in seven different events from a combined seven individuals plus three others who were only on the DMR team.
Here is a look at the current Maverick rankings on the national lists.
Men
60m- T20. Mateo Casados (6.74*); T40.
Marik Cummings (6.79*)
200m- 3.
Joseph Randolph (20.99*): T6. Casados (21.10*)
800m- 25.
Vasileios Salpas (1:50.66)
Weight Throw- T38.
Van Chambers (18.58m)
Women
400m- T62.
Kammi Merritt (56.41)
DMR- 20. CMU (
Brooke Miller, Merritt,
Jordan Staniszewski,
Megan Hodges) (11:48.60)
Triple Jump- 33.
Kendra Ritzmann (11.86m/38-11)
*-Altitude/Track-Size Converted time
RMAC Leaders
Eleven different Maverick individuals plus both the women's 4x400-meter and distance medley relay teams 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*)
Long Jump- 5.
Weston Domich (7.12m/23-4.5)
Weight Throw- 4.
Van Chambers (18.58m/60-11.5)
Women
200m- 3.
Hannah Schissler (24.70*)
400m- 2.
Kammi Merritt (56.41*)
4x400m Relay- 3. Schissler,
Brooke Miller,
Kaitlyn Pearson, Merritt (3:51.57*)
Distance Medley Relay- 5. Miller, Merritt,
Jordan Staniszewski,
Megan Hodges (11:48.60)
High Jump- 5.
Kaelea 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
CMU's Entries
Here's a look the Mavs' entries for this weekend's meet. The list includes 32 athletes plus a men's distance medley relay team. Each athlete's season-best mark is included in parenthesis. Those that currently rank amongst the RMAC's top 18 and in current position are also denoted with an asterisk.
Men (17 Athletes + 1 Relay Team, 29 Entries)
60m (4):
Roman Sackman (6.95*),
Mason Anderson (7.09),
Alonzo Leiba (7.12),
Jackson Berninger (NT)
200m (3): Leiba (22.50), Berninger (22.73),
Blake Ames (23.09)
400m (1): Ames (50.68)
800m (3):
Jayden Thulson (1:54.96),
John McGill (1:56.55),
Edgar Hernandez (2:11.94)
Mile (1):
Owen Frank (4:24.83)
60m Hurdles (1):
AJ Iarusso (8.87)
Distance Medley Relay: 1 Team (NT)
Pole Vault (1):
Grant Pekurney (NH)
Shot Put (7):
Austin Schultz (15.61m*),
Kaiden Major (14.76*),
Van Chambers (14.21m),
Cain Trimble (13.34m),
Dillon Davis (13.02m),
Jackson Bevan (11.66m),
Kannon Garrettson (NT)
Weight Throw: Chambers (18.58m*), Major (16.56m*), Schultz (15.19m), Trimble (14.99m), Davis (13.93m), Garrettson (13.12m), Bevan (13.07m)
Women (15 Athletes, 20 Entries)
60m (2):
Sylvia Johansen (7.89),
Sierra Buzick (8.17)
200m (3):
Rimari Facey (27.45),
Abby Varner (NT), Buzick (28.53)
400m (1): Varner (1:01.55)
800m (2):
Maya Kobylanski (NT),
Quin Dedrick (2:24.60)
Mile (1): Dedrick (5:07.80)
60m Hurdles (3):
Atahlia Mills (9.04*),
Jessie Schaffer (9.43*), Facey (9.53)
Long Jump (3):
Waycee Harvey (5.38m),
Emily Hruby (5.35m),
Kendra Ritzmann (5.29m)
Shot Put (4):
Elly Thiem (10.53m),
Marlee Morris (9.78m),
Kylie Mayer (9.61m),
Kaiya Graves (9.58)
Weight Throw (1): Thiem (12.90m)
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
Saturday's portion of the Last Chance RMAC Qualifier 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 Mavericks who qualify for the RMAC Championships will head back to Gunnison for next week's (Feb. 27-28) RMAC Championships.
More information about the meet can be found here.
Those that do not qualify will prepare for the start of the outdoor season, which the Mavs will begin at home with the Maverick Early Bird Open on Mar. 19-20.
