SERIES HISTORY WITH CAL POLY POMONA
The Mavericks and Broncos have played 10 times in the two programs history with the first matchup occurring in 2001. Nine of the 10 matchups have come in the Golden State with the other in a crossover tournament in St. George. The Broncos lead the all-time series 6-2.

The Mavericks won the season series last year two games to one at Scolinos Field. They won the season opener 4-2 after hanging on late before dropping game two 3-2 in the middle game of the series. They won the rubber match in the series finale 6-4. 

The Broncos are set to play CSU Pueblo in two weeks in Pomona, Calif.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
The Broncos opened the season with a 3-0 record against crosstown rival Azusa Pacific. They won the opener at home 1-0 last Friday before taking games two and three at Azusa Pacific.

Jack Sanders leads Cal Poly Pomona with a .533 average (9-for-15) with two doubles and four home runs after three games. He had a three home run game in the second game of the series and finished with nine RBIs in the game.

Dylan Esquivel is the staff ace and pitched four shutout innings in the season opener. He allowed three hits and struck out five against Azusa Pacific.

PRESEASON POWER
Colorado Mesa was well represented in the preseason polls from the conference, region and national levels. The Mavericks were picked to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for the 14th straight season and had five student-athletes on the preseason All-RMAC team. Cameron Cartwright, Kolby Felix, Kennedy Hara, Liam Hohenstein, and Sage Ferguson were all named to the Preseason All-RMAC team which the conference reintroduced this year.

The Mavericks popped up at No. 2 in the preseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) South Central Region Poll. Reigning champion UT Tyler was first in the preseason poll with Angelo State at No. 3. Cartwright, Felix and Hohenstein all earned preseason All-South Central Region designation. Cartwright was a unanimous selection.

Colorado Mesa also checked in at No. 9 in the preseason NCBWA National poll with a pair earning Preseason NCBWA All-America recognition. Cameron Cartwright was a First Team selection while Kolby Felix earned a nod on the Second Team.

SIGHTS ON THE SCHEDULE
Colorado Mesa will welcome regular and new foes alike to The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark in 2026. The Mavericks open the season this week on the road in California for their season opener as they will take on Cal Poly Pomona for the second straight season.

The Mavericks will be at home for four straight weeks following the trip and will host Quincy (Ill.) for a four game series in Grand Junction. That will be followed by visits from Montana State Billings, Augustana, and New Mexico Highlands which will open up Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. 

They will have to navigate the league schedule from March and April but this year will have a bye week in the second to last week of the season. They follow that with a trip to MSu Denver to close out the regular season.

RETURNING TO FORM
Redshirt seniors Cole Seward and Caleb Ruter are slated to return to the rotation in the early portion of the schedule (possibly this weekend). The Mavericks would be welcoming back a pair of NCBWA All-Region performers from the 2024 season with starting pitching a need heading into this season.

The big lefty Ruter, pitched in two games last year before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season while Seward suffered an injury last fall which forced him to miss the season.

FIREPOWER RETURNING
Cameron Cartwright, Kolby Felix, Joey Blank and Kennedy Hara provide a good core for the Mavericks heading into the 2026 season. Cartwright and Felix sat in the No. 2 and No. 3 slots in the order a majority of last season while Hara and Blank were in the back of the lineup and held down the middle infield.

Cartwright batted .468 with 16 doubles and 21 home runs while Felix batted .356 with 21 doubles and 13 home runs to provide the Mavericks with a dangerous middle of the order. Blank finished the season with a .348 average and three homers while Hara hit .289 with four home runs. 

MAVERICKS IN MILB
The Colorado Mesa baseball team currently has seven players competing at some level of professional baseball. All seven finished in the minors with one of them seeing action in Major League Baseball during the 2025 season. Check out the full list of Colorado Mesa Baseball Alums and ways to follow along on their professional journey:

Bligh Madris (2015-18) // St. Louis Cardinals
Kyle Leahy (2016-18) // St. Louis Cardinals
Haydn McGeary (2019-22) // Chicago Cubs
Spencer Bramwell (2018-22) // Miami Marlins
Caleb Farmer (2018-22) // Washington Nationals
Andrew Morris (2019-21)  // Minnesota Twins
Andrew Pogue (2025) // Detroit Tigers

RMAC DOMINATION
Colorado Mesa won its 13th straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title in 2025 and is looking for more. The Mavericks have won 28 overall regular season titles and 23 tournament titles after winning their third straight last season.

Since 2009, Colorado Mesa has won 82 percent of their games against RMAC competition as they have a 504-110 record in that span prior to the season.

THE BEST AROUND
Two seasons ago, head coach Chris Hanks eclipsed the 1,000 win mark in his career. He is one of just 17 head coaches across NCAA Baseball that is over the 1,000 win mark and is fourth in wins in NCAA Division II of active head coaches.

Top-10 Division II Active Head Coaches by wins
1. John Schaly (Ashland) - 1,352-742 (39 seasons)
2. Greg Guilliams (Flagler) - 1,210-601 (36 seasons)
3. Jeff Messer (Slippery Rock) - 1,154-760 (40 seasons)
4. Chris Hanks (Colorado Mesa) - 1,111-428 (28 seasons)
5. Joe Urso (Tampa) - 1,064-297 (26 seasons)
6. Jim Gantt (Catawba) - 1,039-516 (30 seasons)
7. Greg Appleton (Columbus State) - 997-525 (29 seasons)
8. Tim Mead (Walsh) - 959-970 (42 seasons)
9. Paul O'Neil (UNC Pembroke) - 894-560 (30 seasons)
10. Pat Dolan (St. Cloud State) - 891-456 (27 seasons)

NCAA Active Head Coaches with 1,000 wins
1. Paul Mainieri (South Carolina) - 1,533
2. John Schaly (Ashland) - 1,352
3. Dave Van Horn (Arkansas) - 1,304
4. Elliott Avent (NC State) - 1,295
5. Greg Guilliams (Flagler) - 1,210
6. Rich Hill (Hawaii) - 1,208
7. Jeff Messer (Slippery Rock) - 1,154
8. Chris Hanks (Colorado Mesa) - 1,111
9. Steve Owens (Rutgers) - 1,075
10. Rick Heller (Iowa) - 1,074
11. Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt) - 1,070
12. Joe Urso (Tampa) - 1,064
13. Mike Bianco (Ole Miss) - 1,049
14. Jim Gantt (Catawba) - 1,039
15. Augie Schmidt (Carthage) - 1,032
16. Rich Maloney (Ball State) - 1,024 
17. Yogi Lutz (Alvernia) - 1,021