GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University women's lacrosse team will look to start anew as they begin their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference slate with a key home clash against UCCS on Sunday at the Mavs' Community Hospital Unity Field.
 
The Mavs have gone through a difficult non-conference schedule with a 1-6 record while the Mountain Lions are 1-4 overall and 0-1 in the RMAC after dropping their RMAC opener at  Westminster on Friday afternoon.
 
The first draw for Sunday's match-up is slated for 11 a.m. and can be seen with a subscription to the RMAC Network (more information below).
 
Live statistics will also be available at the link above.
 
Tickets are also still available through www.cmumavericks.com/tickets.
 
Last Time Out
 
The Mavericks squandered a late 3-goal (13-10) lead and then lost in overtime by a 14-13 margin to Rockhurst in a neutral-site match-up last Sunday in Pueblo.
 
Courtney Havel led the Mavericks' attack with a season-high four goals.  Kaylee Kittle, Sophie Astone and Cameron Flynn all chipped in two.
 
Havel also had three caused turnovers while Avery Irlbeck (6) and Carson Dickey combined to win 11 of the Mavs' 14 draw controls. 
 
Sadie Chappuis had three ground balls while Heather Hawkins made eight saves.
 
The Hawks remained undefeated with the win.
 
Scoring Streaks
 
Maverick senior attack Carson Dickey has scored in each of he Mavs' last six games and leads the team with 17 goals.  She is also tied for the RMAC lead with that total and ranks fourth in the RMAC with her 2.43 goal per game average.
 
Sophomore teammate Kaylee Kittle has also scored in three straight and six of the Mavs' seven games this year.  She has 14 goals in total, second most on the team.
 
Kittle had just one goal in nine games as Maverick reserve last year.
 
Tough Schedule
 
The Mavericks had a difficult non-conference slate, perhaps even more difficult than imagined.  CMU's seven opponents thus far have compiled a 38-14 combined record through Friday, good for a .731 winning percentage.  Four of the games came against teams ranked in the latest IWLCA's Division II Poll, including now eighth-ranked Lynn and tenth-ranked Saint Leo.
 
The Mavs' victory came over one of those in then No. 16 and now 21^st-ranked Florida Tech
 
Four of the Mavs' opponents have just one loss.
 
Fresh Start
 
Although the Mavs' non-conference portion did not go as well as they had hoped, the Mavs have a chance to start fresh as they begin RMAC play.  The Mavs have a 74-21 all-time record in RMAC play and have gone 36-6 in the last four years, including 9-1 records in both 2023 and last season, when they shared the RMAC regular season title.
 
CMU was also picked as joint favorite to win this year's RMAC title alongside Regis, according to the RMAC's Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
UCCS was picked third in that poll.
 
Coach's Corner
 
Ashley Delaney is in her third year as the Mavs' head coach and her seventh on the CMU staff after serving as an assistant for the four previous seasons from 2020-23.
 
The Mavs have gone 11-6 in both of Delaney's previous years as a head coach and posted a 33-19 combined record in her four years as an assistant under two previous head coaches. 
She was named as the RMAC Coach of the Year in 2025 after leading the Mavs to a share of the RMAC Regular Season Championship and to hosting rights of the RMAC Tournament for the first time in program history.
 
She also helped the Mavs win a share of the RMAC crown in 2023 when she was an assistant coach.  The Mavericks are a combined 56-37 with her on the coaching staff and have played in all five RMAC Tournament Championship games with her on the staff.
 
Counting this year, Delaney now has a 23-18 record as the Mavs' head coach.
 
She is 5-0 against UCCS in her time as a head coach.  The Mavs also won seven games against the Mountain Lions in her time as the assistant coach.
 
Know Your Foe
 
The Mountain Lions dropped their RMAC-opener by a 12-11 margin on Friday afternoon at Westminster falling to 1-4 overall.  That was their first road game of the season.
 
They have lost three straight overall since winning 11-10 over Northern Michigan on Mar. 4, two days after the Wildcats defeated the Mavs, 9-7.
 
The Mountain Lions have had incredibly balanced scoring with Allison Hoffman and Sofia Watts, a Second Team All-RMAC pick in 2025, leading the way.  Both have nine goals, two assists and 11 points. 
 
Charlotte Fannin leads the team with 12 points and has eight  goals while Ella Mills has also chipped in eight goals and pair of assists.
 
Charlotte Fannin's older sister Brielle had three goals in Friday's game at Westminster and was the RMAC Freshman of the Year back in 2023 before redshirting last year.
 
Jade Wilson has 17 draw controls and 10 ground balls while Josie Leonard has recorded 16 draw controls.
 
Fannin, who was named as the RMAC's Offensive Player of the Weke on Monday, also leads the team with 17 ground balls while sophomore goalkeeper Delaney Gnos has 16.  Wilson has also recorded 10.
 
Gnos has posted a 13.51 goals against average and .409 save percentage while making 38 saves in 244:18 worth of net time.  She has started all five games but was chased early in in the Mar. 8 13-10 loss to McKendree after giving up five goals in just over five minutes.
 
Series History
 
The Mavs have won all 15 previous games against the Mountain Lions.  They are a perfect 5-0 at home and are 11-0 against them in conference play.  They have also won four RMAC Tournament games over the Mountain Lions, all of which have bene played in Denver.
 
In 2025, the Mavericks won an 18-15 decision on the road on Mar. 16 and then won 20-9 at home on Apr. 11.
 
RMAC Network News
 
All of the Mavs' home and RMAC road games, will be streamed 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 will play their next three conference games on the road, starting next Saturday (Mar. 21) at Westminster.  That game at the Griffins' Dumke Field in Salt Lake City will begin at 1 p.m.