The bar was set very high for CMU softball this season before they even stepped onto the diamond at Bus Bergman Field. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference selected the Mavericks as the preseason favorites to win the conference after its success last year, earning a 28-17-1 overall record with a 24-11-1 record in conference. Perhaps what is even more impressive is that the Mavs didn’t miss a beat while under the guidance of a brand new coach, Candace Abrams.

Abrams has brought a wealth of experience, coaching at all different levels and playing at a Division I level during her collegiate years. Her mentality as a player still shines during her coaching years.

“I love being picked number one,” Abrams said. “I grew up with that. I love having that fire inside you knowing that people are chasing you and doing everything you can to make sure they don’t.”

Abrams knows what it takes to win championships, both on the field and in the dugout. As a player she was a member of the University of Arizona team, playing catcher and outfielder for four years, and won an NCAA championship with the school in 2001. In her coaching career, Abrams was an assistant coach at Pima Community College in Tucson, where she was part of the 2006 NCJAA national championship team. She began coaching in Division II in 2010 for Barry University, where she served as an assistant while also pursuing her master’s degree in sport and exercise psychology. She then went back to her alma mater as an assistant for a short time before taking over the program at CMU. Abrams explained that although the environment in Grand Junction is different than Tucson, the workload to prepare for each season remains the same.

“The lifestyle is definitely different here, but in a good way,” she said. Things are not as high strung here. I get the chance to be a little more relaxed, but that doesn’t change my routine when it comes to working on the field. I still work just as hard here as I did at Arizona.”

Abrams’ move to Grand Junction came after the transition of former head coach Kristin Mort, who served as skipper for the Mavericks for 19 years before moving into the athletic department administration full-time. While it isn’t common for both former and present coaches to be working on the same team, Abrams explained how helpful it is to have Mort just a couple of steps away to talk to about the game that they both dedicated their lives to.

“She has been so supportive of me since I cam here,” Abrams said. “I can go to her with questions not on how to coach the girls, but to get advice on opposing teams or her thoughts on some of the umpires or what to do in situations that I have never encountered. It’s fun just to talk about the game with her too.”

Abrams and her team still have the majority of the regular season left but are starting to get comfortable after a rocky start to the season. With a sweep of UCCS and series win over Colorado School of Mines, the Mavs are gaining momentum for what they are hoping to be a championship season.

mfreter@mavs.coloradomesa.edu