Defending RMAC Champions, the Colorado Mesa men’s lacrosse team is now in full swing. Senior Steve Brandenburg leads the charge to pursue consecutive conference titles for the Mavericks.
Brandenburg recently passed the 100-goal mark in a win against Maryville University. The 2016 RMAC Offensive Player of the Year, Brandenburg is looking to add another ring on his finger in his senior season.
Despite his personal achievement of the 100-goal milestone, Brandenburg gives credit to his teammates.
“It really is a testament to our team,” Brandenburg said. “To be recognized for that is awesome, but the RMAC Championships are way more awesome to talk about.”
The Mavericks won their first RMAC men’s lacrosse championship this past year due to their teamwork and selflessness.
Brandenburg comes from a West Coast background. He attended Los Alamitos High School in Seal Beach, Calif. where he won three conference championships before choosing to come to CMU.
“It’s outstanding to see this side of the Rocky Mountains and to see actual good lacrosse being played was a chance I couldn’t pass on.”
He has stuck with the sport for the past 12 years, since the fourth grade. Brandenburg comes from a time when lacrosse was almost nonexistent, but he has seen it accelerate to be one of the fastest growing sports of the decade.
“I followed my older brother in his footsteps right from the start and all the way through high school and college,” Brandenburg said.
Steve’s brother, Brad, also attended CMU, which was a gateway for his younger brother to follow suit.
“He’s been the beacon I follow for most of my life,” Brandenburg said.
The lacrosse program at CMU is still in its early years; the team was formed back in 2011 when they had their only losing season to date.
Vince Smith is in his third year as head coach for the Mavericks, but has been with the program since 2013.
Smith has led the team to a 27-8 record in his head coaching career as well as an RMAC Championship and a Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Championship before they joined the RMAC.
Lacrosse has been a way of life for Brandenburg ever since his youth, and he wants to continue to remain in the sport after college.
“Whether its coaching or working with people individually is going to be a big part of future,” Brandenburg said.
A player who is the leading scorer in school history would make an amazing coach down the road, and, for Brandenburg, it would just be another stepping stone in his lacrosse filled lifestyle.
Brandenburg has left a legacy for the young team, which is made up mostly of underclassmen.
Brandenburg is a humble and selfless leader which carries onto the field of play, and it shows in the 8 assists he has had in the season already.
This year will hopefully be a great sendoff for Brandenburg, as well as the other seniors who have set the tradition of winning as a yearly norm, which will most likely not change this year.
CMU will square off against Conference rival, Rockhurst, on Tuesday, March 6 in the first home game of the season.
