In 2020, Olivia Reed-Thyne transferred to Windsor High School as a junior, stepping into the locker room as the new girl. Mykaela Moore remembers the moment clearly.
“It was right when you moved, and we were trying to get to know the new girl,” Moore said. “So we invited her to come play spikeball with all my other teammates from high school. We met just through basketball and became friends.”
“And became friends ever since,” Reed-Thyne added.
Years later, that friendship has become one of the foundations of a CMU women’s basketball team, who is sitting at 28-1 with two games remaining in the regular season. What started with spikeball and shared practices in Windsor has evolved into one final collegiate run built on trust, familiarity and shared growth.
Moore did not originally begin her college career at Mesa. After her freshman year at Colorado Christian, she was unsure whether she would transfer. Then she received a message from Thyne.
“I had not even talked to her about it at all,” Moore said. “But out of the blue Livy texted me and said, I do not know if you are considering it or anything, but we would love to have you. I kind of took that as a sign. So I ended up here.”
When it comes to being grounded Moore attributes her faith.
“I like [to] go to church, and I have a lot of church friends that I like to hang out with, and I feel really strong in my faith. And I feel like that keeps me grounded a lot, helps me from not overthinking and that sort of thing,” Moore said.
The decision reunited the two longtime friends and solidified a partnership that has helped power one of the most dominant seasons in program history.
Mesa’s only loss came to West Texas A&M on Nov. 14. Since then, the Mavericks have sharpened their identity around defense. In a 69 to 50 win over Fort Lewis, Mesa held the Skyhawks to just four points in the first quarter.
“I just think it is exciting because we really have a defensive mindset,” Moore said. “Defense is our priority. The fact that we were able to accomplish that is just exciting and something that we always try to do.”
Head Coach Taylor Wagner praised the focus.
“This is a team that scores 71 points,” Wagner said. “To hold them to 50 shows how focused we were on the defensive side.”
While the wins and statistics speak loudly, both seniors say what matters most is finishing together.
“It is honestly the best feeling ever,” Moore said. “Being with Liv has been such a blessing here at Mesa. I am grateful every day for the path that brought me here, and our team is so special.”
Reed-Thyne touched on her words.
“It’s so special. And just to be able to have someone who knows you so well and has seen you at a lot of different stages of life, it’s really special to have someone to experience all the good and all the bad, and know what you’re going through, while also knowing you is really special,” Reed-Thyne said. “And I’m really thankful to have a friend like Michaela, [a] teammate like Michaela, and yeah, for us to end it together is special.”
The season has included historic milestones. Reed-Thyne broke the all time RMAC scoring record against Chadron State in January and later secured a name, image and likeness deal with ProSpace Interiors. She remains grounded amid the accolades.
“Mesa has brought me so many opportunities,” Reed-Thyne said. “I just feel so thankful and blessed.”
With postseason play approaching and an RMAC championship within reach, the Mavericks understand what is at stake. For Reed-Thyne and Moore, however, the meaning runs deeper than banners or records.
Their final chapter was built years ago, and now, together, they are finishing it.
