The Voice of the Students at Colorado Mesa University

The Criterion
The Voice of the Students at Colorado Mesa University

The Criterion
The Voice of the Students at Colorado Mesa University

The Criterion
Senior men’s club rugby Winger Declan Coles got sat on during a tackle; multiple blood vessels burst in his eye.

SCARS OF THE GAME

Julia Wildman, Editor-in-Chief • April 30, 2026

Injuries are an expected part of being an athlete. Sprained ankles, torn ligaments or broken bones carry stories of pain, grit and perseverance. Scars can appear as a permanent reminder of the work it...

Head Baseball Coach Chris Hanks speaks after recieving the Game Changer Award from Positive Coaching Alliance on March 27, in San Frnacisco. CMU alum and pro-athlete Sergio Romo recognized Hanks’ coaching success. (Courtesy of Chris Hanks)

RECOGNIZING 33 YEARS

Abe Vasquez, Staff Writer • April 30, 2026

CMU’s head baseball coach Christopher Hanks received an award on behalf of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) on March 27. Hanks appeared at the annual PCA Awards to receive the Game Changer award.  As...

Women’s rugby poses after a Tuesday practice on the practice football field. The rugby pitch is currently under construction through CMU’s Geo-Exchange program, causing practices to be moved. The women’s team won the DII national collegiate rugby on April 24-26 in Boyd, Maryland.

WOMEN’S RUGBY WINS NATIONALS

John Leet, Accuracy Manager • April 30, 2026

Women’s rugby won a decisive 17-0 victory in the DII Nationals over the weekend of April 25. The Mav’s roster is smaller than many of the teams they faced this season. Instead of treating this as a...

SCIENCE OF STRENGTH

SCIENCE OF STRENGTH

Amelia Konkle, Staff Writer • April 21, 2026

For many athletes at CMU, the spotlight comes down to game-day performance. Behind every play lies weeks of purposeful and strategic training. Those behind-the-scenes workouts are where athletes build...

CMU Beach Volleyball pair Sophomore Ellie Ask and fifth-year Gracyn Spresser take on Central Wyoming, Trinidad State and Emmanuel University last season. So far in 2026, the Mavericks have accumulated 14 consecutive team wins; Ask and Spresser broke the record for the most pair wins in a row.

MAVS IN THE SAND

Abe Vasquez, Staff Writer • April 21, 2026

Sand beneath their feet, sun above their heads, CMU Beach Volleyball Mavericks stampede over old records, taking home victories while raising the bar for the future.   During CMU’s spring break,...

PUSHING THROUGH TO PREMIER

PUSHING THROUGH TO PREMIER

Julia Wildman, Editor-in-Chief • April 21, 2026

Halfway through a dusky Tuesday evening practice, the men’s rugby team got notified that they had been awarded a bid in the Premier Nationals. After a burst of cheer, they rushed to the sideline for...

Esteemed “Short King” NBA player Bevin Gurant struggles to shoot against 7’9” Henry Glissinger. Recent studies find that NBA players are averaging over 8 ft tall; the NBA plans to combat this by raising the nets.

FINALLY SEPARATING MEN FROM BOYS

Lisan Al-Gaib, Fake News Reporter • March 30, 2026

Controversy shook the NBA last March, following the decision to raise the hoops from 10 to 12 feet. Due to the recent influx of players standing above 8 feet tall, the NBA seeks to make dunking a more...

Junior defender Monroe McClimans (29) breaks away against Northern Michigan University. Women’s lacrosse switched to Nike as their uniform provider, allowing players to wear shorts over skirts.

NIKE OVER UNDER ARMOUR

Marigold Nugent, News Editor • March 23, 2026

Women’s Lacrosse confirmed a partnership with Nike to supply their uniforms next year. They may switch from skirts to shorts. Under Armour supplies the team’s uniforms through CMU Athletic’s wholesale-partnership...

Women’s basketball celebrates after sweeping the competition at the Brownson Arena duirng the RMAC tournament. CMU battled University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) in the final round, both this season and in 2025. The Mavericks lost in 2025 but stomped on UCCS this time, winning 92-67.

REMATCH TO REDEMPTION

Vicente Valadez, Staff Writer • March 23, 2026

After a dominant 94-57 win against Black Hills State University (BHSU) in the semifinals, the women’s basketball team hosted University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) in the 2026 RMAC championship...

Freshman dancer Danni Keene performs at Denver Showstoppers regional dance competition. She has been attending Nuggets Cheer Squad camps in Denver on weekends. At 18, she is one of the youngest attendees at the camps and hopes to try out for the professional cheer team in the summer.

MAV AUDITIONS FOR DENVER NUGGETS DANCERS

Abe Vasquez, Staff Writer • March 23, 2026

Freshman Danni Keene is a dancer at CMU. She spends some of her weekends traveling to Denver for the Denver Nuggets Dancers camps and plans to try out for the team this summer. This is the first person...

Junior forward Clayton Jewell (33) charges the Brownson Arena basket against New Mexico Highlands in the RMAC quarterfinal. The Mavericks won 91-90 in overtime. They traveled to Spearfish, South Dakota and took second in the RMAC.

2ND IN THE RMAC

Becca Dunn, Opinions Editor • March 23, 2026

After a nail-biting victory against the CSU Pueblo Thunderwolves in the semifinals and a hard-fought battle against the Black Hills State University Yellowjackets, the RMAC tournament ended. Men’s basketball...

Marissa Martinez-Quezada strikes a pose while standing in the first place spot on the podium. She broke the Colorado State Bench Press Record for the 52kg Teen 3 weight class with 83 lbs.

RECORD-BREAKING GAINS

Julia Wildman, Editor-in-Chief • March 23, 2026

IronMavs Barbell Club broke records and brought home golds at the USA Powerlifting Colorado State Championships. Marissa Martinez-Quezada broke the state bench press record for the Teen 3 weight class...

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