The Sidelines

In honor of the 2025 Spring Officials' Appreciation Week, sponsored by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association and the Division II Athletics Directors Association, The Sidelines: Episode 37 highlights the RMAC's track and field officiating coordinator, Susan Babcock. A native of Tipton, Kansas, Susan has turned her passion for running into a role that elevates the student-athlete experience and helps competitors develop throughout their careers. She is a national advocate for track and field officials, having recently worked as a starter for the Division II Indoor National Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis. The RMAC is grateful for Susan's work in coordinating the league's team of high-level officials to serve our student-athletes at RMAC championships. The conference looks forward to working with Susan and her team in a little over two weeks to host an exciting 2025 RMAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The RMAC continues to prepare for its 2025 Golf Championships in Boulder City, Nevada by catching up with Freya Constable, junior golfer at CSU Pueblo. Freya, a native of Scotland, has been a member of back-to-back conference champion teams and has been honored as an RMAC Player of the Week this spring season. In her spare time, Freya uses her math major to tutor other CSUP students, while also exploring outdoor activities across Colorado. Tune in to learn about Freya's impressive approach to managing the mental challenges associated with golf, and how the ThunderWolves plan to play their way to conference and post-season success.

The Sidelines: Episode 35 kicks off the conference's golf segment by celebrating the reigning Division II Men's Golf National Champions, the Colorado Christian Cougars. This episode sits down with head coach, Mark Hull, and senior, Adam Duncan, who led the team to incredible heights last season. Coach Hull and Adam continue to reflect on the success of the 2024 season and emphasize their excitement for their 2025 squad. Tune in, as the RMAC prepares to host the 2025 RMAC Golf Championships in a little over three weeks, to learn about the firm foundation Colorado Christian men's golf has established, and how they compete for a purpose beyond the game.

In honor of Women's History Month, The Sidelines: Episode 34 had the incredible opportunity to sit down with the RMAC's trio of female athletics directors, Joan McDermott, Katelyn Smith and Shanna Halalilo. This episode offers inspiration to not only myself, but to future women leaders in sports, as we hear about each of our guest's backgrounds and advice to breaking barriers and overcoming challenges associated with professional development. Joan brings decades of leadership experience to her role at Colorado Mesa, while Shanna and Katelyn continue to develop their respective departments at New Mexico Highlands and Adams State as two of the younger ADs in the country. Tune in to this special episode to help the RMAC celebrate past, present and future women leaders in our league and the greater collegiate athletics landscape.

To kick off the 2025 RMAC Basketball Tournaments, and to wrap up the league's celebration of Black History Month, The Sidelines had the incredible opportunity to speak with Tommie Johnson, head coach for the CSU Pueblo women's basketball team. In his sixth season as head coach for the Thunderwolves, Tommie focuses on building a team of grace, development and leadership, both on and off the court. Tommie takes pride in the role he serves in the lives of the young women on his team, while also prioritizing his personal relationships with his family. The Pack head into the RMAC Tournament ranked No. 5 in the conference, and are set to take on No. 4 Black Hills State tonight at 6:00pm. Tune in to today's episode and head to the RMAC Network to watch not only Tommie's confident squad, but the rest of the quarterfinal field for the 2025 RMAC Basketball Tournaments!

The 2025 RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships are here, and The Sidelines: Episode 32 highlights someone who has not only made a significant impact on my life, but has also made her mark on the successful UCCS Track and Field program. Victoria Farinas, a senior sprinter for the Mountain Lions, heads into this weekend with faith in herself and her teammates to perform at their best on their home track. Victoria also shares the significance of her family history and explains how her move from Florida to Colorado has reminded her of the importance in standing firm in who she is. The unbreakable bond Victoria has built with her Mountain Lion family prepares her to confidently take the track for her last RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, and the RMAC is ready to cheer on her and her competitors.

The Sidelines: Episode 31 prepares for the 2025 RMAC Men's Basketball Tournament, and celebrates Black History Month, by featuring Quave Propst-Allison of MSU Denver. Quave, a junior from North Carolina, made an immediate impact on his program his freshman year as a starter, and continues to excel on the court. He accredits much of his early success to his father and family, and continues to honor them both on and off the court. Tune in to hear what Black History Month means to Quave and his teammates, and how the MSU Denver Roadrunners plan to head into the RMAC postseason with passion and determination to take home the conference title.

The 2025 RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships are just over a week away. In honor of this highly anticipated weekend, The Sidelines: Episode 30 sits down with Braden Anderson of Black Hills State to talk about his unique journey to competing as a Yellow Jacket. After taking a two year break from college and working full time, Braden broke the indoor school record for the 800m last season, and continues to excel on the track. Braden works over 25 hours a week at a local cabinet shop, on top of his academic and athletic demands. The RMAC is proud to celebrate Braden's unique journey and is excited to watch him and the rest of the RMAC field next weekend.

Kicking off The Sidelines basketball series is graduate student, Josephine Howery, of Colorado School of Mines. A native of Colorado Springs, Josephine has established herself as a leader both on and off the court, spearheading a nonprofit organization called Crossover for Change and supporting Colorado School of Mines' on-campus food pantry for athletes. Josephine's work in the classroom and in her community make her the epitome of a Division II athlete and it was inspiring to hear how she's used her sport to help and educate the next generation of female athletes. Tune in to hear about Josephine's plans after college, and about her incredible passion for leaving a legacy in her program.

Today marks the start of the highly anticipated 2025 RMAC Swimming and Diving Championships. Leading up to this championship week, The Sidelines had the incredible opportunity to speak with Claire McDaniel, head coach for the Colorado School of Mines men's and women's swim programs. McDaniel, a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year for both men's and women's swimming, started her impressive journey as a standout swimmer for Georgia and NCAA Woman of the Year finalist. Her background in sports nutrition and extensive coaching experience for the NCAA and Swiss National Team contribute to her passion for providing a holistic experience for her student-athletes. The RMAC is thankful for Coach McDaniel's service to our league, and wishes all programs competing in the 2025 RMAC Swimming and Diving Championships a safe and successful competition.