By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Mesa University running back Brandon Belgrave, South Dakota Mines defensive back Lane Thomas, and Colorado State University Pueblo kicker Jackson Smith are the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Week 5 Players of the Week, presented by Genesee Nutrition, announced Monday.

Belgrave scored the game-winning touchdown and rushed for 209 yards in Colorado Mesa’s victory at Colorado School of Mines. Thomas picked off two passes in the first quarter of South Dakota Mines’ victory at Black Hills State. Smith’s 60-yard field goal was just one of 17 in the NCAA since 2008 and came in a victory at New Mexico Highlands.

Offensive

Brandon Belgrave, Colorado Mesa (Senior, Running Back, Panama City, Panama)
Belgrave scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 11 seconds left, as Colorado Mesa escaped with a 28-24 RMAC victory against Colorado School of Mines. He rushed for 209 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in Golden. Belgrave’s second rushing touchdown and his two-point rushing conversion tied the game at 21-21 with 12:56 remaining in the game. His 13-yard touchdown reception, his only reception of the game, put CMU ahead for good with 11 seconds left.

Others Nominated: Reggie Retzlaff, CSU Pueblo; Tommy Thomas, Chadron State; Ty Harris, South Dakota Mines; Josiah Roy, Western Colorado.

Defensive

Lane Thomas, South Dakota Mines (Sophomore (RS), Defensive Back, Loveland, Colorado)
Thomas intercepted two passes in the first quarter, setting the tone in South Dakota Mines’ 27-13 RMAC victory against Black Hills State in the 140th Black Hills Brawl. He also had six tackles (three solo) and two pass breakups as the Hardrockers' defense held the Yellow Jackets to 157 offensive yards. Thomas’ first interception stopped a BHSU drive at its own 30-yard line. On the next Yellow Jackets possession, he intercepted a pass at the South Dakota Mines’ 14-yard line to end a potential scoring drive.

Others Nominated: Kellen Collier, Black Hills State; Bryson Torrie, CSU Pueblo; Logan O’Brien, Chadron State; Jake Sinz, Colorado Mesa; Ian Loomis, Western Colorado.

Special Teams

Jackson Smith, CSU Pueblo (Junior, Kicker, Centennial, Colorado)
Smith booted a program-record 60-yard field goal in CSU Pueblo’s 59-13 RMAC victory at New Mexico Highlands. It is the 17th kick of 60-plus yards at any level of the NCAA since 2008 and the longest in the RMAC since 2023 (Chadron State’s Wilson Yee). He also made all eight of his PATs to finish with 11 points in the victory.  

Others Nominated: Braden Biller, Adams State; Ryan Ewing, Black Hills State; Jackson Smith, CSU Pueblo; Wilson Yee, Chadron State; Sullivan Moon, Colorado Mesa; Sam Eccles, South Dakota Mines; Joey Fox, Western Colorado.

About the RMAC

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 institutions located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. The RMAC currently competes in 22 NCAA Division II sports and has earned 67 national championships and 53 national runners-up since 1992. Founded in 1909, the RMAC is the most historic athletic conference in the western United States and Division II.

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