By: A.J. Vazquez, Strategic Communications & Marketing Intern

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –  Adams State University junior Tristian Spence is the 2025 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year, leading the All-RMAC Women’s Cross Country Teams. 

Sierra Wall from Colorado School of Mines claimed the Freshman of the Year award, while her Head Coach Chris Siemers was named the RMAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.

All-RMAC teams are selected from the top 28 finishers at the 2025 RMAC Cross Country Championship. Finishers 1-14 are first team recipients; 15-28 are second team All-RMAC. Coach, Runner, and Freshman of the Year awards were voted upon by the league’s head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for themselves or their own athlete. 

Grizzlies’ runner Tristian Spence claimed her first RMAC Runner of the Year award after being named the 2025 NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country National Athlete of the Year. Spence won the individual title at the South Central Regional Championship with an eight second gap from the rest of the field. She then went on to dominate the field at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country National Championship, winning her first cross country national title and earning her third-consecutive All-American honor for cross country. 

Colorado School of Mines freshman Sierra Wall capped a standout debut season by earning the RMAC Freshman of the Year award. Wall delivered consistently strong performances throughout the fall, placing ninth at the RMAC Cross Country Championship and 13th at the South Central Regional Championship. She then elevated her game on the biggest stage, claiming her first All-America honor with a 20th-place finish at the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship. 

Colorado School of Mines Head Coach Chris Siemers was named RMAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year after leading the Orediggers to their first-ever RMAC Women’s Cross Country Championship, and runner-up finish at the 2025 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship. Under Siemer’s guidance, the Orediggers had five All-Americans and an RMAC Champion in Grace Strongman. Colorado School of Mines also spent a month as the No. 1 team in the country in the United States Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches’ Poll. 
 

2025 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Award Winners Runner of the Year: Tristian Spence, Adams State  Freshman of the Year: Sierra Wall, Colorado School of Mines Coach of the Year: Chris Siemers, Colorado School of Mines Runner of the Meet (RMAC Championship): Grace Strongman, Colorado School of Mines Freshman of the Meet (RMAC Championship): Elizabeth McQuitty, UCCS Summit Award: Margaux Basart, Colorado School of Mines

 

2025 First Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Women’s Cross Country
Player	School	Yr.	Hometown
Grace Strongman	Colorado School of Mines	Sr.	Prairie Village, Kan.
Tristan Spence (1)	Adams State University	Jr.	Grand Junction, Colo.
Emily LaMena	Colorado School of Mines	So.	Huntington, N.Y.
Hannah Hartwell (1)	Fort Lewis College	Sr.	Carlsbad, Calif.
Allison Beasely	Western Colorado University	Sr.	Westminster, Colo,
Elizabeth McQuitty	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	Fr.	Alamosa, Colo.
Margaux Basart	Colorado School of Mines	Sr.	West Des Moines, Iowa.
Callen Nash	Colorado School of Mines	Jr.	Tomball, Texas
Sierra Wall	Colorado School of Mines	Jr.	Boulder, Colo.
Kseniya Nikanorov	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	Jr.	Castle Rock, Colo.
Peyton Weiss (1)	Western Colorado University	Fr.	Milwaukee, Wis.
Gabriella Boeckman	Colorado School of Mines	Sr.	Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Megan Hodges	Colorado Mesa University	Sr.	Aurora, Colo.
Maggie McCleskey (2)	Adams State University	Sr.	Louisville, Colo.
2025 Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Women’s Cross Country
Player	School	Yr.	Hometown
Maddie Ruskiewicz	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	Jr.	Middleton, Wis.
Alliyah Molina	Fort Lewis College	Sr.	Alamosa, Colo.
Madison Brosig (2, FoTY)	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	So.	Greeley, Colo.
Keira Damron	Adams State University	Jr.	Phoenix, Ariz.
Claragh Keane	Adams State University	Jr.	Wexford, Ireland
Allie Grahn	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	Fr.	Castle Rock, Colo.
Kaya Pillivant	University of Colorado Colorado Springs	Jr.	Cheyenne, Wyo.
Jadyn Herron	Colorado State University Pueblo	Sr.	Queen Creek, Ariz.
Jayda Nix	Western Colorado University	Jr.	Loveland, Colo.
Lauren Wilson (1)	Western Colorado University	Jr.	Round Rock, Texas
Katie Price	Colorado School of Mines	Fr.	Shawnee, Kan.
Paige Tack	Metropolitan State University Denver	Sr.	Parker, Colo.
Lexi Herr	Colorado School of Mines	Sr.	Huntsville, Ala.
Jordan Staniszewski	Colorado Mesa University	So.	Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Symbols in parentheses: (FoTY) was the Freshman of the Year in 2024; (1) was a First Team All-RMAC selection in 2024; (2) was a Second Team All-RMAC selection in 2024.

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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