By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines sophomore forward Sofia Baldessari and University of Colorado Colorado Springs senior guard Amyah Moore Allen are the Week 10 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Players of the Week, presented by Genesee Nutrition, which were announced Monday.
The 20-game chase for the RMAC women’s basketball regular season championship reaches its halfway point this week. League-leading Colorado Mesa University makes a road trip through the Black Hills region, including a pivotal Thursday night game at Black Hills State University, which is currently tied for second place in the league standings. The Mavericks’ Olivia Reed Thyne is on the cusp of becoming the first RMAC women’s basketball player to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds during their career.
Offensive
Sofia Baldessari, Colorado School of Mines (Sophomore, Forward, Englewood, Colorado)
Baldessari posted back-to-back double-doubles as Colorado School of Mines picked up a pair of nail-biter road wins with a 73-70 win against Colorado State University Pueblo and a 77-69 win at Colorado Christian last week. She posted a 22-point, 10-rebound effort in the win against the ThunderWolves, with two assists and four steals, while shooting 41% (7-of-17) from the floor. Two days later, she added a 30-point, 14-rebound performance at Colorado Christian, with three assists while shooting 48% (10-of-21) from the floor and 91% (10-of-11) at the free-throw line. Baldessari finished the week averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds per game while shooting 45% percent from the floor and 80% from the free-throw line.
Also Nominated: Kiiyani Anitielu, Adams State; Taylin Serlen, Black Hills State; Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck, CSU Pueblo; McKenzi Petersen, Chadron State; Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa; Makaya Porter, Fort Lewis; Madison Johnson, MSU Denver; Kapiolani Anitielu, New Mexico Highlands; Kate Gallery, Regis; Savea Mansfield, South Dakota Mines; Amyah Moore Allen, UCCS; Ivey Schmidt, Western Colorado; and Teuila Nawahine, Westminster..
Defensive
Amyah Moore Allen, UCCS (Senior (RS), Guard, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Moore Allen had nine steals last week to help UCCS claim two wins – 79-60 against Regis and 72-55 against Metropolitan State University of Denver. She opened the week with four steals in 26 minutes as part of her 17-point, four-rebound (three defensive) effort against Regis. Moore Allen then grabbed five steals against the Roadrunners while piling up a 25-point, six-rebound (four defensive) performance.
Also Nominated: Audrey Norville, Black Hills State; Dasani Nesbit, CSU Pueblo; Amya Winfrey, Chadron State; Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa; Sofia Baldessari, Colorado School of Mines; Keira Mitchell, MSU Denver; Kamalani Anitielu, New Mexico Highlands; Jessica Bollwahn, Regis; Morning Grace Spotted Bear, South Dakota Mines; and Chloe Daniels, Western Colorado.
Previous Weekly Award Winners
| Week |
Offensive |
Defensive |
| Weeks 0-1: Nov. 17 |
Ayianna Johnson, UCCS |
Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa |
| Week 2: Nov. 24 |
Katie Lamb, Fort Lewis |
Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa |
| Week 3: Dec. 1 |
Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa |
Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa |
| Week 4: Dec. 8 |
Mason Rowland, Colorado Mesa |
Elaina Watson, Adams State |
| Week 5: Dec. 15 |
Ivey Schmidt, Western Colorado |
Elaina Watson, Adams State |
| Week 6: Dec. 22 |
Kapiolani Anitielu, New Mexico Highlands |
Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa |
| Weeks 7-8: Jan. 5 |
Sofia Baldessari, Colorado School of Mines |
Jade Leon, Colorado School of Mines |
| Week 9: Jan. 12 |
Savea Mansfield, South Dakota Mines |
Jade Leon, Colorado School of Mines |
| Week 10: Jan. 19 |
Sofia Baldessari, Colorado School of Mines |
Amyah Moore Allen, UCCS |
RMAC Approach: Women’s Basketball Week 9
Schedule Grid
| Tuesday, Jan. 20 |
|
Regis at MSU Denver |
5:30 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
| Thursday, Jan. 22 |
|
Colorado School of Mines at Regis |
5 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
UCCS at New Mexico Highlands |
5 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
Colorado Christian at Fort Lewis |
5:30 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
Black Hills State at #9 Colorado Mesa |
5:30 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
Chadron State at Westminster |
5:30 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
South Dakota Mines at Western Colorado |
5:30 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
CSU Pueblo at Adams State |
5:30 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
| Saturday, Jan. 24 |
|
MSU Denver at Colorado School of Mines |
1 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
CSU Pueblo at New Mexico Highlands |
1 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
South Dakota Mines at Westminster |
1 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
UCCS at Fort Lewis |
1 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
Black Hills State at Western Colorado |
1 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
Chadron State at #9 Colorado Mesa |
1 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
|
Colorado Christian at Adams State |
1 p.m. |
RMAC Network |
Rankings: WBCA Coaches Poll (updated on Tuesdays). Yellow indicates an RMAC contest.
The Weekly Preview
Colorado Mesa University, which enters the week with a one-game lead in the women’s basketball championship race, looks to keep pushing as it hits the road for a pair of contests, including a pivotal Thursday night meeting at second-place Black Hills State University, which highlights the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women’s basketball Week 10 slate.
The Mavericks defeated Adams State last week to build their current one-game cushion but Thursday’s trip may prove a vital test for the league leaders. Colorado Mesa is 5-0 in road RMAC games this season and 6-1 on the road overall. Meanwhile, Black Hills State is 5-0 at home in league play and 6-1 overall. The game pits two of the league’s stingiest teams as well, with CMU allowing just 54.8 points per game and BHSU 58.1 points per game to rank first and third in defensive scoring in RMAC play.
A trio of RMAC squads are on long win streaks entering the week, led by Colorado Mesa’s 15-game win streak. Black Hills State owns a nine-game win streak, and Colorado School of Mines is on a seven-game winning streak. The Orediggers stay in the Denver metropolitan area this week with a trip to Regis before hosting MSU Denver.
Mavericks Charging On
Colorado Mesa (17-1, 8-0 RMAC) extended its winning streak to 15 games, which is tied for the fifth-longest in Division II, with wins at Western Colorado and against Westminster last week. The Mavericks also extended their road win streak to seven games, tied for ninth-longest in Division II.
Mavericks’ Reed Thyne Targeting RMAC’s Career Top Spots
Colorado Mesa senior forward Olivia Reed Thyne’s sights are set on becoming the RMAC’s career leader in both scoring and rebounding. Following additional research, Adams State’s Dominique Skeehan’s freshman season was added to her career statistics in the RMAC records, moving her to the No. 1 spot in rebounding at 1,256 rebounds. The update means Reed Thyne is chasing a 40-year-old record, needing 77 rebounds to break it.
However, Reed Thyne enters this week 28 points and 20 rebounds shy of becoming the first RMAC women’s basketball athlete to record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds during their career. In all of Division II, only 47 women’s basketball players had reached both milestones.
RMAC Career Scoring Leaders
| Rank |
Points |
Player |
| 1. |
2,002 |
Becky Gonzales, New Mexico Highlands, 1998-02 |
| 2. |
1,996 |
Diana Lopez, Regis, 2003-07 |
| 3. |
1,972 |
Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa, 2022-current |
| 3. |
1,951 |
Abby Kirchoff, UC-Colorado Springs, 2011-15 |
| 5. |
1,920 |
Tonya Stites, Colorado Mesa, 1991-94 |
| 6. |
1,869 |
Tricia Lukawski, Chadron State, 1989-93 |
| 7. |
1,859 |
Vera Jo Bustos, Adams State, 2007-11 |
| 8. |
1,850 |
Tae’lor Purdy, Regis, 2009-14 |
| 9. |
1,801 |
Alisha Little, CSU Pueblo, 2021-25 |
| 10. |
1,795 |
Sharaya Selsor, CMU/MSU, 2008-09, 10-11, 12-14 |
RMAC Career Rebounding Leaders
| Rank |
Points |
Player |
| 1. |
1,256 |
Dominique Skeehan, Adams State, 1982-85 |
| 2. |
1,180 |
Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa, 2022-current |
| 3. |
1,154 |
Nicole Allman, N.M. Highlands, 1994-98 |
| 4. |
1,032 |
Tonya Stites, Colorado Mesa, 1991-94 |
| 5. |
1,020 |
Abby Rosenthal, Colorado Christian, 2006-10 |
| 6. |
1,012 |
Pam DeCosta, Colorado Mesa, 1983-86 |
| 7. |
960 |
Nadia Furcha, CSU-Pueblo, 2000-04 |
| 8. |
950 |
Denise Lopez, Regis, 2003-07 |
| 9. |
946 |
Kristin Valencia, MSU Denver, 2009-13 |
| 10. |
945 |
Amy Mohr, Fort Lewis, 2001-05 |
Western Colorado’s Maves Among D2’s Top Three-Point Threats
Western Colorado junior guard Jayda Maves currently is No. 9 among Division II’s top three-point shooters, making 44.6% of her three-point shots through 14 games this season. She has been on a tear in six games since Dec. 19, making 45.7% (16-of-35) from long range, and she is shooting 47.4% (28-of-59) from beyond the arc in 10 games since the start of December.
Tight Race for RMAC Scoring Crown
With nearly two-thirds of the season in the books, the race for the 2025 scoring crown is a tight one with Reed Thyne, Western Colorado’s Ivey Schmidt, and South Dakota Mines Savea Mansfield all in the hunt, with less than one point per game separating them. Reed Thyne’s 19.8 points per game (15th in Division II) leads the way, followed by Schmidt’s 19.4 points per game (20th), and Mansfield’s 19.2 points per game (22nd).
Colorado Mesa, Behind Returning Player of the Year Reed Thyne, Picked as Favorites to Win RMAC Women’s Basketball Crown
Colorado Mesa, the reigning Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season champion, is the 2025-26 preseason favorite as selected by the league’s head coaches in the RMAC Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll.
In conjunction with the preseason poll, the 10-person 2025-26 Preseason All-RMAC Team was also announced, led by returning RMAC Player of the Year Olivia Reed Thyne. She was joined by student-athletes representing eight other league teams, including New Mexico Highlands’ Kapiolani Anitielu, the reigning Freshman of the Year.
Colorado Mesa received nine first-place votes and scored 191 points, topping second-place University of Colorado Colorado Springs, which picked up the remaining six first-place votes and totaled 181 points.
RMAC Network Now PPV
All RMAC football games broadcast by its 15 full-member institutions and associate members will only be available for purchase via a single-game pass or a monthly or annual subscription. A discounted annual subscription price is available to students, faculty, and staff of each member institution. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league’s membership to enhance their programs. Visit RMACNetwork.com/Purchase for more information and to subscribe.
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 69 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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