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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference recognizes 87 All-RMAC honorees for the 2026 outdoor track and field season in addition to its four major award winners. Colorado Mesa University's Mateo Casados grabbed this year's Track Athlete of the Year award, while Chadron State College's Chayton Bynes earned Field Athlete of the Year honors after earlier claiming the indoor award. Thibault Tauziede of Adams State University earned the league's highest freshman honor as this season's Freshman of the Year. Colorado School of Mines head coach Matt Sparks reigns as the league's Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career.

The RMAC awards are selected and voted on by the league's 14 men's outdoor track and field head coaches. Coaches are not permitted to vote for themselves or their own student-athletes.

Casados claims back-to-back Track Athlete of the Year awards after winning the 2025 honor last season. The redshirt senior from Thornton, Colorado, adds to his impressive list of accolades this season, as he was earlier named the Dr. Randy Rhine Track Performer of the Meet at the 2026 RMAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship after scoring 22 points. Casados took first in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, posting times of 10.45 and 20.79, respectively. His 200-meter mark set a new RMAC championship meet record in the event. He also qualified for the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championship, where he earned competed in the 200-meter dash.

Bynes adds another Field Athlete of the Year award after a strong campaign in the long and triple jumps for the Eagles. The junior from Chadron, Nebraska, reset his own record in the triple jump with a 15.80-meter mark at the national championship. Bynes took fifth place at the national meet, earning his fourth All-America honor in two years. He also took second place in the long jump at the 2026 RMAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship with a one-and-done mark of 7.38 meters.

Tauziede had a strong freshman campaign for the Grizzlies, competing in the 1,500- and 5,000-meter events and earning Freshman of the Year honors. The Guérin, France, native ran personal-best times of 3:46 and 13:55, respectively, in the 1,500- and 5,000-meter runs at the prestigious Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California. His best mark in the 5,000 meters qualified him for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championship, where he finished in 16th place with a time of 14:25.26.

In his 13th season at the helm of Colorado School of Mines, Sparks earned his fourth Men's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year honor after earlier earning his fourth Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year honor. Under his direction, the Orediggers finished as the RMAC champion at the 2026 RMAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship. The Orediggers also had 15 men qualify for the national meet.

The All-RMAC teams are based on results at the RMAC Championships. First-, second- and third-place finishers are named First Team All-RMAC. Fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers earn Second Team All-RMAC recognition. Members of first-place relay teams get First Team honors, while second-place relays are Second Team. A full list of All-RMAC honorees is available below. 

2025-26 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men's Outdoor Track & Field Award Winners 

Men's Track Athlete of the Year: Mateo Casados, Colorado Mesa
Men's Field Athlete of the Year: Chayton Bynes, Chadron State
Men's Freshman of the Year: Thibault Tauziede, Adams State
Men's Coach of the Year: Matt Sparks, Colorado School of Mines

Dr. Randy Rhine Field Performer of the Meet (RMAC Championship): Xavier Freeman, CSU Pueblo 
Dr. Randy Rhine Track Performer of the Meet (RMAC Championship): Mateo Casados, Colorado Mesa 
Freshman of the Meet (RMAC Championship): Michael Cruzado, UCCS 
Summit Award (RMAC Championship): Owen Johnson, South Dakota Mines 

2025-26 All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Honors: Men's Outdoor Track & Field

Adams State
Gabe Onelio, 800m, Second Team

Black Hills State

Bridger Anderson, LJ, Second Team
Flynn Johnston, 400mH, First Team
Evan Smith, 800m, First Team

CSU Pueblo

Tim Anstett, 800m, Second Team
Felipe Castro, SP, First Team
Kameron Eustace, 10000m, Second Team
Xavier Freeman, DT, First Team
Xavier Freeman, SP, First Team
Ryan Lane, HT, Second Team
Ryan Lane, SP, Second Team
Caleb McLeod, 1500m, First Team
Maverik Mertens, JT, First Team
Lukas Moran, HT, First Team
Luke Mummert, JT, Second Team
Caden Schweer, 10000m, Second Team
Jon Sweepe, 1500m, Second Team
Ian Thomas, JT, First Team

Chadron State

Chayton Bynes, LJ, First Team
Ryan Clapper, 200m, Second Team
Ayden Hartzell, 200m, Second Team
Ayden Hartzell, 400m, First Team
Tavion Leatherdale, DT, First Team
Ethan Norris, Dec, Second Team
Courtney Williams, Dec, First Team

Colorado Christian

Ethan Nowakowski, 400mH, Second Team
Zachariah Vance, 1500m, First Team

Colorado Mesa

Blake Ames, 400mH, Second Team
Aidan Brownell, 400mH, First Team
Salem Brunk, TJ, Second Team
Mateo Casados, 100m, First Team
Mateo Casados, 200m, First Team
Mateo Casados, 4x100m Relay, Second Team
Van Chambers, DT, Second Team
Marik Cummings, 4x100m Relay, Second Team
Antone Higgs, TJ, Second Team
Asa Keim, Dec, Second Team
Amaris Mora, 4x100m Relay, Second Team
Joseph Randolph, 100m, Second Team
Joseph Randolph, 4x100m Relay, Second Team
Vasileios Salpas, 800m, Second Team
Austin Schultz, SP, Second Team
Devin Shea, HJ, First Team
Devin Shea, LJ, First Team
Izaak Siefken, JT, First Team
Clayton Wilson, 5000m, Second Team

Colorado School of Mines

Daniel Appleford, 5000m, First Team
Aidan Bennett, PV, First Team
Max Bonenberger, 3000m SC, First Team
Jathan Busby, 100m, First Team
Liam Currie, 4x400m Relay, First Team
Brock Drengenberg, 800m, First Team
Jonah Fallon, 200m, First Team
Jonah Fallon, 400m, First Team
Jonah Fallon, 4x400m Relay, First Team
Cole Fiorillo, 3000m SC, Second Team
Ethan Grolnic, 1500m, Second Team
Dawson Gunn, 5000m, First Team
Paul Knight, 10000m, First Team
Garrett Mackey, 3000m SC, Second Team
Rowan Nicholas, 10000m, First Team
Jonah Pfender, SP, Second Team
Alejandro Philippart, 110mH, First Team
Alejandro Philippart, LJ, Second Team
Chris Pietrak, 5000m, Second Team
Elijah Quinby, 4x400m Relay, First Team
Nicholas Stade, Dec, Second Team
Tim Thompson, 4x400m Relay, First Team
Tim Thompson, 800m, First Team
Jeremiah Vaille, 10000m, First Team
Cooper Van Maurer, PV, Second Team
Charlie Welch, 3000m SC, Second Team
Cade Whish, DT, Second Team
Cody Wyman, 10000m, Second Team
Kai Miller, PV, Second Team

Fort Lewis

Elijah Smith, 5000m, Second Team

MSU Denver

Kenny Greene, 200m, Second Team
Kenny Greene, 400m, First Team
Kai Luna, TJ, First Team
Anthony Martinez, 110mH, First Team
Trenton Smith, 110mH, Second Team
Isaiah Williams, HJ, First Team

South Dakota Mines

Augustus Fink, HT, First Team
Everett Gilbert, HJ, First Team
Isaac Haynie, 110mH, Second Team
Isaac Haynie, 400mH, Second Team
Logan Haynie, PV, First Team
Merek Ranstrom, 110mH, First Team
Merek Ranstrom, 400mH, First Team
Morgan Sandal, JT, Second Team
Isaiah Thurman, HT, Second Team
Zachary Vanicek, PV, Second Team

UCCS

Evan Atkin, Dec, First Team
Josia Billington, LJ, First Team
Joseph Bjegovich, DT, Second Team
Noah Brown, 100m, Second Team
Noah Brown, 4x100m Relay, First Team
Camden Bruns, SP, First Team
Zamari Burrell, 4x100m Relay, First Team
Broden Cahoon, Dec, First Team
Michael Cruzado, 100m, First Team
Michael Cruzado, 200m, First Team
Michael Cruzado, 4x100m Relay, First Team
Hayden Cuevas, HT, Second Team
Brett Davis, 5000m, First Team
Alex Emers, HJ, Second Team
Hayden Fox, 4x400m Relay, Second Team
Josh Gross, 400m, Second Team
Josh Gross, 4x400m Relay, Second Team
Jake Hall, HJ, Second Team
Jos Impellitteri, 3000m SC, First Team
Sebastien Jean, 400m, Second Team
Sebastien Jean, 4x400m Relay, Second Team
Bryce Joshlin, 110mH, Second Team
KJ McInnis, LJ, Second Team
KJ McInnis, TJ, First Team
Jordan Mora, JT, Second Team
Andrew Muncy, 400m, Second Team
Andrew Muncy, 4x400m Relay, Second Team
Daryn O'Kuragu, 100m, Second Team
Daryn O'Kuragu, 4x100m Relay, First Team
Michael Roberts, DT, First Team
Michael Roberts, HT, First Team
Willie Tran, TJ, Second Team

Western Colorado

Shawn Carter, TJ, First Team
Oliver Diaz, 1500m, Second Team
Brandon Kolb, HJ, Second Team
Tyler Nord, 1500m, First Team
Brayden Jones, PV, Second Team
Jan Thewes, 3000m SC, First Team

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 71 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.