By: Audrey Bloomquist, Assistant Commissioner for Championships and External Engagement

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference hosted its fourth annual RMAC SAAC Summer Retreat at the SpringHill Suites in Downtown Colorado Springs last Sunday, July 26 through Tuesday, July 28. Twenty-seven student-athletes and four administrators, representing each of the RMAC’s 15 institutions, attended the retreat, participating in leadership development workshops, networking, and planning for the 2026-2027 academic year.

“For the past three years, my time at the RMAC SAAC retreat has been an opportunity for me to learn, grow and develop as a leader, athlete and person,” said Alivia Huxoll, MSU Denver volleyball student-athlete and RMAC SAAC Internal Operations Coordinator. “Each year, I look forward to spending time with other student-athletes who are also leaders on their teams working towards their goals. The retreat’s workshop topics, such as leadership traits, life after sports and financial literacy, are very beneficial and something I will take with me after my time at MSU Denver.”

To kick off the retreat, Sunday evening’s dynamic and engaging session featured retired NFL wide receiver, Jonathan Orr, founder of Athlete Transition Services. Throughout the session, Orr emphasized the importance of establishing purpose beyond the field of play, reiterating Athlete Transition Service’s goal of equipping student-athletes with tools for personal and professional development, while preparing them for the inevitable transition out of sport.

Sunday evening also kicked off RMAC SAAC’s business session, highlighted by an RMAC report and Q&A session with Commissioner Harris, a National SAAC report from the RMAC’s National SAAC Representatives, Sean Belzer and Yahir Chairez-Salazar, discussion around the NCAA age-based eligibility model, and a review of the RMAC’s 2025-2026 community engagement goal. This first business session offered attendees an opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the role of SAAC in Division II and the impact of the student-athlete voice.

Monday’s program began with a competitive, team-based community engagement activity through Uplifting Athletes’ (UA) Lift for Life event. Uplifting Athletes is a national non-profit organization that connects college and professional sports teams with people and families affected by rare diseases. Founded in 2003 by Penn State football player, Scott Shirley, UA raises funds for medical research and builds community support through “Uplifting Experiences.” RMAC SAAC’s Lift for Life event proudly highlighted MSU Denver head men’s soccer coach, Nick Kirchhof, who shared his daughter’s story as a member of the rare disease community. Coach Kirchhof’s presentation to student-athletes helped illustrate the impact of Uplifting Athletes’ mission and created a personal connection between the event and the RMAC community.

While simultaneously raising money through unique donation links, student-athletes competed in six team-based challenges including push-ups, planks, relay races, standing broad jumps, tug of war and a game of “ultimate rock, paper, scissors.” Team champions were crowned at the conclusion of the event, based on a cumulative point system. RMAC SAAC student-athletes will continue promoting their unique donation links on campus and encourage interested donors to visit Charity.Pledgeit.org/RMACSaacLiftforLife2026, now through September 30.

The day continued with a DiSC Assessment workshop, which helped student-athletes capitalize on their unique personality and communication styles to work with peers in solving sport-related challenges many of them face on a daily basis. Attendees then had the opportunity to engage with a retired professional athlete panel, organized by Matt Mishkind of CU Anschutz’s Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center. During the session, panelists Danny O’Connor, Jennifer Gutierrez-Hughes, Kara Winger and Keira Bennett, discussed mental health challenges associated with the transition out of sport, avenues of support, and tools for current student-athletes to find a healthy balance between their personal and athletic identities.

Monday concluded with a financial literacy workshop from Bellco Credit Union, focusing on personal credit, loans and investment opportunities, prior to an evening social, sponsored by Raising Cane's. Student-athletes and administrators enjoyed dinner from Raising Cane's Garden of the Gods location in Colorado Springs before participating in Air O Sport, a fast-paced, inclusive team game that blends elements of frisbee and basketball.

To wrap up the 2026 retreat, student-athletes and administrators gathered Tuesday morning for their final business session where attendees formalized RMAC SAAC’s 2026-2027 goal of maximizing the impact of student-athlete involvement on their campuses and finding solutions to common roadblocks in creating effective campus SAAC programs. The group also discussed plans of implementing an RMAC SAAC Mental Health Subcommittee, elected new 2026-2027 RMAC SAAC officers, filled RMAC committee vacancies, discussed the RMAC’s new “Legacy Network” mentorship program, and shared opportunities for campus SAAC funding from the league.

After the business session, RMAC student-athletes had the opportunity to hear from four RMAC Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs), including Rich Loosbrock of Adams State, Greg Clifton of MSU Denver, Jessica Kirby of UCCS and Alysse Morton of Westminster, regarding the significance of the FAR role on campus and opportunities for enhanced communication and connection between FARs and RMAC student-athletes throughout the academic year.

Capping off the 2026 RMAC SAAC Summer Retreat was a trip to the Colorado Springs Children’s Hospital Colorado to support the RMAC’s year-round community engagement partner. RMAC student-athletes visited patient floors, decorated waiting rooms, and created unique chalk art designs to encourage patients and their families.

“While our business sessions are important aspects of the retreat, the most meaningful and impactful part, for me, was the time we get to spend connecting outside the formal program hours,” said Sean Belzer, UCCS men’s soccer student-athlete and RMAC National SAAC Representative. “Learning about each other and what it’s like at each other’s respective campuses was so eye opening. I’m looking forward to this academic year and am excited to see the impact RMAC SAAC has on DII student-athletes.”

"I would like to thank each of our institutions for supporting the RMAC office's efforts in delivering a successful 2026 RMAC SAAC Summer Retreat," said Audrey Bloomquist, RMAC SAAC liaison and Assistant Commissioner for Championships and External Engagement. "My goal is for each of our RMAC student-athletes to understand their full potential academically and athletically, while unlocking the skills to reach their goals beyond their sport. The annual summer retreat fosters a unique environment to celebrate this goal, and I am truly honored to serve our conference through RMAC SAAC.”

The RMAC proudly shares these experiences of its dedicated student-athletes and administrators engaging with leadership and professional development opportunities each year, highlighting the league’s commitment to developing its membership beyond athletic competitions.

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 its members have earned 71 team national championships since 1992. Founded in 1909, the RMAC is the most historic athletic conference in the western United States and Division II.