The Colorado Mesa women’s basketball team touched down in Grand Junction to a hero’s welcome. Proud fans crowded the local airport on Friday afternoon to greet the Mavericks. The team just finished an amazing season that ended in their first ever Division II Final Four appearance. This journey captured the hearts of the entire community.

A Record Breaking Season for CMU Women’s Basketball

The Mavericks finished the year with a brilliant record of 37 wins and two losses. This incredible run included an undefeated 20 and 0 mark in conference play against very tough opponents.

They won 34 straight games before falling just short of a national title.

This massive win total set a brand new Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record. It also ties for the third most wins in a single season in NCAA Division II history.

[INFOGRAPHIC STYLE LIST] Top Milestones Achieved This Year:

• First NCAA Division II National Semifinal appearance in team history.
• Longest winning streak in the entire nation at 34 games.
• Third most wins in a single season in Division II history.
• First RMAC team to finish conference play undefeated since 1996.

Battling Hard in the NCAA Division II Championship

The magical ride ended Thursday night at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh. The third ranked Mavericks lost a hard fought 75 to 70 battle to the fourth ranked Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The stakes were incredibly high for both talented rosters.

The Crimson Hawks played just 60 miles from their own campus, which gave them a massive crowd advantage.

[PULL QUOTE] “We put a lot of work in this year and we went through a lot of adversity. Just to see that show up on the court was really great to see.” (Olivia Reed Thyne)

Colorado Mesa struggled early with turnovers against a very tight defense. They handed the ball over 11 times which resulted in 17 crucial points for their opponents.

Despite falling behind early, the Mavericks never quit fighting back. They kept the game close and tied the score twice in the second quarter.

Sadly, they simply ran out of time as the final clock ticked down.

Olivia Reed Thyne Leads Mavericks Scoring

Two star players carried the heavy offensive load during the final game of the season. Olivia Reed Thyne and Mason Rowland scored 61 of the team’s 70 total points.

Reed Thyne completely dominated the paint in her final college game to post her 24th double double of the year.

She scored 34 points and grabbed 14 big rebounds against a tall defense. This performance broke the 35 year old conference single season scoring record with 894 points. She also cemented herself as the top rebounder in Colorado college history with 1,431 career boards.

This table breaks down the unbelievable production from the team leaders:

| Player Name | Total Points | Total Rebounds | | Olivia Reed Thyne | 34 | 14 | | Mason Rowland | 27 | 10 | | Rest of Team | 9 | 16 |

Rowland was the only other Maverick to hit double digit scoring figures by adding 27 points. This dynamic pair kept the fans hopeful until the very last buzzer sounded inside the arena.

Coaching Strategy Pushed the Team Forward

The huge success of this season did not happen by pure accident or luck.

Head Coach Taylor Wagner and his assistants built a winning culture based on tough defense and smart ball movement. He demanded absolute excellence during every single practice session since the early summer workouts. Players faced tough drills that prepared them for high pressure moments in the tournament.

This strict preparation helped them survive very tight games against nationally ranked opponents. The coaching staff scouted rival teams for countless hours to find hidden weaknesses they could expose.

Here is a look at the core team strategies that led to winning so many games:

• Forcing opposing guards into bad passing lanes to create easy steals.
• Rebounding aggressively on both ends of the floor to secure second chance points.
• Running quick fast break plays to score before the opposing defense could set up.
• Communicating loudly on defense to prevent open shots from the three point line.

This brilliant system turned a talented roster into an unstoppable force on the basketball court. Coach Wagner praised his amazing athletes for trusting the process and fully believing in each other.

Grand Junction Community Shows Massive Support

The pain of a tight loss quickly faded when the team stepped off the airplane in Colorado. Local residents packed the local airport to celebrate their hometown stars on Friday afternoon. The terminal was completely filled with loud cheers, happy tears, and colorful welcome signs.

Head Coach Taylor Wagner felt completely amazed by the massive crowd waiting patiently for them. He called the growing local support the absolute best part of this long and tiring season.

[CALL OUT BOX] “Anytime you get to be around something that’s really special, it lifts all of our spirits.” (John Marshall, CMU President)

Students, school staff, and local families waved large flags and clapped loudly as the athletes arrived. The positive energy proved that the entire city truly appreciates their hard work and extreme dedication.

Several younger players are already looking forward to getting back in the gym next week to start training for next season.

The tears shed on the court have now turned into smiles of immense pride for these young athletes. They inspired a whole city, united a campus, and proved they belong on the biggest stage in college sports. If you watched this unforgettable season unfold, we want to hear your favorite memories. Comment your thoughts below and share this inspiring story with your friends on Instagram or X using the hashtag #CMUWBB to keep the celebration going.