Colorado Mesa University’s Rodeo Round-Up Week gave the Maverick community plenty to cheer for, bringing record-setting crowds, campus traditions and another milestone moment for CMU Rodeo, ending with the program’s sixth consecutive Rodeo of the Year award and a fourth national finals qualification for Justise Jones.
The week began with the Rodeo Round-Up Kickoff Party and Maverick Meat-Up on the Grand Mesa and Delta fields. Students, faculty, staff and community members gathered for free food and the CMU Rodeo team’s annual steer stroll. More than 1,100 people were served during the Maverick Meat-Up, helping build excitement before the annual Maverick Stampede.
The early-week energy helped set the tone for the Maverick Stampede Rodeo at the Mesa County Fairgrounds, where CMU’s home rodeo and concert drew record-setting crowds and showcased the growing support behind the program.
“It was the largest showing of students, staff and community members I have seen yet,” said Assistant Athletic Director of Club Sports Reese Kegans. “The crowd was electric and probably the most exciting event I have seen in my 20 years at CMU.”
The weekend also brought another major recognition for the program as CMU Rodeo earned its sixth consecutive Rodeo of the Year award. For Rodeo Coach Branden Edwards, the honor represented both the work behind the event and the community's continued support.
“The Maverick Stampede has been a passion project of mine since taking over the program in 2018 because I always believed that, if done right, it could become the thing that most connected us to those that would become fans and supporters,” Edwards said. “This year, that was made obvious because people still showed up en masse despite the colder weather over the weekend, and had an amazing level of energy and enthusiasm the whole time.”
The support in the stands was matched by strong performances in the arena, especially from CMU’s women’s team. The team won the women’s team title at the Maverick Stampede, with Justise Jones delivering one of the weekend’s top performances in goat tying.
Jones won both rounds and the average in goat tying, a performance that moved her into the No. 1 position in the Rocky Mountain Region and guaranteed her a place at the College National Finals Rodeo in June.
The following week at the Utah Valley University Rodeo in Spanish Fork, Utah, Jones continued her winning streak by securing the Rocky Mountain Regional title in goat tying and earning the reserve champion all-around title in the region.
With this year’s qualification, Jones became the first and only Maverick to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) four years in a row. She is also the first Maverick to qualify for the national finals while pursuing a graduate degree. Jones will represent the Mavericks at this year’s CNFR, June 14-20 2026 in Casper, Wyoming, where she will compete in goat tying and breakaway roping.
“Justise has been a staple of our team for her entire career at CMU,” Edwards said. “She is a driven and talented athlete who we are proud to have as part of our program.”
Jones’ success is part of a broader period of growth for CMU Rodeo. Since 2018, the program has increased in size, competitiveness, and visibility. The team now includes more than 30 members for the 2025-26 season, with students representing 13 states and Canada. This year, CMU honored nine rodeo athletes on senior night, nearly double the number of athletes on the entire team in 2018.
Edwards credited athletes like Jones, McKenna Clingman, Wylee Mitchell and Izzy Yama with helping build momentum for the women’s team and the program as a whole.
For Edwards, the weekend was also a representation of what makes rodeo different as a spectator sport. While the loudest cheers came for the Mavericks, fans showed support for athletes from across the region.
“Rodeo as a spectator sport is such a unique thing because it isn’t really an ‘us against them’ sport,” Edwards said. “Any given performance at a college rodeo might have upwards of 10 schools represented by dozens of different students, and to hear the crowd at that rodeo cheer for every contestant’s success was incredible and uplifting. Yes, the cheers for our Mavs were louder, as one would always hope they are in a hometown crowd, but good sportsmanship was alive and well.”
That support, Edwards said, speaks to the culture surrounding the university and its rodeo program. The week was a milestone for CMU Rodeo, but it also offered a clear reminder that the program’s growth is rooted in strong student support and a crowd ready to show up for its team.
