A look at the people whose connection to CMU extends far beyond their time as student-athletes
The storied athletic programs at Colorado Mesa University (CMU) go much further than the field for Maverick football. Many coaches have built their careers at the same school where they once played, providing a strong sense of community, strength and compassion for the athletes they mentor each day.
Grand Junction, Colorado has served not only as a promising home for the young athletes beginning their college careers, but as a permanent home for three coaches who once left their athletic legacy on the field at CMU.
Coach Trevor Wikre graduated from CMU in 2009, with his degree in both physical education and adapted physical education. Wikre played defensive tackle for his first two years and offensive guard for his final two seasons with the Mavericks. He currently coaches offensive line and serves as the offensive coordinator. He had a standout career, earning All-Conference honors during his junior and senior seasons and All-American honors during his final season.
Wikre is known for his toughness, both as a player and as a coach. What he is perhaps best known for is a lifelong decision he made during his senior year with the Mavericks.
During a practice late in the season, Wikre felt a crunch in his glove. At first, he figured it was just tape or the glove itself. He later realized his right pinkie had suffered a severe dislocation, an injury that would require complex surgery and six months of recovery.
Wikre knew he did not want to leave his team who was undefeated in conference play and decided he could sit out for only two weeks if the doctor would amputate his pinkie instead. After speaking with his family, coaches and doctors, the consensus was that Wikre would not only finish that season without a pinkie, but live the rest of his life without one.
Today, Wikre coaches his athletes with that same grit and determination. Wikre bleeds the Maverick spirit and has poured countless hours into the CMU football program, and his connection to the university extends beyond football. Wikre met his wife, Traci, at CMU when they were both students and she was working as a trainer. The university remains part of their daily lives, with Wikre coaching for the Mavericks, Traci working in the Registrar’s Office and the couple raising their two children in Grand Junction.
“My wife and I met here this is where we want to raise our kids, we love the school and what it gave to us and we want to give back with our talents,” Wikre continued. “As a coach each day is different — new challenges to take on, but the best part is being around the players and being able to help them.”
Current wide receivers coach, Ryan Whittington, played alongside Wikre during his college days. Whittington played from 2002-2006 and served as an important factor to the early 2000s success CMU football had. Whittington is from Rifle, Colorado, where he also worked as the head coach for numerous seasons at Rifle High School prior to coaching at CMU. He truly built himself as a prominent coach on the Western Slope. He also spent time in Delta, Colorado, as an assistant coach for Delta High School. Ultimately, Whittington landed on CMU as his home.
“[CMU] gave me an opportunity to coach a game that I so dearly love, and it also gave me an opportunity to give back to a university that has given so much to me,” Whittington said. “To me, being a Mav is someone that is a grinder. Someone that outworks their opponents on any given day.”
Offensive Assistant Coach for the Wide Receivers is Donnie Holmes, a star Maverick wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for multiple seasons. Drafted in 1984 to the Atlanta Falcons, the 318th overall pick remained in college for one more year before beginning his professional career. Ultimately, Holmes left the NFL due to injuries; however, his football journey was not done as Holmes turned to coaching.
CMU football has found success in recent years and continues to strengthen their resilient coaching staff by keeping athletes in the program. From Wikre demonstrating the toughness of a Maverick, to Whittington’s longevity on the Western Slope, to Holmes bringing his professional skills to the Division II level, the coaches here at CMU know what representing a Maverick means to themselves, the university and the community.