The 2025-26 women's basketball team made history while exemplifying CMU's values
In March 2026, the Colorado Mesa University Women’s Basketball Team made a run in the postseason tournament that was written for the history books. Win after win, the team earned the first undefeated Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) season in CMU women’s basketball history, finishing conference play with a perfect 20-0 record. The Mavericks then extended their winning streak to 34 games before finishing 37-2 overall.
But historic seasons are never solely defined by the outcome of the last game. Instead, they are defined by the tenacity, heart and culture of the team and how they work together to overcome challenges and setbacks.
The Mavericks overcame injuries, tough opponents, prioritizing their academics and heightened pressure on their way to several program records and a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Final Four appearance. From prominent redshirt sophomore, Mason Rowland, returning from knee surgery to senior stand-out, Olivia Thyne, this team leaned into each other and their support systems to thrive in a season the Maverick community will never forget.
BUILDING THE STANDARD
Championship runs require a road map. Prior to the season, the team discussed their goals and aspirations for the months ahead. By setting the standard early on, they were able to hold each other accountable through every class, practice, workout and game day. They set an ambitious goal of becoming one of the top teams in the country and committed themselves to the work it would take to get there.
For leaders like Rowland, these goals helped hold her and her teammates to the same standard — a standard that would push them farther in the postseason tournament than any other team before.
“I think from a team aspect, we knew what we wanted to accomplish right from the beginning,” said Rowland. “We had team meetings and we set those goals. We just wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page.”
Originally from Durango, Colorado, and pursuing an accounting degree, Rowland has always taken pride in being a part of something bigger than herself. Even with all her accolades, like RMAC Freshman of the Year and Second-Team All-RMAC, she played for her teammates and was grateful for every opportunity to step onto the court.
“I think each time we were just grateful to keep playing. And that’s something that I feel like stuck with me, because last year I did not get to play,” said Rowland. “I wanted to find the love for the sport. I wanted to be grateful to play every chance that I got, because it can be taken away.”
Rowland wasn’t the only one battling injuries. ACL tears and sprained ankles are frequent risks in the sport of basketball. However, leaning into resilience let the team maintain their desire to work hard from start to finish.
For recent graduate and seasoned all-star Olivia Thyne, a team is only as strong as the relationships among its players.
“I’ve been fortunate to be a part of so many great teams being here. But especially this year, just the closeness that we all have outside the court,” said Thyne. “I think you could see how close-knit we were when we played.”
Going into the season, Thyne, Rowland and the whole team knew they were a part of something special. With team alignment on clearly defined goals, a supportive culture and a drive to perform on and off the court, they were ready to make a run for a national championship.
THE HEART OF THE TEAM
In the huddle, Thyne’s teammates describe her as the kind of player who makes everyone else better. That might mean stepping up to take a critical shot, or just as often, making the extra pass that leads to a better one. It even looks like helping up an opponent in the heat of a final four face-off.
Thyne, the 2026 RMAC Woman of the Year, embraced everything that comes with being a Division II athlete, including her community-centered mindset, resilience and humility.
Thyne made an immediate impact after signing with CMU, earning RMAC Freshman of the Year honors before becoming a three-time RMAC Player of the Year. Her outstanding performance on the court never overshadowed her work in the classroom, though, as she pursued her degree in fitness and health promotion and served the community.
Come Thyne’s senior season, people were paying attention — to her and the team. The more wins they racked up, the louder the noise became.
Despite her following and fandom, Thyne never allowed herself to be obsessed with her own achievements. That was never the goal for her. Instead, it was to take full advantage of her time as a collegiate student-athlete and to be present with her teammates.
“I don’t think I ever looked at my stats during the season because I was just like, that’s not what it’s about. I don’t need those numbers in my brain,” said Thyne. “At the end of the day, I think it’s not that big of a deal. It’s cool, but it’s not what actually matters.”
Even as the points kept increasing and records began stacking up, the pressure seemed nonexistent.
“When the pressure would get too big, I would rely on my close circle, my friends and my husband,” said Thyne. “But my parents, the way they raised me, specifically with sports, they never put pressure on me to score points or to break records or rebounds or whatever it is.”
With her support system behind her, she could play freely. Thyne’s name was everywhere throughout the season, including the news, social media and households alike, but with her team’s foundation and her family’s support, she was able to tune out the noise and focus on playing her best each day.
MAVERICKS GAIN MOMENTUM
Under Head Coach Taylor Wagner, the team remained humble yet driven. The team began the season 3-0, winning the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) Tip-Off Classic. The next week, the team traveled to Texas where they dropped their first game of the season to West Texas A&M University.
At this point, the team knew they did not give their best performance and banded together to prevent another loss. And they did just that, earning a whopping 34 wins in a row, defeating numerous opponents and ultimately delivering on their preseason goals.
But the shattered records, games won and accolades collected during the regular season seemed to go unnoticed behind closed practice doors in the Maverick Center. The team wouldn’t allow ego to creep in.
“Wag [Taylor Wagner] has done this for 13-plus years. He’s very experienced and he knows what it takes to get there, so he’s not going to let us slack off,” said Rowland, regarding the team’s rigorous practices during the winning season. “That is something that I feel like was very evident this year. We kept winning, but he kept making practice harder. He kept pushing us.”
The pressures of success only brought the team closer together. They celebrated each win, but in turn, practiced even harder to fulfill the promises they made to each other.
Hard work showed up in the record books. Coach Wagner earned 300 career wins, and Thyne capped off her career by shattering 16 CMU records and earning 36 awards and honors.
PLAYING FOR MORE
Off the court, Thyne was always focused on her “why.”
It takes a special kind of person to compete in NCAA Division II athletics. These student-athletes pour their hearts into the game they love and are motivated by something deeper than recognition or accolades. Before the days of name, image and likeness (NIL), all NCAA athletes found themselves playing a sport for the love of the game rather than financial compensation and transfer portal opportunities.
At the Division II level, student-athletes like Thyne and Rowland continue playing out of sheer passion, rather than recompense.
“Just being able to compete at a really similar level to those lower Division I schools, things aren’t as transactional. I’m sure some other schools don’t get the support we do,” said Thyne.
At CMU, the student-athlete model emphasizes treating players like Thyne and Rowland as students first, athletes second. They still compete at a high level, but the university understands that their main goal is to walk away with valuable, enriching memories and a degree. Playing basketball is just the cherry on top.
“You can have the money, the scholarships. If you have it, great. If you don’t, that’s fine. We’re just so happy to play,” said Rowland.
For Thyne, the true measure of her career isn’t defined by basketball accomplishments alone. She hopes her fans remember something deeper.
“I hope that when people look back at my career and see the success I’ve had, they know that wasn’t the biggest part of my journey to me,” said Thyne.
When reflecting on the season, Thyne didn’t immediately talk about wins, championships or awards. Instead, she smiled while recalling a road trip to South Dakota.
“We went up to South Dakota, which is the worst trip ever, but we ended up staying at a hotel with a slide in it. After we played, we put our bags down and went straight to the slide. We stayed there for an hour. It was so fun.
It’s silly, but it’s something I’ll never forget,” said Thyne.
That memory says as much about this team as any box score ever could. For many Maverick fans, the 2025–26 season will forever be remembered for the broken records and the history made, but for the team, they will remember the memories that happened off the court.
They proved that lasting success is built on trust, passion and commitment to something greater than one’s self. Every moment they shared was impactful, from engaging in intense competition to sliding down a hotel slide hundreds of miles from home.
This team showed what can be achieved when individuals come together with a shared purpose and leave an impact that will be felt long after the final whistle.