CSU-Pueblo Athletics

CSU-Pueblo golfer Leina Kim began her sports career at the age of 10. She credits her father and brother as the major influences that peaked her interest in golf, and the sport has become an important part of her life.

Kim, who is beginning to consider a professional career after college, said, “I have thought about if I wanted to, though, due to some inconsistency in my game, I didn’t know if it was a possibility. But I have had more reassurance recently with the increase of my golf achievements.”

Kim has earned many awards as a leader for the CSU-Pueblo Women’s Golf Pack. According to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Kim won her second straight individual RMAC tournament championship at the YellowJacket Invite in Spearfish, S.D. She shot 6-over-par to lead the field, winning by a comfortable seven strokes at the Spearfish Canyon Country Club.

Her individual title lead CSU-Pueblo to their second consecutive RMAC tournament championship.

Kim also broke a school record in the RMAC Tournament #1 by shooting a 142 total on her way to being named the RMAC Women’s Golfer of the Week in September.

Of all the awards and the spotlights on her achievements, the Athlete of the Year Award  in 2013 was the most fulfilling for Kim.

“It was a school wide athlete of the year award, and it woke me up and made me feel like hey, I have a chance,” Kim said.

Kim has been ranked first in three of the four tournaments held so far this fall, and being in the spotlight has given her the confidence she needed to look ahead toward the pros.

The Musso family booth at the Chili and Frijoles Festival

What is something that takes you home to Southern Colorado? Is it the cow manure going through Swink, Co? Or the burning of leaves in the mountains? Maybe it’s sitting by a hot fire on a cool afternoon.

We all know that fall is right around the corner, but what is the end of summer without the Chile and Frijoles Festival in the historic downtown Pueblo. The aroma of roasting chilis is something that Pueblo natives and visitors always look forward to.

The 20th annual Chile and Frijoles Festival brought nearly 100,000 people to the Union Avenue Historic District, and there is one booth at the festival that absolutely nobody can pass by without stopping: the Musso family chile roasting booth.

The Musso family has left a lasting impression on everyone who gathers for this yearly event. The Musso farms are family owned and have a long history that dates back to the late 1800s., and they have been a part of the Chile Festival since the beginning.

At their booth, they offer mild, medium, and hot chili, as well as fresh grown produce like Colorado peaches and watermelon, bell peppers, sweet corn, beets, green beans, squash, cucumbers and much more.

When the Chile and Frijoles Festival comes around next year, be sure to visit the Musso family booth for a taste of history and some of the best homegrown fare Colorado has to offer.

CSU-Pueblo President Lesley Di Mare hosted a series of constituent meetings last Thursday to update the campus community about issues including enrollment, the budget and other areas of interest.  Attendees also had the opportunity to ask the president and her cabinet questions.

Di Mare began with a news story produced by KOAA about the enrollment increase at CSU-Pueblo this year. The story emphasized that head count isn’t everything, though FTE or the number of credit hours that students are taking, is very important in terms of budget and generating revenue, and the classification of students also makes a difference.

For example, if there are 3000 international and out-of-state students, these students generate more revenue than 5000 in-state students, because out-of-state and international tuition is much higher than in-state.

Although total enrollment numbers have dropped, freshmen enrollment numbers are up. Last year there were 790 freshmen, and this year, the census reports 911 freshmen, which is an increase of more than 15 percent.

The freshman class is not only larger this year, but is higher in quality and diversity than the last two years.  The reasons for this increase could be a result of adding six more Division II sports, including swimming and lacrosse. Also, CSU-Pueblo enrollment officials have targeted states such as Texas, New Mexico, and California which adds to the diverse population on campus.

“At the end of last year we had anticipated that we would start the new year to the good, and gladly, we are much above that in our enrollment,” Di Mare said.

Another technique to increase revenue is restoring buyouts, which in the past, were funded by one-time money from the CSU system. Buyouts make it easier to higher new faculty at a lower salary which saves money. $232,000 was saved this year in buyouts.

Other face-to-face gatherings with the president and her cabinet will follow this semester, and all students and faculty are encouraged to attend to receive the latest information on enrollment and budgets.

The CSU-Pueblo marching band, cheer and dance squads pose at the Colorado Children’s Hospital in Denver.
Photo courtesy of Ali Davis

Cheerleaders interact with children at the Colorado Children’s Hospital.
Photo courtesy of Ali Davis

The Colorado State University-Pueblo marching band joined the cheer and dance squads in promoting the new FOX series “Red Band Society.”

The groups represented Pueblo and the university Sept. 12 at the Colorado Children’s Hospital in Denver, playing music, dancing, and interacting with parents and children. The Denver event was the only Colorado appearance for the show, and CSU-Pueblo was the only Colorado band to participate.
“Red Band Society” is about a group of teens who form a bond in a Los Angeles hospital.  Their friendships are represented by their red hospital bands.

According to a press release from CSU-Pueblo, FOX and “Red Band Society” will be visiting children’s hospitals in several cities during September, holding ten similar events to promote the show.

Ali Davis, a CSU-Pueblo cheerleader, said “It was definitely humbling. Not only did we represent CSU Pueblo, we represented the state of Colorado for FOX’s new show, ‘Red Band Society.’ To see the joy in the children’s faces that got to go outside and see the performance and  meet Wolfie was amazing. The girls actually got to be homecoming dates to a wonderful teen that missed his senior homecoming because he needed surgery. They threw a mini dance for him, and it made his night.”

“I know it had a lasting impact on the kids in the hospital, but I’m pretty sure it had the same lasting effect on each of the members in the band, cheer, and dance squads who were able to attend the event…it was definitely an experience we will never forget,” said Davis.

FOX network also made a donation to the Colorado Children’s Hospital to commemorate CSU-Pueblo’s participation in the project.

The CSU-Pueblo Women’s Golf Team

Colorado State University-Pueblo junior Leina Kim (Saipan, CNMI) began the 2014-15 golf season on a high note; she captured first place at the Samuel Proal Insurance Lady Wolf Pack Invitational Tuesday afternoon at Pueblo Country Club, and Thursday she was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women’s golfer of the week.

The Thunderwolves recorded a second-round team total of 321 to finish the tournament with a score of 645, matching fellow RMAC opponent Metro State University for second place.

After shooting a 3-over par 74 yesterday, Kim responded with 1-under par 70 in round two. Kim played bogey golf on the back nine holes and wrapped in birdies at holes 10, 11 and 14. Kim also had front-nine birdies at holes three and four. The junior finished the tournament with a 2-under mark of 144.

Julie Sanchez, a senior from Pueblo, finished in fifth place for the Pack after notching a second-round score of 81 to finish the tournament at 13-over. Samantha Geisick, a freshman from Greely, Colo. concluded play tied for 34th place with a final score of 170.

Rounding out play for the Thunderwolves were Natasha Navarro, a sophomore from San Antonio, Texas and Megan McCutcheon, a freshman from Monument, who finished with scores of 176 and 191, respectively. Navarro’s mark landed her in a tie for 46th place, while McCutcheon ranked 66th.

CSU-Pueblo returns to play Monday at the first RMAC tournament of the year, hosted by Colorado Christian University.

Playing in their first tournament of the 2014-15 season, the Colorado State University-Pueblo men’s golf squad posted a fourth-place finish at the Samuel Proal Insurance Wolf Pack Invitational at Walking Stick Golf Course. Senior Matt Porter from Castle Rock, Colo. notched the top finish for the Pack, concluding play in eighth place.

After tallying identical rounds of 288 on day one, CSU-Pueblo posted a final-round mark of 293 to finish with an overall tournament score of 869

Porter entered play Tuesday in a tie for second place, but a 3-over score of 74 dropped the senior to the eighth spot at the conclusion of play. Porter finished the tournament with a 4-under par score of 212.

Jacob Allenback, a sophomore from Pueblo and Cordell Weber, a freshman from Welcome, Minn. finished in a tie for 18th with scores of 219 (+3) each. Hayden Ritter, a freshman from Boise, Idaho tied for 32nd after posting a total mark of 226 (+10), while Thayne Balling, a junior from Cody, Wy tallied a final score of 227 (+11) to finish in a tie for 36th.

The Pack will next play in the Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational beginning Monday. The event, which will be hosted by West Texas A&M, will take place at the Tascosa Golf Club in Amarrilo, Texas.

2014 Colorado State Fair Demolition Derby

Concerts and rodeos and carnival rides oh my… the 2014 State Fair is in the books and one to remember.

With 498,720 people in attendance, the 142- year-old Colorado institution offered exciting time to locals and visitors alike.

The weather was great. It allowed many to stay dry and enjoy those funnel cakes and turkey legs that we all look forward to leading up to fair season. The Fair also featured some of the greatest attractions and entertainment around.

Those who attended were treated to performances by Gabriel Iglesias, Tony Orlando and many more well known celebrities. Brantley Gilbert’s concert was sold out as thousands of fair-goers attended his sensational show.

“He was incredible live… sounded the same as he does on his albums,” said Danielle Dupont, a student at CSU-Pueblo.

The demolition derby was a showdown with double digit numbers in several of the heats. With the loud trucks and cars crashing into each other, the announcer had a bit of trouble at times when the competitors should have pulled their flags. But what’s a good show without a few misunderstood rule breakers?

During the demolition derby, talented singer Olivia Colletti performed and blew the crowd away. Colletti featured every genre from country to rap, and she was able to involve the crowd and keep their energy high.

This year, many people were happy to know that the cash cards were no longer needed, and many of the vendors were able to bring in more revenue which goes toward the facility grounds and promotion for the 4H and Future Farmers of America youth programs.

If you didn’t make it to the 2014 Colorado State Fair, you missed a fantastic time and a long-standing Colorado tradition.  So start making plans now, next year’s Fair is just around the corner.

New assistant coach, Michaela Breit

Greeley, Colorado native, Michaela Breit, has joined the Thunderwolf women’s golf team as the assistant coach.

Breit is a recent graduate of CSU Pueblo, earning her bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing, but she isn’t finished yet.  She is continuing with the 3+2 program to get her master’s degree. The MBA program was not always the plan, but she realized at the beginning of her senior year that it was an incredible opportunity available through the Hasan School of Business.

Breit is an avid golfer who played for the university all four years of her undergraduate career. Because she was on the team previously, she notes that this year will be a little different due to her position as a coach. Breit understands that her team has much respect for her since she has played the role of friend and teammate.

As assistant coach, she wants to help the girls reach higher than their expectations. She’s excited about this opportunity because she knows, as a player, a girl can only take themselves so far, but as a coach, she can take them beyond their personal goals.

For this team, community involvement is a large focus. Going to courses and familiarizing themselves with the golf community, which is tight-knit and supportive, keeps the sport alive.

Breit is very optimistic and enthusiastic about the 2014-2015 golf season and has high expectations and confidence in the potential of her team.

The home tournament will be held September 8 and 9 at the Pueblo Country Club. There will be 13 teams including groups from Canada and  Lubbock, Texas in attendance.