Last weekend, the women’s basketball team returned from a double-digit deficit to break their three-game losing streak.
The baseball team picked up their first win in their home opener against San Francisco State, while track and field received more national qualifying marks.
Basketball
The women’s team had a split weekend, losing their first game against Black Hills State (BHS) 59-56 but coming back from behind to beat South Dakota Mines, 53-52.
After a back-and-forth first half, UCCS went into the fourth quarter with a 40-39 lead, but BHS leaped ahead and maintained that lead for a heartbreaking 59-56 UCCS loss.
Coming off a gut check of a loss, the Mountain Lions looked like they were fizzling out as they trailed by double-digits through the second and third quarters.
However, the team found their second wind and went on a 12-2 run in the second half of the third quarter, heading into the fourth quarter only down by three. Finally taking the lead in the fourth quarter, the Mountain Lions held on, winning the game 53-52.
The men’s team had a pair of challenging losses over the weekend, dropping a 69-100 loss to No. 3 Black Hills State. Despite the difficulties, senior Jon’il Fugett stood out by scoring 24 points, shooting five for five from the free throw and leading the team with six rebounds.
On Feb. 11, the Mountain Lions hosted South Dakota Mines (SDM), and the game was a battle from the start. Only trailing by one at halftime, UCCS found its first lead early in the second half. However, an SDM drive took the lead, holding it for a 78-67 UCCS loss.
Baseball
The Mountain Lions had their opening home game of the season and earned their first win in a four-game series against San Francisco State (SFS). After losing a close first game, the Mountain Lions overcame an early deficit to win the game 10-7.
Down 5-0 in the third inning, UCCS redshirt sophomore Cam Kennedy scored the first run before sending two more UCCS runners to home his next at-bat, bringing the score to 5-3.
Back-to-back home runs by redshirt sophomores Kit Wigington and Caleb Stubbings and a 2RBI double by sophomore Macully Sehr tied the game 7-7.
After an RBI from Stubbings and an RBI double from sophomore Brad Madison, the Mountain Lions defeated SFS 10-7. Stubbings ended the game 3-4 with two RBIs, one home run and three runs scored.
Junior pitcher Hunter Owens earned the win for the game, holding SFS to one earned run with three strikeouts in the innings he pitched.
Their next game is on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. against Colorado State University Pueblo.
Track and Field
The track and field team traveled to Pittsburg, Kansas, to compete in the two-day 8th Annual Indoor Gorilla Classic, where the Mountain Lions added to their already long list of NCAA qualifying marks.
The women’s distance medley relay (DMR) team led the competition and their first-place finish of 11:35.31 ranks as the third fastest time in the nation.
The men’s DMR team also made it to the podium and placed third, but their 9:45.02 time not only ranks as the third fastest time in the nation but also beat the previous UCCS record by more than 20 seconds.
A few other UCCS athletes made the podium in Pittsburg. Redshirt sophomore Kate Hedlund placed second in the 800m; her time of 2:09.45 is top five in the nation.
Redshirt sophomore Brian Mosely Jr. also placed second in the 60m dash and registered national qualifying marks but narrowly missed his season-best time.
In the mile race, sophomore Anna Fauske placed third, while redshirt freshman Jagger Zlotoff’s fifth-place finish registered as the second-best all-time UCCS record for the event.
Redshirt freshman Molly Breuer placed 9th out of 60 runners in the women’s 5k, making a new personal best time of 17:28.73.
The final meet before the RMAC Indoor Championships will take place on Feb. 17 at the Air Force Collegiate open.