CMU’s summer athletic camps focused on skill development, collegiate coaching, and fostering the Maverick values of teamwork and growth

Almost every sport at CMU hosts multiple summer camps for young athletes from across western Colorado and many surrounding states. This opportunity provides a place for young athletes to expand their skills and earn recognition from a top-level NCAA Division II university. From elementary, middle and high school, students come together to not only compete and learn more about their sport, but to practice CMU’s athletic values. 

Men’s and Women’s Basketball

After a successful season for both basketball squads, the men’s and women’s basketball teams hosted more than 350 teams. CMU’s men’s Basketball Head Coach, Mike Dunlap, reflected on the advantages of hosting such a large camp.  

“It’s all about the organized teams that would never play, like a team from Phoenix is going to play a team from Wyoming. That’s opportunity in a pretty cool way,” Dunlap said.  

Scrambling from June 1–27, the men’s and women’s basketball teams put in a lot of hours to ensure each camper learned, competed and had fun.  

Football

The football coaching staff and a handful of CMU football student-athletes hosted drills, agility testing and competition to benefit youth football players, and provide an opportunity for them to showcase their talents to a top Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) program.  

“Since we have started camps, at least 15 to 20 of the players each year that we signed have been at one of the camps,” said Football Assistant Coach Trevor Wikre. 

With 10 camps in total, the CMU football staff travels to other states as well to host camps for out-of-state athletes. It is important for potential recruits to ensure they are on board with the Maverick’s coaching style. Wikre referred to his squad as “a blue collar football team.”

Men’s and Women’s Soccer

For grades K–9, the men’s and women’s soccer programs aim to teach, develop and inspire the next generation of soccer players. The youth camps consisted of fundamental drills and small-sided games coached by current student-athletes, alumni and coaches.  

Head Men’s Soccer Coach Jon Fridal said, “[We want] to continue to help foster the growth and development of the game in the Valley and the Western Slope.” 

Alongside the youth camps, the women’s soccer team hosted a camp for high school students and junior college (JUCO) transfers. 

“ID camps are designed to give the player a glimpse into what a collegiate training would look like,” said Head Women’s Soccer Coach Jody Lingafeldt. 

Men’s and Women’s Swim and Dive

For Head Men’s and Women’s Swim and Dive Coach, Mickey Wender, it is important that anyone with an interest in swimming stops at CMU this summer.  

“We want every kid in the Valley to come through El Pomar Natatorium and experience this beautiful place,” he said.  

Former CMU swimmers and coaches combine their knowledge for CMU swimming mini camps. These camps are designed for campers five years-old and up to not only learn the basics of swimming, but also to expand their skills further to ensure safety in the water. On the other hand, nearly 150 young swimmers stay overnight on campus to improve their strokes and life habits at a competitive swim camp directed by Coach Wender.  

Men’s and Women’s Wrestling

Director of Camps and CMU Wrestling Assistant Coach, Joe Ritzen, looks forward to fostering growth in middle and high school wrestlers.  

“[The CMU wrestling team] provides personalized instruction and guidance to help you improve your technique, strategy and mental toughness,” said Ritzen.   

With multiple camp counselors and coaches, catering to an athlete’s specific needs is essential for CMU wrestling camps. With live competition sessions, Ritzen believes it is a great opportunity to see up and coming wrestlers in the area to eventually recruit. 

Additionally, the CMU women’s wrestling team takes the mat with wrestlers of all ages to help grow their sport. Head Coach Travis Mercado is an advocate for women’s wrestling and looks forward to doing anything in his power to expand it.  

“Wrestling as a young female can be very intimidating, especially if she is the only girl on her wrestling team or only wrestles against boys,” Mercado added. “It helps foster the idea that each individual is a very powerful person in their own right.” 

Coach Mercado and his team hope to not only inspire little girls but help them feel safe and have fun at an all-female camp. For older athletes, many can improve their skills, technique, nutrition or even get recruited by a top competing program in the country. 

Softball

Colorado Mesa University’s softball team tries to home in on an all-skills camp meant for campers from eight to 13 years old. Coaches and current players combine their knowledge to cover infield, outfield, pitching, catching, baserunning and hitting. The camp goes over intermediate drills and skills, yet also welcomes beginners.  

Baseball

After a recent renaming of CMU’s baseball field, The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark hosted multiple camps ranging from eight to 18 years old. All positions and all levels of the sport are invited to their respective camps to grow and learn the game of baseball or try to begin the recruitment process with the Mavericks.  

“Every camper is evaluated by the staff and given feedback at the end of the showcase,” said Assistant Coach Sean McKinney. 

CMU’s baseball camp differs from normal recruitment camps as they offer tours for all athletes and their families. Coaches take campers to see the new baseball facilities, weight room, human performance lab and academic facilities.  

“Our campus is very impressive, and we want to make sure we feature it for the camp,” McKinney continued, “We usually have 50-60 participants each camp, along with their families, that is over 100 people that we get to expose to our program and the university.” 

Baseball campers participate in baserunning, bullpens and defensive drills, along with a comprehensive pro-style workout for coaches to truly evaluate their prospects. These showcases continue to prove essential to the long-lasting success of Colorado Mesa’s baseball team. 

Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse

The CMU men’s lacrosse team is coming off a successful season and is looking to add more standout players to their roster by hosting a high schooler recruitment camp. Bringing young athletes to campus allows for opportunities to meet the coaching staff, current student-athletes, athletic trainers and strength coaches. Campers also get to showcase their skills by competing in an entire day of lacrosse.  

Men’s Assistant Lacrosse Coach, Blake Amiatu, welcomes anyone to come to Grand Junction and looks forward to teaching their philosophies.  

“We are very open about the expectations and demands of being a CMU lacrosse player,” he said. 

Coach Amiatu also highlights that 95% of the current team has attended the Men’s Lacrosse showcase camp at CMU.  

On the Women’s side, Head Coach Ashley Delaney is eager to begin her camps in the fall and spring rather than the summer. 

Volleyball

The Maverick volleyball team holds a plethora of camps for first graders to seniors in high school. With such a large age gap, the CMU coaching staff separated the campers by skill level to ensure more personalized coaching.

“We pride ourselves on our camps teaching about more than just volleyball,” Head Volleyball Coach Austin Albers commented. “Our camps will introduce some of our team pillars and cultural beliefs…to ensure that we’re also teaching campers how to be great teammates and how to encourage and uplift others around them.” 

From the morning to the evening, campers go through three training sessions. Although campers have fun at the camps, the ones looking to extend their athletic career into college can do so as coaches look to discover new talent. A new Elite Volleyball camp has been implemented this summer and will serve specifically for player evaluation.  

Beach Volleyball

CMU’s beach volleyball program is successful year after year. Throughout the summer, the program hosts a beach volleyball club that mentors student athletes on the Western Slope who have an interest in growing their skills and receiving more specialized practice. 

Tennis

Mesa County Tennis and Colorado Mesa University collaborate in the summer months to help foster community, competition and practice. Campers from five to 18 years old took part in three different camps from May 27 through July 17, 2025. These camps play a role in CMU’s recruiting process and can give higher level athletes a spot on a college roster.  

Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach, Dan MacDonald, wants to instill good sportsmanship and improve young athletes’ skills.  

“The main goal is to introduce tennis as a lifetime sport and also give high-level local players a chance to improve through drills and match play,” MacDonald said.  

For more than 30 years before MacDonald became a CMU coach, Ron Elliot, the director of Mesa County Tennis, was the lead on making these camps possible and successful.  MacDonald and Elliot look forward each summer to combining their tennis experience and knowledge to educate and connect with the future of tennis on the western slope. 

Cheerleading

The Maverick cheerleading squad hosted their camp in Durango, Colorado in August. The team focused on teaching stunts, baskets and pyramids. Along with traditional cheers such as cheers, dancing, jumps and tumbling. 

Assistant Cheerleading Coach, Mackenzie Charlesworth looks forward to giving rural high schools a quality camp experience to lower-funded schools.  

“We want to focus on leveling the playing field,” said Charlesworth. “We also want to instill hope for small rural high schools that their athletes can try out [and make] college teams.” 

Strength and Conditioning

The CMU Strength and Conditioning Academy meets three days a week for eight weeks throughout the summer and is offered to middle and high schoolers. Led by CMU Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mark Ryan, campers receive personalized workouts and instruction on strength training, how to cut, jump, sprint and much more.  

“Our mission statement is to help each CMU Maverick athlete reach their full potential,” said Ryan.  

Coach Ryan and his team instill this mission into campers. With all ages participating, coaches make sure that everyone is receiving instruction focused on their skill set. Coach Ryan prides himself on being able to teach new weightlifters but also help further develop older campers in their strength and conditioning journey. 

Colorado Mesa University is proud to host a strong series of summer athletic camps every year. From one of largest basketball camps in the country, to several niche recruitment camps and an entire summer dedicated to strength and conditioning for upcoming athletes. CMU offers a wide variety of opportunities for all ages to not only learn and grow themselves but also embrace the Maverick Spirit. 

To hear more about summer camps offered by CMU outside of athletics, visit coloradomesa.edu/camps/