COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — With the 2025-26 RMAC Women's Basketball Regular Season coming to a close last week, the 2025-26 RMAC Women's Basketball Awards and All-RMAC teams have been released. After a third place finish in the regular season, the Grizzlies received honors for Defensive Player of the Year in Elaina Watson, along with 2 First Team All-RMAC selections, 1 Second Team All-RMAC selection, and 1 Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection. The All-RMAC selections included Kiiyani Anitielu and Taejhuan Hill on the First Team All-RMAC team, Watson on the Second Team All-RMAC team, and Ashiian Hunter on the Honorable Mention All-RMAC team. With 4 women selected to the various All-RMAC teams, the Grizzlies led the RMAC in total selections this year with their 4, as Colorado Mesa, Black Hills State, Colorado School of Mines, CSU Pueblo, and Western Colorado all finished second in the conference with 3 selections. 

Diving into the Grizzlies Defensive Player of the Year and All-RMAC selections, Elaina Watson led the way for the Grizzlies with her Defensive Player of the Year award and Second Team All-RMAC selection. Watson earned the award after finishing the season with 96 steals and 15 blocks. Her 96 steals led the conference by a long shot, as Watson finished the year with 29 more steals than the second-place person. Her 96 steals over 31 games also led to her also leading the conference in steals per game, averaging 3.1 steals per game. Watson's 15 blocks also finished tied for 15th in the conference, giving her 0.5 blocks per game over the course of the season. Overall, it was truly an outstanding season for Watson as her constant defensive pressure not only led to her award but also helped the Grizzlies be one of the most dominating defensive teams in the conference this year. 

For the Grizzlies All-RMAC selections, the two First-Team selections were Anitielu and Hill. Anitielu finished the season leading the Grizzlies in points per game with 16.4 which finished 8th in the conference. Anitielu also finished with a field goal percentage of 0.444, and a 3-point percentage of 0.383. Anitielu's field goal percentage finished 10th in the conference, while her 3-point percentage finished second. For Hill, she finished the season averaging 14.4 points per game, while also averaging a team lead of 8 rebounds per game. Hill's 8 rebounds per game finished 4th in the conference, while her 14.4 points per game put her in 11th in the conference in scoring. Between Hill's consistent scoring and impressive rebounding, she had herself an outstanding season that well deserved her a First Team All-RMAC selection.

The final Grizzly to be recognized this year was Ashiian Hunter who was selected to the Honorable Mention All-RMAC team. Hunter finished the season averaging 10.4 points per game, while also collecting 45 steals and 59 assists. Hunter had herself an all-around great year putting up solid numbers in a multitude of different categories for the Grizzlies making an impact on both sides of the court helping the Grizzlies to their outstanding season. 

 

2025-26 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Award Winners

Player of the Year: Olivia Reed Thyne, Colorado Mesa

Defensive Player of the Year: Elaina Watson, Adams State

Freshman of the Year: Miranda Addison, South Dakota Mines

Coach of the Year: Taylor Wagner, Colorado Mesa
 

2025-26 First Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Women's Basketball

Player School Pos. Ht. Yr. Hometown

Kiiyani Anitielu (1) Adams State G 5-7 Sr. Farmington, N.M.

Sofia Baldessari Colorado School of Mines F 6-1 So. Englewood, Colo.

Mikylah Espinosa MSU Denver G 5-9 Sr. Thornton, Colo.

Taejhaun Hill Adams State F 6-0 So. Albuquerque, N.M.

Seneya Martinez CSU Pueblo G 5-8 Sr. Windsor, Colo.

Amyah Moore Allen (1) UCCS G 5-8 RSr. Colorado Springs, Colo.

Olivia Reed Thyne (1, 4x) Colorado Mesa F 6-0 Sr. Windsor, Colo.

Mason Rowland Colorado Mesa G 5-7 RSo. Durango, Colo.

Bradie Schlabs (2) Black Hills State G 5-6 So. Cheyenne, Wyo.

Ivey Schmidt (1) Western Colorado G 5-10 Sr. Ginnell, Iowa

 

2025-26 Second Team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Women's Basketball

Kapiolani Anitielu (2) New Mexico Highlands G 5-11 So. Farmington, N.M.

Kate Gallery Regis F 6-1 Jr. Pueblo, Colo.

Katie Lamb Fort Lewis G 5-8 So. Parker, Colo.

Savea Mansfield (H) South Dakota Mines F 5-11 Sr. Washougal, Wash.

Jayda Maves (H) Western Colorado G 5-9 Jr. Lakewood, Colo.

Brinlee McRae Black Hills State G 5-8 Sr. Sandy, Utah

Navaeh Millard (H) MSU Denver G 5-8 So. Denver, Colo.

Mykaela Moore Colorado Mesa G 5-7 Sr. Windsor, Colo.

Makaya Porter Fort Lewis G/F 6-0 Jr. Elkhart, Ind.

Jenna Shandy Colorado School of Mines G 5-9 RSr. Parker, Colo.

Elaina Watson Adams State G 5-7 Gr. Farmington, N.M.

 

2025-26 Honorable Mention All-RMAC: Women's Basketball

ADAMS STATE: Ashiian Hunter

BLACK HILLS STATE: Sawyer Stoebner

COLORADO CHRISTIAN: Elise Grosdidier, Jordon Heckert, Hayley Luther

COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES: Emma Sixta

CSU PUEBLO: Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck, Genesis Sweetwine,

NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS: Aniya Johnson, Aspen Salazar

SOUTH DAKOTA MINES: Morning Grace Spotted Bear

UCCS: Ayianna Johnson

WESTERN COLORADO: Alyssa Eckroth

WESTMINSTER: Ellie Mitchell