#6/7 Mines (14-1, 9-0 RMAC) vs. Regis (12-3, 7-2 RMAC) – Friday, 5:30 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#6/7 Mines (14-1, 9-0 RMAC) vs. UCCS (10-6, 7-3 RMAC) – Saturday, 5 p.m. – Lockridge Arena [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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RMAC LEADERS AT LOCKRIDGE ARENA
The #6/7-ranked Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team is back at home this weekend, hosting Regis on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and UCCS on Saturday at 5 p.m. It marks a gathering of the top three teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings as the Orediggers sit #1, Regis #2, and UCCS #3. Mines will also put a 12-game win streak on the line with Orediggers celebrating Alumni Weekend as well.
 
GET YOUR TICKETS
Fans are encouraged to purchase digital tickets or print tickets at home ahead of this weekend's games by going to www.minesathletics.com/tickets. This will expedite the entry process to Lockridge Arena. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children, seniors, and military members. Mines faculty, staff, and students get in free with their Blaster Card.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Fans who can't make it to Lockridge Arena this weekend can still catch all the action. Live streaming of each contest will be offered free of charge on the RMAC Network. The RMAC Network can be loaded on your phone or downloaded on any smart TV/live streaming device by searching RMAC. There will also be free live stats linked above and at www.minesathletics.com.
 
WEEKEND FESTIVITIES
Mines basketball alumni are returning to Lockridge Arena this weekend. Those festivities will include social gatherings around Golden, and hospitality at the games. Additionally, the Orediggers are set to recognize women's head coach Brittany Simpson. Coach Simpson will be presented with a commemorative ball during halftime of the men's game on Saturday evening. Those festivities combined with the opposition make it a weekend of can't-miss action.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
Mines' women just finished playing six of their last seven games on the road. Overall, the Orediggers went 7-0 with all seven victories counting toward their RMAC record. Most recently, Mines traveled to CSU Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands last Friday and Saturday. Against the ThunderWolves, Jessica Rios scored 16 points, Josephine Howery tallied 14 points, and Ashley Steffeck turned in a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double in a 61-45 win for the Orediggers. Steffeck, Rios, and Howery struck again on Saturday with a combined 31 points at NMHU. The final result was a 68-47 victory for the visitors.
 
STILL STREAKIN'
Last weekend's wins pushed Mines' win streak to 12 games. It's the longest active streak in the RMAC and ranks #5 among active streaks in all of NCAA Division II. The run started on Saturday, Nov. 18, with an 81-78 win at West Texas A&M making it more than 60 calendar days since Mines has suffered a loss. The Orediggers' only loss so far this season came on the road at the hands of then-#24 ranked Texas Woman's by a score of 72-66. The longest win streak in program history is 13 games. Mines won 13 straight in 2015-16 and 2021-22. Both of those campaigns resulted in the Orediggers winning the RMAC title. Only four other DII programs have longer active win streaks than Mines. Those teams include #4/#3 Gannon, Lock Haven, #2/#5 Southern Nazarene, and #13/RV UT Tyler.
 
HISTORIC NATIONAL RANKING
The ninth edition of the 2023-24 WBCA NCAA Division II Top-25 Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll came out earlier this week and the Orediggers earned their highest-ever ranking at #7. Mines also checked in at #6 in the D2CSC Women's Basketball Division II Media Poll. The Orediggers' previous highest ranking in the coaches' poll was #8 in last week's release. Also notable are MSU Billings and Texas Woman's. The Yellowjackets are #12 on the coaches' list and #8 on the media list. The coaches voted TWU #14 while the media gave the Pioneers some votes.
 
SHE'S STILL GOOD
It's a different title, but the theme is still the same. This section exists to update fans on Ashley Steffeck's pursuit of history. With 13 games to play in the regular season, Steffeck now ranks #5 on the program's all-time scoring list, #2 on the career assists list, #4 in Mines history in made free throws, and #5 in all-time three-pointers. She's also quickly approaching #7 in all-time rebounding. As most fans know, the Fossil Ridge High School graduate owns a large majority of the Orediggers' steals records.
 
ACTIVE CAREER LEADER
Ashley Steffeck's 378 career steals remain most of any active player in NCAA basketball. That includes men and women across all three divisions. She leads the top active men's player, Jalen House out of New Mexico, by 118. The next closest women's player, Haley Meinel of Jefferson, trails Steffeck by 18. The Fort Collins native is also #2 among all active NCAA Division II women's players in steals per game at 3.07. She needs 22 more swipes to move into NCAA Division II's top-25, all-time steals leaders. It should be noted that steals were not considered an official NCAA Division II category until the 1992-93 season.
 
SCOUTING REGIS
The Rangers of Regis University are playing the 2023-24 season as the defending RMAC Champions. They won both the regular season and tournament titles in 2022-23, and started the current campaign with a 4-0 record. Currently, RU is 12-3 (7-2 RMAC). Setbacks against then-#10/12 MSU Billings, Black Hills State, and Colorado Mesa account for the Rangers' losses so far. Regis comes to Golden riding a five-game win streak. Last weekend, RU toppled Adams State by a score of 83-79 before defeating Fort Lewis, 72-66. As a team, Regis averages 73 points per game and limits opponents to 62. Point guard Erin Fry is the defending RMAC Player of the Year. She averages 11.7 points, 5.2 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game. Her assists go up and down the roster with three other Rangers averaging double-digit scoring numbers. Josey Ryan leads the way with 14.7, Athena Saragoza averages 13.3, and Sam Deem checks in with 10.4 points per a night. Deem, along with Morgan Smith and Madison Diercks all pull down more than 7.0 rebounds per game. Friday will mark Regis' fifth game at Lockridge Arena this season, but the first against Mines. The Rangers participated in the region crossover and the Thanksgiving Invite.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE RANGERS
Mines trails the all-time series against Regis, 29-55. However, the Orediggers are 7-3 in their last 10 meetings with the Rangers including seven straight wins from 2018-22. In 2022-23, Mines fell at Regis Field House during the regular season, 76-64, and then again in the RMAC Tournament Championship game. The final score of the title match was 65-61 after Ashley Steffeck dropped 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds with three assists, two blocks, and a steal. In the same game, RU's Erin Fry poured in 24 points and dished out four assists. Sam Deem notched a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double as well. Mines hasn't lost to Regis in Golden since Feb. 27, 2018. The score was 68-40.
 
SCOUTING UCCS
A much-improved women's team from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs will play at MSU Denver on Friday night before coming to Golden on Saturday. In her first season at the helm for the Mountain Lions, Head Coach Misty Wilson has her team at 10-6 (7-3 RMAC) going into the weekend. They boast an active, three-game win streak thanks to a 77-62 win against Fort Lewis last Friday and a 68-65 nail biter over Adams State on Saturday. Conference losses for UCCS have come at the hands of Colorado Mesa, Colorado Christian and Regis. The Mountain Lions average nearly 68 points per game and only give up 60 per night. Individually, Maison White grabs the headline. She's #11 in the nation in double-doubles thanks to 13.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Amyah Allen Moore is right behind with 10.2 points per game. The UCCS defense has forced 333 turnovers through 16 games at a 20.8 per game clip.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
Mines narrowly trails the all-time series with UCCS by a margin of 22-23. The difference in the rivalry was last season's lone meeting between the Orediggers and Mountain Lions. It was a 67-64 win for UCCS in Colorado Springs. Josephine Howery scored 15 points and had six rebounds. Over the last 10 meetings, Mines holds a 6-4 advantage over UCCS. That being said, the Oreidggers haven't lost to the Mountain Lions in Golden since 2017.
 
200 WINS
Mines' win against St. Edward's on opening weekend gave Mines Head Coach Brittany Simpson the 200th win of her career. It makes Simpson the only head coach in program history to reach the milestone. By default, it also makes her the fastest to 200 career wins in the history of Mines women's basketball. The milestone added to Simpson's impressive resume which saw her become the winningest coach in the history of Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball on Dec. 4, 2020, in a 68-53 win over South Dakota Mines inside Lockridge Arena. Simpson is now in her 12th season as skipper of the Orediggers.
 
BOSS LADY
Head Coach Brittany Simpson is in her 12th season leading the Mines women's basketball program. During her decade tenure, she has become the winningest coach in program history both in terms of total wins and win percentage at 212-115 (64.8). Simpson is responsible for all three of the program's RMAC titles including regular-season championships in 2015-16, 2020-21, and 2021-22. She has also led the Orediggers in four of their five trips to the NCAA tournament. Simpson is a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year who has guided 34 All-RMAC selections including 14 first-teamers, 11 second-teamers, one third-team selection and eight honorable mention performers. She has also coached one RMAC Player of the Year, two RMAC Defensive Players of the Year, and two RMAC Freshman of the Year award winners. Eight of Mines' 13 1,000-point scorers have surpassed the milestone under Simpson's watch. Last season, Ashley Steffeck became the first all-American in program history after earning Honorable Mention All-America status from the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA).
 
UP NEXT
Mines stays at home next week, hosting MSU Denver on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and Western Colorado on Friday at the same time. Tickets can be purchased online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets or at the door. Free live stats and video will also be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on "X" (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.