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Rams have talent to make some noise this season
Bring back the excitement
By Justin Michael
THE 2024 SEASON BRINGS opportunity for the Colorado State football program.
With a favorable schedule that features seven home games including the first Rocky Mountain Showdown in Fort Collins since 1996, the Rams are hoping to seize the moment and return to the postseason and play in a bowl game for the first time in seven years.
“I love our schedule,” head coach Jay Norvell says. “Anytime you get seven home games it’s a blessing.”
Norvell continues, explaining that opening the
season at the University of Texas on Aug. 31 is going to be especially challenging in the hot summer sun. The Longhorns are projected to be one of the best teams in the nation and kicking off at 2:30pm is sure to be a scorcher.
After making the trip to SEC country though — something that still feels weird to say when talking about Texas — the Rams return to Canvas Stadium for three consecutive weeks to wrap up the non-conference slate against Northern Colorado (Sept. 7), Colorado
(Sept. 14) and UTEP (Sept 21).
“Playing Colorado at home, you know we don’t play them every year, there’s going to be a break in the series after this year. I know our kids are super excited to play them again,” Norvell says. “And to play them at home is huge. In front of our fans. People are saying it’s going to be the biggest sporting event that we’ve ever had here in Fort Collins, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to play that game.”
Naturally there will be a lot of attention on the rematch with the Buffs
after last year’s doubleovertime thriller in Boulder, but Norvell emphasized that it’s not just the CU game that the Rams need to play well. The whole three-game stretch in September will be key, as will Friday night games against Wyoming (Nov. 15) and Utah State (Nov. 29) later in the season.
“Those are all huge opportunities for us, Norvell says. “I think the fans are going to be cranked up to watch these kids play at home.”
In addition to an advantageous schedule, one of the biggest reasons
Horton Stars at Receiver and Punt Returner
Photo Courtesy of CSU Athletic Communications
for optimism going into this season is that the Rams return both quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi “BFN” and star wide receiver Tory Horton. Coming off a breakout redshirt freshman campaign, BFN could have jumped in the transfer portal and chased a check. But just like Horton, who once again tested the NFL waters before electing to run it back, BFN decided that remaining in the Green & Gold was the best option.
“I was raised that loyalty is the most important. Family is everything,” the redshirt sophomore QB says.
BFN finished top 3 in the Mountain West in both passing yards (3,460) and passing touchdowns (22) in 2023. The problem was that he also led the league with 16 interceptions. The turnovers, combined with the inability to run the ball consistently, resulted in erratic results for an offense that was much improved as a whole but lacked the consistency necessary to truly get over the hump.
the Rams lost tight end Dallin Holker to the NFL, as well as a couple of up-andcoming receivers to the portal, there have also been a handful of big-time additions at the skill positions.
According to Norvell, the goal for the offense in 2024 is to average 35 points per game, which would be a 9-point improvement from 2023 and nearly three times what the Rams averaged in 2022. If CSU is going to achieve its goal, clearly cutting down the turnovers is going to play a big role. What’s encouraging is that going back to the beginning of spring ball, BFN has been very open about knowing he needs to rein things in.
“The big thing I learned that I need to improve on is
CSU signed Jaxxen Warren, a 6-foot-7, 245-pound tight end that began his career as a QB at North Texas before switching positions and finding success at Navarro College. CSU also brought in 6-foot-3, 215-pound wide receiver Donovan Ollie, formerly of Washington State and Cincinnati. Former 4-star recruit Armani Winfield (WR) transferred over from Baylor as well — an explosive player that the Rams landed over Wisconsin and Liberty.
Norvell explains that with the two most important skill players, Fowler-Nicolosi and
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Upholding the standard
By Justin Michael
Rams considered a top volleyball program
THE 2024 SCHEDULE
WILL HAVE no shortage of opportunities for Colorado State volleyball to compete against elite competition.
After starting with an exhibition against Creighton on Aug. 24, the official season opener for CSU is a Friday night showdown with the reigning SEC champion Florida Gators on Aug. 30 in Moby Arena. The very next night the Rams will host Michigan State to cap off an epic opening weekend of volleyball for the Ram faithful to enjoy.
Following a Sept. 3 home match against Northern Colorado, where the Rams will look to take back
bragging rights from their Front Range foes after falling to them in each of the last three seasons, Oregon comes to Fort Collins on Friday, Sept. 6 to kick off the Ram Volleyball Invitational.
The Rams last played the Ducks in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, winning in five sets over the 13th ranked team in the country, so we’ll see if they can find the same type of success against Oregon now that they are members of the Big Ten Conference. Either way, getting two teams from the highly respected league to make the trip to Mountain West country is a testament
to the type of program the Rams have built over the years and the respect it garners nationally.
After hosting Oregon on the 6th, matches with Central Arkansas (Sept. 7) and Grand Canyon (Sept. 8) will conclude CSU’s home invitational and a stretch of six straight matches in Moby Arena to start the year. The Rams will then play DePaul in Chicago on Sept. 12 before taking on Notre Dame in their building on the 13th. It’s been more than 20 years since the Rams last played the Fighting Irish, they do however own a 3-0 record against them going back to
1988. CSU has lost just one set to Notre Dame all-time.
The non-conference schedule will conclude with the annual battle for the Golden Spike with a homeand-home against Colorado. The Rams will first host the Buffs on Sept. 19 before playing again the following night in Boulder.
The Rams own a 27-18 advantage in the all-time series against the Buffs, but each side has won four matches apiece going back to 2019. CSU fans would love to see the momentum swing back in favor of the Green & Gold like when the Rams went 12-1 against their local
Herman was the Mountain West Newcomer of the Year in 2023
Photos Courtesy of CSU Athletic Communications
CSU VOLLEYball ROSTER 2024
1 Malaya Jones 6-0 OH
4 Emery Herman 6-0 S
6 Aine Doty 5-7 L/DS
8 Taylor Pagan 6-1 OH
Santa Ana, CA (Santa Margarita / USC)
Georgetown, TX (Georgetown / Arizona)
Colorado Springs, CO (Doherty / Idaho)
Pembroke Pines, FL (Mater Lakes Academy)
Colorado Springs, CO (Palmer Ridge) 11 Jordyn Tynsky 5-8 DS
Decatur, TX (Denton Guyer) 13 Jazen Debina 6-0 MB
Las Vegas, NV (Liberty) 17 Kennedy Stanford 5-10 OH
Grand Prairie, TX (Lamar)
18 Kate Yoshimoto 5-2 DS
Honolulu, HI (Punahou School) 22 Delaney McIntosh 5-10 DS
Madison, WI (Verona Area) 33 Kekua Richards 6-7
Karina Leber 6-3 MB
Pa’ia, Maui, HI (Seabury Hall)
Trevor, WI (Wilmot Union)
Rams Volleyball Coaching Staff
Continue the momentum
By Justin Michael
Medved is happy about the players he added from the transfer portal
Transfers hope to make impact for CSU
COLORADO STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL is coming off one of the best seasons in program history.
Between being ranked in the AP Poll for nine total weeks and winning an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in 11 years, the 2023-24 Rams were a special group that will not be forgotten any time soon.
Going into the 202425 season there is hope that CSU can continue the positive momentum established under head coach Niko Medved, especially with Nique Clifford electing to return to Fort Collins after testing the NBA Draft waters. The former CU
Buff was a breakout star for the Rams on their way to the second 25-win season for CSU in the last three years, and with the athletic wing in the mix again, the transition process has a chance to be much smoother for a team with 10 newcomers.
One of the best defenders in the Mountain West, potentially even the favorite to be named preseason defensive player of the year, Clifford’s presence will be massive on that end. His impact on the offensive end, though, will likely be as important as ever.
After five years with the Green & Gold, Isaiah Stevens, the program’s most
accomplished player ever, will no longer be out there facilitating the offense and creating opportunities for his teammates. He won’t be there to knock down the big shots when CSU needs them most either. According to Stevens, though, the Rams will be just fine with Clifford assuming a larger leadership role and being tasked with more offensive responsibilities.
“He’s just ultra talented and has so much upside,” Stevens says. “Him going back to CSU will only open up more opportunities in the future. He’ll be able to step into a different leadership role on the offensive end, and he’ll also be a catalyst on the
defensive end. I’m looking forward to seeing how he kind of molds and shapes this team because they’re going to have to create their own identity.”
Clifford historically is known for being a guy that can slash to the hoop and stretch the floor with 3-point shooting. However, he did have four or more assists in each of CSU’s final eight games last spring, so when the season was truly on the line, Clifford dipped a little deeper into his bag and showed off some playmaking abilities.
Moving forward, the Rams will need more of that versatility from Clifford,
Photo Courtesy of CSU Athletic Communications
2024-25 Colorado State University mens BASKETBALL ROSTER
Sister duo will lead rams
Transfer Emma Ronsiek joins sibling Hannah at CSU
By Justin Michael
COLORADO STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HAS WON 20 or more games in each of the past three seasons and eight times total since head coach Ryun Williams took over the program in 2012.
From Jamie Patrick to Ellen Nystrom, from Elin Gustavsson to Lore Devos, there has been no shortage of talented hoopsters to don the Green & Gold in the Williams era.
Of all the players that have taken the court since Williams has been at the helm, the toughest of them to replace is going to be McKenna Hofschild. In her four years at CSU, Hofschild logged over 4,100 minutes on the floor and scored 2,162 points as the star point guard for the Rams.
A four-time all-conference selection and the 2023 Mountain West Player of the Year, Hofschild, much like Isaiah Stevens on the men’s side, leaves behind a legacy that puts them in the conversation amongst the
greatest athletes in school history. It will be pretty much impossible for anyone to top Becky Hammon’s career — particularly when it comes to lasting legacies. Hofschild, though, came about as close as it gets with what she accomplished individually as a Ram.
For a lot of teams in this position, the outlook moving forward would be pretty grim. How is a squad supposed to replace an iconic talent that shouldered the majority of the offensive burden for four consecutive years?
How is a team that just lost the second-best player in program history supposed to have a sense of optimism for the future?
It’s a situation that would cause a lot of mid-major coaches with successful backgrounds to jump ship and go to their next destination, because the reality is finding a one for one replacement is nearly impossible, and that makes maintaining the status quo extremely difficult.
Instead of bolting for a new school or maybe even
taking a break from coaching after sixteen-straight years of the grind, Williams went out and did what seemed impossible and that’s sign a star on par with a legendary talent like Hofschild.
Emma Ronsiek, a fourtime all-conference selection in the Big East, shocked the women’s college basketball world over the offseason when instead of choosing to play her final year of eligibility for a program like South Carolina, the Creighton transfer chose to team up with her sister Hannah in Fort Collins.
