Mines Unveils 14 Winners at 2025 Blaster Awards

GOLDEN, Colo - Colorado School of Mines Athletics celebrated the 10th annual Blaster Awards on April 22 at Volk Gym, handing out awards in 14 categories to honor the best of the best in Oredigger athletics. Mines head coaches nominated and voted on 11 of the awards while the Community Impact Award was voted on by the Mines Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and the Iron Digger Awards were selected by the Mines strength and conditioning staff.

The winners are featured below. Nominees for each category can be seen HERE.

Male Rookie of the Year

Awarded to an outstanding male athlete who is in their first year of eligibility (either true freshman or redshirt freshman). Transfers are not eligible unless they are a redshirt freshman.

Vladislav Kazakin - Men's Swimming

Vladislav Kazakin had a breakout season in his inaugural collegiate campaign. His resume included RMAC gold in the 500-free and 1000-free with another First-Team All-RMAC finish as part of the 400-freestyle relay. Kazakin went on to finish seventh in the nation in both the 500-free and 1000-free at the 2025 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships where he also raced the 200-free. Those performances netted him a pair of CSCAA First-Team All-America awards. For the season, Kazakin toppled program records multiple times in the 200-free, 500-free, 1000-free, and as part of the 400-freestyle relay.

Female Rookie of the Year

Awarded to an outstanding female athlete who is in their first year of eligibility (either true freshman or redshirt freshman). Transfers are not eligible unless they are a redshirt freshman.

Jennifer Pierson - Women's Swimming

As a true freshman, Jennifer Pierson competed at the 2025 NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships in the 50-free, 100-free, and 200-free after being listed as one of the top alternates. She finished top-40 in the nation in both the 100-free and 200-free. During the conference meet, Pierson earned Second-Team All-RMAC as part of three different relays. She also helped break program records in the 200-freestyle relay and 400-freestyle relay.

Male Academic Athlete of the Year

Awarded to the most outstanding male scholar-athlete, with a combination of athletic and academic achievement taken into consideration. 

Hunter Potrykus - Men's Track & Field

With the 2024-25 CSC Academic All-America awards yet to be announced, Hunter Potrykus remains the defending CSC Academic All-American of the Year for D-II Track & Field. Over the past year, Potrykus was named the 2025 RMAC Academic Athlete of the Year for indoor track & field while also finishing fourth in the nation in the pole vault at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. That finish added another USTFCCCA First-Team All-America distinction to his resume. Among numerous other accolades, Potrykus graduates as the RMAC co-recordholder in the pole vault at 5.41m.

Female Academic Athlete of the Year

Awarded to the most outstanding female scholar-athlete, with a combination of athletic and academic achievement taken into consideration. 

Grace Strongman - Women's Cross Country / Track & Field

Grace Strongman's unblemished grade-point average is only enhanced by her performance in competition. During the 2024 cross country season alone, Strongman earned USTFCCCA All-Region, USTFCCCA All-Academic, and was RMAC First-Team All-Academic. She finished 63rd in the nation at the 2024 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships where the Oredigger women took fifth as a team. She was also 16th at the NCAA South Central Region race where Mines was runner-up. On the track, Strongman helped the Oredigger women win a third straight RMAC title by taking fourth in the mile and as part of the distance medley relay. She claimed USTFCCCA Second-Team All-America honors in the mile at NCAA Indoors as well.

Comeback Player of the Year

Awarded to an athlete, male or female, who overcame injury, illness, or other adversity, to perform at a high level this season

Yahir Chairez-Salazar - Wrestling

Yahir was involved in a car accident in the summer of 2023 that caused the amputation of his left leg above the knee. After battling through multiple surgeries, hospital stays, and learning to walk with a prosthetic, he returned to training on the wrestling mat in the spring of 2024. In November 2024, he competed in the Mines Rookie Open, winning his first match by fall. For more details see: https://www.uchealth.org/today/colorado-school-of-mines-student-returns-to-wrestling-after-leg-amputation/

SAAC Community Impact Award

The SAAC Community Impact award is voted upon by the membership of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to recognize the outstanding community service by either one student-athlete, a group, or a team. 

Yahir Chairez-Salazar & Izaiah Padilla - Wrestling

Mines' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee selected wrestling's Yahir Chairez-Salazar and Izaiah Padilla as the honorees for the SAAC Community Impact Award. Read the nominations for both outstanding Orediggers below.

Yahir is an outstanding candidate for the Community Service Blaster Award. He is deeply involved in the Greeley community where he regularly shares his story of overcoming a life-changing accident to inspire others. He volunteers his time speaking at events, supporting students at Mines, and staying active in his church, Story Line. He’s consistently giving back, whether through mentorship, service, or simply showing up for others. His dedication, resilience, and willingness to help make a real impact—and make him more than deserving of this recognition.

Izaiah is a student-athlete who strives to achieve his academic and athletic goals, all while maintaining strong relationships and being actively involved in the community. He is someone who can be seen with a smile and a charismatic personality in each environment he is in. Izaiah creates opportunities and makes time to be involved with Red Rocks Church. Izaiah does not only lead in youth groups but also has a great voice that accompanies the worship team and their deliverance of amazing music. He keeps a good head on his shoulders, despite injury, and pushes himself to lead others down a good path. Singing and leading takes a great deal of time and effort, and Izaiah goes above and beyond by providing his presence around the Golden community as well. Izaiah has helped deliver and provide his service in making sure the Rotary Club has enough hands on deck. Izaiah will continue to find ways to impact the community and others around him.

Male Iron Digger Award

Awarded to two seniors, one male and one female, who has demonstrated unparalleled dedication to physical preparation. Candidates will have been at the forefront of their team's training in both personal improvement and leadership, exemplifying whit means to work behind the scenes. Candidates must have appeared in at least 50% of their team's competitions. This award is voted on by the strength and conditioning staff.

Jonathan Moore - Men's Basketball

Jonathan Moore was a key for the men's basketball team as the Orediggers rolled to a sweep of the RMAC regular season and tournament titles, and into the regional final. During the season, Moore appeared in 32 games with 18 starts. As a key reserve, he totaled 391 minutes of action on the way to 136 points, 88 rebounds, 38 assists, 22 blocks, and 12 steals. His blocks led the team and ranked ninth in the RMAC.

Female Iron Digger Award

Awarded to two seniors, one male and one female, who has demonstrated unparalleled dedication to physical preparation. Candidates will have been at the forefront of their team's training in both personal improvement and leadership, exemplifying whit means to work behind the scenes. Candidates must have appeared in at least 50% of their team's competitions. This award is voted on by the strength and conditioning staff.

Cassidy Chvatal - Softball

After coming to Mines as a pitcher for the softball team, Cassidy Chvatal hit her stride as a senior. She has already broken the program's single-season home run record, touting 19 long balls with four games left to play. Chvatal, at one point, was the national leader in home runs as well. She's also the first player with 50 or more RBI in a season at Mines since 2019. For the season, Chvatal recorded three games with multiple home runs and went long in 16 of 50 games played to date.

Male Oredigger Excellence Award

Awarded to a male senior who has completed their eligibility and has distinguished themselves in an outstanding manner in achievement, leadership, and school spirit over the course of their Mines careers.

Loic Scomparin - Men's Cross Country / Track & Field

Loic Scomparin is the most decorated male runner in Mines history thanks to 14 USTFCCCA All-America performances with NCAA Outdoors yet to be held. Scomparin is the only Oredigger in program history with three top-10 performances at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. He helped Mines to national titles on the course in both 2022 and 2024. Most recently, as part of a lengthy list of accomplishments, Scomparin raced to national silver in the indoor 3K and 5K.

Female Oredigger Excellence Award

Awarded to a female senior who has completed their eligibility and has distinguished themselves in an outstanding manner in achievement, leadership, and school spirit over the course of their Mines careers.

Reese McDermott - Women's Soccer

Reese is one of the greatest players in program history who has taken her talents overseas to Austria and is now playing professionally. Looking past all the awards and accolades, which are many and numerous, her leadership on the field as a captain each of the last two seasons enabled her teammates to be at ease and perform at their best on the way to sweeping the RMAC championships, winning the NCAA South Central Regional and advancing to the national quarterfinals. Yes, the statistics paint a picture of excellence on the field, but what truly makes Reese stand out is her character, determination, discipline, commitment, toughness and consistency. She brings a very human quality to our team and her teammates. She is honest, kind and funny. She helps others with their game by offering advice, ideas and a shoulder when necessary. She is a good source of academic wisdom and support to her teammates and undoubtedly anyone who seeks help from her. Reese on occasion will make the coaching staff aware of someone on the team who may need help she cannot provide.

Male Athlete of the Year

Awarded to the most outstanding Male athlete of the year

Majok Deng - Men's Basketball

Majok Deng becomes the first men's basketball player to earn Male Athlete of the Year since Brendan Sullivan brought home the honor in 2021. For his overall performance during the 2024-25 season, Deng was named RMAC Player of the Year, South Central Region Player of the Year, and all-American - twice. He led the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game as the Orediggers swept the RMAC regular season and tournament crowns on the way to the regional final. Deng's scoring output helped him surpass 1,000 points for his career as well. Furthermore, Deng led the RMAC in free-throw shooting and scored 20 or more points in a game on nine occasions. In four of six postseason contests, Deng found double digits and he finished year seventh all-time in single-season free-throw percentage.

Female Athlete of the Year

Awarded to the most outstanding female athlete of the year

Reese McDermott - Women's Soccer

As previously stated, Reese McDermott is one of the greatest players in program history. During her senior season alone, McDermott shared RMAC Co-Player of the Year with one of her teammates, was named South Central Region Player of the Year, and brought home two all-America nods. She helped Mines sweep the RMAC regular season and tournament crowns and guided the Orediggers all the way to a region title and the national quarterfinals. McDermott's season numbers included 19 goals which led the RMAC and ranked second in D-II. Those 19 goals also put her third in the program record book. McDermott became the third player in program history with 50 goals or more in a career. She started 22 of 23 matches, logged 1,457 minutes, and tallied 45 points thanks to those 19 goals and seven assists. Seven of her goals were game-winners.

Coaching Staff of the Year

Awarded to the most outstanding coaching staff of the year

Cross Country

Head Coach Chris Siemers, with the assistance of Caleb Ulrich, Dr. Mark Husted, Dr. Chloe Gustafson, Steven Goldy, Chloe Colligan, Grant Colligan, and Max Sevick put together another historic season for Mines cross country. The men's squad won the 2024 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship as they reclaimed the crown on a proverbial buzzer-beater against favored Wingate. It capped an undefeated season for the men which included six USTFCCCA All-Americans. Siemers' women's squad finished fifth in the nation as Jenna Ramsey-Rutledge won individual, national bronze - the highest finish by any Oredigger woman ever. The previous mentioned resulted helped Siemers and his staff win USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year, USTFCCCA South Central Region Coach of the Year, and RMAC Coach of the Year - all on the men's side.

Team of the Year

Awarded to the most outstanding team of the year

Men's Cross Country

The Colorado School of Mines Men's Cross Country team won the 2024 NCAA Division II National Championship in buzzer-beater fashion against favored defending national champion Wingate. The thrilling performance capped an undefeated season which included the Orediggers' sixth consecutive conference and regional titles. It marked the fourth national title in school and program history. Overall, the men's squad featured five First-Team All-RMAC runners, six all-region runners, and six USTFCCCA All-Americans.