By: Sam Boender
GOLDEN, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball Head Coach
Brittany Simpson and her staff will welcome six new Orediggers to the squad for the 2025-26 season.
Sophia Baal,
Sofia Baldessari,
Olivia Campbell,
Madison Gage,
Liv Loveland, and
Emily Thomas bring a blend of collegiate experience and youth with four college transfers and two true freshmen. Baal and Campbell are the true freshmen. Baldessari is transferring in from College of Saint Benedict (Minn.). Gage arrives in Golden by way of Chaminade (Hawaii). Loveland previously played at Southern Illinois Edwardsville (NCAA DI), and Thomas started her collegiate career at RMAC foe South Dakota Mines. All six new Orediggers boast Colorado roots.
"I am so excited to welcome our newcomers," said Coach Simpson. "We have a great group of young ladies that can play multiple positions, and they give us diversity at each position. We are looking forward to an exciting season."
Below is a snapshot of the incoming class:
Sophia Baal – 5-11 – Forward – Centennial, Colo. – Cherry Creek HS
Sofia Baldessari – 6-1 – Forward – Englewood, Colo. – College of Saint Benedict
Olivia Campbell – 5-8 – Guard – Grand Junction, Colo. – Fruita Monument HS
Madison Gage – 5-10 – Guard – Broomfield, Colo. – Chaminade
Liv Loveland – 5-7 – Guard – Castle Rock, Colo. – SIU Edwardsville
Emily Thomas – 5-10 – Guard – Castle Pines, Colo. – South Dakota Mines
Sophia Baal – 5-11 – Forward
Centennial, Colo. – Cherry Creek HS – Hardwood Elite
HIGH SCHOOL: Two-sport athlete at Cherry Creek High School in Colorado, competing in basketball and flag football … Represented CCHS and the state of Colorado during the National Football League's (NFL) 2025 Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, Fla., as the Bruins competed in the first-ever NFL Flag High School Girls Showcase … Was named the AFV Most Valuable Player (MVP at the NFL event, adding to Centennial League First-Team All-Defense and First-Team All-Offense … On the hardwood, earned Academic All-Colorado First-Team … Averaged 5.0 points, 0.6 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.8 steals per game while shooting 44-percent from three-point range … Played club basketball for Hardwood Elite and averaged 8.2 points per game thanks to 53-percent shooting from long range … Academic work resulted in a pair of second-semester Varsity Academic Awards in 2022-23 and 2023-24 … Plans to major in quantitative biosciences and engineering at Mines.
Sofia Baldessari – 6-1 – Forward
Englewood, Colo. – College of Saint Benedict – Douglas County HS
COLLEGE OF SAINT BENEDICT (2024-25): Played her first collegiate season at College of Saint Benedict (DIII) in Minnesota … Started 12 games for the Bennies and totaled 102 points, 77 rebounds, eight steals, six assists, and two blocks in 327 minutes of action … Season averages were 8.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and nearly one steal in 27.2 minutes per game … College basketball debut was against Minnesota Morris and included nine points, seven rebounds, and one assist in 20 minutes of action which included a trio of three-point baskets … Top performance of the season featured 14 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and one steal against Carleton on Dec. 7 … Scored in double figures on three other occasions … Grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked two shots against John Carroll on Dec. 17.
HIGH SCHOOL: Competed in four sports at Douglas Country High School in Colorado … Played for the basketball, volleyball, and tennis squads while adding a season of cross country … Totaled three varsity letters in basketball, two in volleyball, and one in tennis … During the 2021-22 basketball campaign, averaged 8.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game while earning Centennial League Honorable Mention distinction … In 2022-23, posted 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks per game on the way to Centennial League First-Team, runner-up for league player of the year, and CHSAA Second-Team All-State … Her senior season included 21.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game which fueled first-team all-league, runner-up for league player of the year, and CHSAA Honorable Mention All-State … Played club basketball for Colorado Basketball Club … Academic success paid off in the form of Scholar Athlete distinction in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 with appearances on the Dean's List in 2021-22 and 2023-24.
Olivia Campbell – 5-8 – Guard
Grand Junction, Colo. – Fruita Monument HS – Hardwood 3SSB
HIGH SCHOOL: Played volleyball and basketball at Fruita Monument High School in Western Colorado … Averaged 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals per game … Was named First-Team All-Conference in all four of her prep seasons … Added Honorable Mention All-State distinction three times … Earned status as the Grand Junction Sentinel Girls Basketball Player of the Year … Was also a The Show Top 20 selection twice … Totaled one varsity letter in volleyball and four in basketball … Played club basketball for Hardwood 3SSB, GRIT … Efforts in the classroom led to Honorable Mention Academic All-State … Plans to major in business engineering & management science at Mines.
Madison Gage – 5-10 – Guard
Broomfield, Colo. – Chaminade – Legacy HS
CHAMINADE (2023-25): Academic All-PacWest as a freshman and sophomore … Named CSC Academic All-District as a sophomore … Started her collegiate career at Chaminade in Hawaii … Inaugural season included 25 games with four starts, totaling over 270 minutes of action … Averaged 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game … Best performance of the season came in her college basketball debut against Evergreen State on Nov. 10 when she scored 17 points, grabbed six rebounds, had three steals and one assist in 23 minutes of action … Also went 4-for-4 at the free-throw line and made a trio of three-pointers in her debut … Posted 11 points and six rebounds against NCAA Division I St. Louis on Nov. 18 … Sophomore campaign included 26 appearances with one start … Season totals came in at 76 points, 39 rebounds, 10 assists, 13 steals, and three blocks … Drained 32 field goals, a quartet of three-pointers, and eight free-throws … Dropped nine points against Embry-Riddle on Nov. 10 … Added four rebounds against Fresno Pacific on Feb. 10 … Tallied two steals against Jessup on Feb. 8 … Academically, won the American Chemistry Society Award in 2024-25.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played basketball and earned four varsity letters at Legacy High School in Colorado … Was CHSAA Honorable Mention All-State and First-Team All-Conference in 2023 … Ranked 12th in the state of Colorado for made three-pointers … Classroom work garnered the AP Scholar Award as a junior and senior … Added academic letters for GPAs over 4.0 on two different occasions … Played club basketball for RoughRiders and BC Denver.
Liv Loveland – 5-7 – Guard
Castle Rock, Colo. – SIU Edwardsville – Castle View HS
SIU EDWARDSVILLE (2024-25): Started her college career at NCAA Division I Southern Illinois University Edwardsville … Played in six games for the Cougars and accumulated 12 minutes of action … Collegiate basketball debut was at Murray State on Nov. 7 and included one rebound … Added another rebound against Roosevelt on Nov. 18 … Also came off the bench at DePaul, Middle Tennessee State, Evansville, and Southern Indiana … Appeared on SIUE's honor roll thanks to a 4.0 grade-point average.
HIGH SCHOOL: Basketball star at Castle View High School in Colorado, accumulating four varsity letters on the hardwood … Named offensive MVP and was Honorable Mention All-Conference as a sophomore … Junior season featured team MVP honors and Second-Team All-Conference … Was again MVP as a senior and added First-Team All-Conference, Honorable Mention ll-State and appeared in both the Top-20 Senior All-Star Game and the All-Conference All-Star Game … Classroom worked helped bring in four consecutive First-Team Academic All-State awards as well … Put her name on the high honor roll and earned an academic letter all four years … Played club basketball for Colorado Premier.
Emily Thomas – 5-10 – Guard
Castle Pines, Colo. – South Dakota Mines – Arapahoe HS
SOUTH DAKOTA MINES (2023-25): Post-prep career began in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at fellow STEM school South Dakota Mines in Rapid City … Appeared on the RMAC Academic Honor Roll and was named CSC Academic All-District … Inaugural college campaign was shortened due to injury … Still appeared in 12 games with 11 starts and totaled 27 points, 36 rebounds, 31 assists, and 10 steals … First collegiate game was against UT Permian Basin on Nov. 10 and included two points, seven assists, and four rebounds … Scored a season-high six points on Dec. 8 against Colorado School of Mines … Added another seven-assist outburst at Regis on Dec. 2 … Sophomore totals included 27 games with 21 starts resulting in 76 points, 92 rebounds, 46 assists, 15 steals, and eight blocks … Highlight of the season arguably came on Dec. 14 at CSU Pueblo where she scored seven points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out three assists, had two steals, and one block.
HIGH SCHOOL: Collected four varsity letters playing basketball at Arapahoe High School in Colorado … Averaged nine points, six rebounds, and four assists per game … Was Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2023 … Played club basketball for Hardwood Elite 3SSB … Graduated summa cum laude.
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on "X" (formerly Twitter), Facebook, 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.
