SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Colorado School of Mines men's water polo team wrapped up its fall season with a fifth-place finish at the Rocky Mountain Division Championship, held Oct. 24-25 at the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center. The Orediggers finished the tournament 2-1, earning victories over Colorado Mesa University and University of Colorado "B" after opening the weekend against Colorado State University.

Mines began championship play Saturday afternoon against Colorado State, falling 18-9. The Rams jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first quarter, with Alex Noel scoring the Orediggers' opening goal. Mines continued to battle in the second quarter, with Vince McCush and Patrick Johnson contributing offensively as CSU extended its lead to 10-4 at halftime. The Orediggers responded with a strong third quarter, cutting the deficit to 12-8 before CSU pulled away in the final period. Noel added two more goals, while Keenan Melia and McCush also contributed to the scoring. Liam Holan recorded six saves in goal.

The Orediggers returned to the pool later Saturday to face Colorado Mesa, bouncing back with a 21-11 victory. Mines opened the contest with an aggressive offensive attack, led by Noel, Johnson, and McCush. Melia and Noel helped keep the offense moving through the second quarter, while Johnson provided key defensive stops and McCush continued to contribute offensively. Melia and Aidan Hobart added to the scoring effort as Mines secured its first victory of the championship weekend.

Mines closed the tournament Sunday morning against CU "B", earning an 18-13 victory to secure fifth place in the division. The Orediggers came out firing offensively, building a 9-4 lead in the opening quarter behind goals from Noel, Johnson, and McCush. Holan provided strong goalkeeping as Mines maintained its advantage throughout the first half. Noel and Melia continued to contribute offensively, while McCush and other Mines players helped extend the lead in the third quarter.

Colorado mounted a comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, but the Orediggers held off the Buffaloes to secure the five-goal victory. Ryder Fine and McCush contributed late goals to help close out the contest. All of Mines' seniors found the back of the net in the team's final game of the season, highlighting a strong collective effort to finish the year.

The Orediggers concluded the Rocky Mountain Division Championship with two consecutive victories and a fifth-place finish. Mines closed its fall campaign with a strong offensive showing, scoring 39 goals across its final two contests while demonstrating resilience and teamwork to end the season on a high note.