DENVER – The Coaches' Corner, MSU Denver's weekly live show, returns to the Tivoli Tap House on the Auraria campus Monday at 5:30 p.m.
Metropolitan State University of Denver women's basketball coach Tanya Haave, men's and women's track & field coach Janis Christopher, and track athlete Michael Dike (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/St. Marguerite d'Vouville Secondary School) will be featured during the show.
Haave's women's basketball team is coming off two strong victories over the weekend, having defeated Colorado State University-Pueblo 82-51 and New Mexico Highlands 81-41. And it was a monumental weekend, as on Friday night Jaelynn Smith (Denver, Colo./East) became the school's all-time assists leader, while on Saturday night Jonalyn Wittwer (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek) made a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record 11 3-pointers while tying an NCAA Division II national record by making nine straight 3s. The Roadrunners (7-10 overall, 6-5 RMAC) are back at home this weekend, facing Colorado School of Mines (10-6, 7-4) on Friday and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs on Saturday (7-10, 6-5).
Christopher's track and field team was back in action Sunday at the Chadron State Open, where Erica Ruiz (Rohnert Park, Calif./Rancho Cotate) and Alden Gruidel (Louisville, Colo./Monarch) finished 1-2 in the 3,000 meters to lead a strong showing by the middle distance and distance runners at the second indoor meet of the season. The Roadrunners compete again Friday and Saturday at the Mines Division II Invite & Multi.
Dike qualified for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships last season in the 400 meters, an event in which he finished third at the RMAC Championships in 47.72 seconds. He set a personal record in the event with a 47.36 two weeks later at the Mines Sunday Last Chance Meet. Dike was also part of MSU Denver's fourth-play 4x400 relay at the RMAC Championships.
Indoors last season, Dike had a strong RMAC meet where he finished fifth in the 60 (6.93), fifth in the 400 (50.82) and ran on the sixth-place 4x400 team.
The Coaches' Corner, which is produced by Eric Lansing, will continue weekly throughout the sports season. The show is set for 5:30 p.m. every Monday. The general public is welcome to attend while enjoying food and drinks at the Tivoli Tap House.
