DENVER – MSU Denver kicks off Hispanic Heritage Night on Friday with a 4:30 p.m. men's soccer game against Colorado Mesa.
 
Both the Roadrunners' men's and women's soccer teams, as well as the volleyball team, will recognize Hispanic heritage on Friday as the schedules have aligned with all three teams playing at home on the final day of Hispanic Heritage Month.
 
"Soccer is the world's game, and we have a variety of different students from different types of backgrounds, and we have a large Hispanic background on our team," MSU Denver men's soccer coach Nick Kirchhof said. "We want to make sure that everyone on our team knows that they are supported. And we all have that common goal and that common love of soccer.
 
"Soccer can really be a unifying sport because it's played across the world, and so many different cultures have brought their own twist to the game. For us, diversity is fantastic, and having a university that supports diversity like MSU Denver does reinforces our values as players, coaches and as a team."
 
Hispanic Heritage is a symbol of pride for MSU Denver.
 
MSU Denver has been recognized as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the Department of Education. A student body of 25 percent Hispanic heritage is required for the designation, and MSU Denver's has risen to more than 30 percent.
 
"Hispanic culture to me means the set of tradition, values, beliefs, and heritage that I grew up with that made the person who I am today," MSU Denver midfielder Hernan Ibarra said. "It has taught me that nothing is given, family is everything, to be grateful for my humble beginnings, and to use that humility along every step of the road."
 
Public address announcing at all three Friday athletic contests will be done in Spanish, and the broadcast stream for the soccer games will also be in Spanish. T-shirts with "Correcaminos" (Roadrunners in Spanish) will be distributed at each game.
 
"Human development is influenced by many factors and culture is one of those," MSU Denver midfielder Andres Arcila Saenz said. "My Colombian heritage is definitely present in my daily routine. It is also a driving force in my desire to open new opportunities for others that are similar to me. I want to pave the road for those who want to take a similar road as mine.
 
"It is important for me to demonstrate that we're not limited to stereotypes and we can achieve many things. We need to break down the walls and increase the current number of Latinos who go on to become collegiate athletes, and Hispanics that attend college. Simply said, I am proud of increasing this footprint as a Colombian student athlete at MSU Denver."
 
Beyond the special night surrounding the games, on the field MSU Denver will seek to get back on the winning track against a Colorado Mesa team that is 11-2 overall, 5-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and is ranked No. 12 in NCAA Division II.
 
"They've got dangerous players and they pass the ball really well," Kirchhof said. "They're a hard-working team. Their success isn't a surprise. They're doing all the right things. I love playing good teams because you get the pulse of where you're at, and you also get to see what successful teams are doing in person. I'm excited for the challenge, and I think the guys are, too."
 
MSU Denver is 4-7-1 overall and 1-3 in the RMAC. The weekend doesn't get much easier, as Westminster (6-7, 3-2) comes to town for 11 a.m. game Sunday.
 
"We still have control over whether we extend our season," Kirchhof said. "And that's all you can ask for as a team. We definitely have something to play for. A couple of results puts us right back in the race for the top six for the RMAC Tournament. The guys are motivated by that, and the coaching staff is motivated by that. We want to play as many games together as we can this year."