Mario Caetano was named the 13th head coach in MSU Denver Women's Basketball history in May 2026 after establishing himself as one of the premier coaches in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Caetano arrives in Denver following a highly successful six-year run at Adams State, where he became the winningest coach in program history. During his tenure, he compiled a 99-56 overall record and a 73-33 mark in RMAC play, producing a .640 percent winning percentage while transforming the Grizzlies into one of the conference's top programs.
Under Caetano's leadership, Adams State reached the NCAA Division II Tournament in each of the last three seasons and qualified for the RMAC Tournament in four consecutive years. His 2023-24 squad posted a program-record 25 wins, captured a share of the RMAC regular-season championship, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He was named RMAC Coach of the Year during the 2022-23 season after guiding the Grizzlies to a 21-win campaign.
Throughout his career, Caetano has developed numerous All-RMAC and All-Region performers while helping student-athletes set multiple school and conference records. His 2025-26 team finished 22-11 overall, earned an NCAA Tournament berth, placed third in the RMAC standings, and featured the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
Prior to becoming head coach at Adams State, Caetano served as an assistant coach and interim head coach for the Grizzlies. His coaching experience also includes stops at Northern New Mexico College, where he served as interim head women's basketball coach and associate head men's basketball coach, as well as with the Vegas Elite EYBL program.
A native of New Mexico, Caetano earned his bachelor's degree in Integrated Studies from Northern New Mexico College and later completed a Master of Science degree in Recreation and Sport Sciences from Ohio University. He has also served on the WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll and the NCAA South Central Region Advisory Committee.
Caetano and his family joined the Roadrunner community in 2026 and are committed to building a championship-caliber program that competes at the highest level both on and off the court.
