GOLDEN - In powering the Colorado School of Mines softball team to their best start since 2006 with a 3-0-1 opening weekend at the RMAC Preview in Denver, senior centerfielder Kamee Vessey was chosen as this week’s Mines Student-Athlete of the Week, announced Monday by athletic department officials. 

A Preseason All-RMAC selection, Vessey finished with a team-high eight RBI, going 4-for-11 with two home runs, one double, one sacrifice fly and five runs scored over the four games.

The Highlands Ranch native also boasted a 1.500 OPS percentage with a 1.000 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage and led the Orediggers with 11 total bases and four walks. Dating back to last season, Vessey has successfully reached base in 10 of the last 11 games, including all four games thus far in 2013.

The Colorado School of Mines wrestling team found itself in another close dual on Saturday and matched home-standing New Mexico Highlands in number of bouts won, but the Cowboys were able to score one more point in their five victories to edge Mines 21-20 at the John A. Wilson Complex. 

The Orediggers (3-8, 0-4 RMAC) got wins from Luis Gurule (125), Robby Schultheis (133), John Crowley (157), Justin Frazer (12-0) and Alec Bird (HWT) during the dual. 

Gurule stayed tied with Crowley for the team lead in wins with his 24th (24-14) after opening the match with a 7-3 decision. 

Schultheis moved Mines up 9-0 after two bouts with a win by fall at 133 pounds, notching his fifth victory by fall and his eighth overall win on the season (8-7). 

Colorado School of Mines used a record-setting effort from the foul line and a plus-10 rebounding margin to hold off visiting Western State 94-85 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball action on Saturday evening at Lockridge Arena. 

Mines (11-8, 8-7 RMAC) finished 51-of-55 (92.7 percent) from the foul line, led by a record-setting 16-of-16 effort from sophomore Brian Muller - all in the second half. The Orediggers’ 51 made free throws set a new RMAC record and eclipse the old mark of 44 set by Chadron State against Regis during the 1991-92 season. 

Muller’s 16-of-16 effort sets a new program mark for most made free throws on a perfect percentage, breaking his old mark of 14 set in the squad’s 89-84 win over New Mexico Highlands on December 1, 2012. Muller posted 26 points and seven rebounds on a 4-of-12 shooting effort from the field in addition to his stellar line from the charity stripe. 

Aided by a nearly perfect free throw shooting and several timely three-pointers, the Colorado School of Mines women’s basketball team overcame a sluggish start and pulled away late to turn away visiting Western State 68-54 Saturday evening at Lockridge Arena.

After beginning 1-of-11 from the floor and finding themselves down 12-5 at the 12:54 mark, the Orediggers (12-9, 9-6 RMAC) connected on 12 of their next 19 attempts and took a 32-27 lead into the intermission. 

CSM finished the half 46.4 percent from the floor en route to 22-of-53 (41.5 percent) shooting for the game, its fourth-highest percentage of the season.

A day after the Colorado School of Mines indoor track and field team’s distance medley relays both timed Division II Provisional qualifying results, six Orediggers added their names to the Provisional list Saturday in the final day of the New Mexico Classic at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Junior Sean Gildea, sophomore Phil Schneider and senior Tyler Curtis all qualified in the 3000, each clocking a new collegiate-best and top-eight time in the Mines record book.

Gildea captured second overall behind the program’s third-fastest time of 8:25.92; Schneider placed sixth in 8:37.30 (adjusted to 8:24.56 for altitude), the sixth-best time in school history, and Curtis took eighth with the eighth-best time ever by an Oredigger, crossing the line in 8:39.86 (8:27.05).

Gildea’s altitude-adjusted time of 8:13.46 currently ranks second in the RMAC and third nationally in Division II.