CSU Pueblo Softball is a “W” train that is showing no signs of slowing down. After a historic 19-game winning streak, The Today spoke with McKenna James, a senior enrolled in the 3+2 program to earn her MBA and one of the driving forces behind the Pack’s recent success.
The senior pitcher from Windsor, Colorado, has dominated on the mound, having been named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Pitcher of the Week for the 4th time in 2026 – a program record for weekly honors in a single season.
However, James’s softball progression has not been linear.
“My journey is crazy. I was a COVID senior in high school and I had nowhere to go because it was right before shutdown when I was trying to get recruited, and so I actually ended up going to Kentucky State,” James said.
With COVID still affecting day-to-day operations and homesickness kicking in, James knew she wanted to be closer to home. “I had nowhere to go again, so I ended up actually quitting softball for 2 years and I just coached and I got an associate’s degree. I was working for Triple Crown Sports, which is who I played club ball for growing up,” James said.
“I was working a huge tournament in Denver and had met a coach who connected me with Caitlyn Cole. And so he’s like, ‘If you want to play softball in Colorado, you should talk to Caitlyn.’ Caitlyn gave me our coach’s number and I came down here for a tryout,” James added.
Cole broke the school record for all-time home run leader, passing Justine Bosio who hit 39 homers from 2009-2013, with Cole’s tally at 44 and still counting.
Despite barely touching a softball for the previous 2 years, Head Coach Bianca Duran saw James’s potential and gave her the opportunity to don the #8 jersey for the past 3 seasons.
That work has been the secret to James’s success. “I’ve trusted the process the whole time. The first year I was here, I was so out of shape . . . but I’ve worked my butt off and it’s nice to see the rewards now,” James said.
With the ThunderWolves 36-14 on the season, James has established herself as the team’s starting pitcher with 164.1 innings pitched—more than double any other pitcher on the roster. Holding opposing batters to a .232 average, she has racked up 116 strikeouts from the circle, with a season best coming against Fort Lewis. The Pack ace also lies fourth in the all-time strikeout record after recently passing the 300 career strikeout mark.
Prior to her Pueblo career, James was less of a two-way player than she is now, contributing 5 home runs and 41 RBIs at the plate, not only making James one of the most notable players, but one of the most versatile players in the conference.
It is apparent that Coach Duran has built a team that plays for the right reasons. When asked about the reasoning behind the team’s success, James’s praise for her teammates speaks volumes.
With the postseason on the horizon, James’s goals are clear: “Obviously, we want to win an RMAC Championship and then hopefully make a run at Regionals. RMAC Pitcher of the Year has always been the goal so I’m just hoping to continue what I’m doing and we’ll see what happens.”
