The numbers surrounding this year’s Colorado Christian University softball team are difficult to ignore. A 47-game win streak. A No. 1 seed in the South Central Region. The first NCAA Regional host site in program history. On paper, the Cougars look like one of the most dominant teams in Division II softball. But inside the dugout, something deeper is driving the success.
“We don’t even look at our stats,” senior Arriana Wright said with a laugh. “We actually had to stop the other day and ask, ‘Wait… how are we doing?’”
That mindset captures the culture that has become the foundation of CCU softball under Head Coach Larry Hays.
"We want to compete for championships, absolutely,” Hays said. “But more importantly, we want our players to leave here knowing who they are in Christ and understanding their value goes far beyond the game."
That philosophy has shaped a program unlike any Wright had previously experienced.
A senior transfer in her first year at CCU, Wright arrived in Lakewood after competing at both the junior college and Division I levels, still searching for a place where she truly belonged.
"I was scared," Wright admitted. "I didn't know the Bible. I didn't know if I would be accepted."
Instead of pressure to perform or fit a particular mold, she found teammates willing to walk alongside her. Through team Bible studies and late-night conversations in the residence halls, Wright discovered a culture centered on authenticity rather than perfection.
"I came in with more questions than answers," she said. "And I had people who would just sit with me and say, 'Let's figure it out together.'"
Wright describes a team culture where accountability is paired with grace, and teammates support one another through difficult moments both on and off the field.
“He cares about us as people before softball,” Wright said of Hays.
"He'll pull you aside and ask how you're doing. He'll check in on your family. He's always there for us."
That mindset shapes the way the team competes as well.
"When someone makes a mistake, we know the next person is going to pick us up," Wright said. "We're not playing for our stats. We're playing for each other."
Long before the postseason began, the Cougars had already made history. The team earned the No. 1 seed in the South Central Region and the opportunity to host the first NCAA Regional in program history — milestones that reflected something more significant than simply success on the scoreboard.
Players consistently point back to the culture — not the rankings — as the defining characteristic of the season.
Junior pitcher Hanna Espinoza believes that difference is felt immediately by anyone who steps into the program.
"At CCU, I found a softball program that not only wins big, but a culture that reminds you that you are more than your sport," Espinoza shared.
The goal is not simply to win games, but to develop people of character, conviction, and purpose.
Espinoza, who serves as the team chaplain, shared that some of the most meaningful moments of the season have actually happened away from the field.
“One of the highlights of my time playing softball at CCU has been holding Bible studies with my teammates off the field,” she said. “We are all at different stages in our walk with God, and it has been the biggest blessing to learn from each of them and get to know the person behind the player.”
That intentionality extends throughout the athletic department and broader campus culture at CCU. According to CCU Athletic Director Jon Poag, the goal has never been simply to build successful teams, but to foster environments where students grow as leaders, teammates, and followers of Christ.
“At CCU, we believe athletic success and spiritual formation are not competing priorities,” Poag said. “The goal is not simply to win games, but to develop people of character, conviction, and purpose. This softball team is a beautiful example of what can happen when those things align.”
Players also describe a campus environment that encourages community and friendships beyond sport.
“We don’t just live with other softball players — we live with a variety of people,” Wright said. “That changes everything.”
For Hays, now 82 and still shaping lives from the dugout, this season added another remarkable chapter to one of the most respected coaching careers in collegiate softball — one built as much on relationships and mentorship as victories on the field.
In a profession often defined by turnover, Hays has remained a steady presence at CCU, building a program known for developing young women with purpose, character, and resilience.
This season, he guided the Cougars to a historic year that included RMAC Coach of the Year honors and the opportunity to host the first NCAA Regional in program history.
Players describe Hays less like a distant coach and more as a trusted mentor.
And for a team that has accomplished nearly everything possible on the field this season, the players believe their greatest achievement may be the culture they build together.
“We’re not perfect,” Wright said. “We fight like sisters sometimes. We get exhausted. We go through hard things. But we come together, and we help each other. That’s what makes us strong.”
That strength has carried the Cougars through one of the most remarkable seasons in program history. But long after the final inning, those within the program believe the legacy of this team will not be measured primarily by wins or championships. Because while trophies eventually collect dust, the people they became — the character formed, the relationships built, and the lives impacted along the way — will endure.
A Home for Cougar Athletics
Support the development of dedicated facilities for soccer, softball, track and field, cross country, and more — creating a lasting impact for today's student-athletes and future generations.