CSU Pueblo Shows Out at the Directors’ Cup
Meet Paul Plinske, or “just Paul.” He’s the Athletic Director at CSU Pueblo who’s orchestrated something remarkable. Under his leadership, CSU Pueblo has risen from 50th place to currently sitting at third in the NCAA Division II Learfield Directors’ Cup standings. It’s the program’s highest ranking to date.
The program’s meteoric rise is perhaps exemplified at a recent University of Colorado-Boulder track meet. Event organizers had orchestrated an elaborate celebration in anticipation of their home athlete running under four-minute mile achievement.
The stage was set perfectly: they dimmed the lights, prepared fireworks, and played motivational music to build anticipation for their runner’s historic moment. But CSU Pueblo’s Reece Sharman-Newell had other plans. He surged past Boulder’s favored runner and crossed the finish line first, breaking the four-minute barrier himself. The carefully planned celebration became an awkward moment as spectators and organizers realized their scripted moment had been dramatically rewritten by an unexpected victor. “This wasn’t supposed to happen this way,” was the shocked reaction from the crowd, as Sharman turned their planned coronation into his own milestone achievement.
In a recent conversation, Plinske discussed CSU Pueblo’s ascent in collegiate athletics, the importance of the Directors’ Cup, and the university’s approach to recruiting talent. The interview has been edited and condensed.
Question: The Directors’ Cup is a significant benchmark in collegiate athletics. Can you explain its importance and what being third means for CSU Pueblo?
Answer: The Directors’ Cup, is now the Learfield Directors’ Cup, is run by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of America. It measures athletic department success in postseason NCAA championships. Schools can count their best 15 sport programs, with points awarded based on tournament qualification and performance. If you automatically qualify, you get 25 points, and winning a national title earns you 100 points. For us to be third, competing against 305 Division II schools, it’s remarkable.
Q: What sports contributed to this achievement?
A: In the fall, we scored points in football, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s soccer. Four of our six fall sports scored for us, which is pretty amazing. Women’s cross country finished third in the country, men’s soccer placed third, football was ninth, and men’s cross country was 14th.
Q: You’ve mentioned the international aspect of your program. How has that shaped your success?
A: We currently have about 65 to 70 international student-athletes, and they’re crucial in helping us attain these Directors’ Cup points. If you look at men’s soccer, we have a high level of international student-athletes. Athletes like Reese [Sharman-Newell] and Helen [Bradbrook] are international student-athletes who have been instrumental in our success. We’re finding our niche and drawing talent from across the globe.
Q: CSU Pueblo recently implemented the RISE initiative, offering in-state tuition equivalency to several states and countries. How will this impact athletics?
A: We’re already seeing the impact with our football program. Coach Phil Vigil is bringing in 58 individuals for 2025, with significant numbers from Texas, Arizona, and California. We’re banking on what we call the ripple effect – where one student-athlete might bring friends, siblings, or cousins to campus because of the reduced tuition rate. In many cases, it’s actually cheaper to come to CSU Pueblo than to stay in their home states.
Q: Your program has had several recent successes – Alisha Little’s Collegiate Athlete of the Year award, Reese’s four-minute mile, the Directors’ Cup ranking. How do you view this moment?
A: We’ve come a long way. When I started here, we were 50th in the Directors’ Cup with limited national presence. Now we’re not only well-known in the state but nationally and internationally recognized. It’s a tribute to our coaches and their work in finding and developing talent. Despite challenges like the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness opportunities, we’re retaining athletes because of superior coaching and the culture we’ve built.’
Q: What’s your message to the community regarding support for the program?
A: PAC Athletics is strong right now, with wonderful student-athletes being developed by great coaches and staff. We need continued financial support, but equally important is having people show up at our events and encourage our student-athletes. We’re doing everything at a really high level both academically and athletically, and we want the community to be part of that journey.
