Bella Campos Makes History With Third Straight RMAC Player of the Year Award

GOLDEN, Colo. Bella Campos has run out of ways to make history at Colorado School of Mines.

The senior forward earned her third consecutive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year award after putting together one of the most impressive seasons in program history. Campos became Mines' all-time leading scorer this season with 78 career goals and 180 career points.

Three consecutive Player of the Year honors put Campos in rare company, but the individual recognition hasn't necessarily sunk in.

"Honestly, it just feels like a normal day to me," Campos said. "I didn't really think about it much this season, especially since I've had it in the past. It just doesn't really faze me. It's definitely exciting. It's a great accomplishment, but I wouldn't have had these awards without my teammates."

Campos' impact has been impossible to overlook. Her 27-goal season helped power the Orediggers to another conference championship, while her four hat tricks highlighted just how dominant she has been in the attacking third.

But her teammates say what makes Campos special goes beyond the goals and awards.

"It could easily be the Bella Show, but she's always lifting other people up," teammate Natalie Rouse said. "That's great for our team and great for our younger players and our other attacking players because she makes everybody better."

Campos isn't the only Oredigger collecting major honors. Senior Natalie Rouse earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Year award for the third time in her career. Rouse has contributed seven goals this season while anchoring a defense that has helped Mines capture three straight conference championships.

The Orediggers celebrated their latest RMAC title at Regis, just 15 minutes away from campus, making the championship moment even more special for the team.

Now, Mines turns its attention to the NCAA Division II tournament. The Orediggers earned the No. 6 seed in the South Central Region and will face Midwestern State in the opening round.

The appearance marks the program's 18th consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.

For Campos and the rest of the senior class, the mindset is to keep the season alive as long as possible.

"On our team, we use the saying get another game,' and that's what we're trying to do now," Rouse said. "We're going to make this last season as long as we can.