Peak Performance

Rangers Basketball Star Diana Lopez Takes Her Place In The RMAC Hall Of Fame

The home crowd was always in a frenzy when Diana Lopez took to the court for the Regis Rangers.

Lopez's family, friends and fans always made sure the navy-and-gold faithful were electric during her 2004-2007 career as a Rangers guard.

"All my aunts, uncles, cousins, we kind of had a big crowd, a lot of support at every game. People made posters, they cheered, and they were a staple to have at the games," she said.

All the family and fanfare helped propel Lopez and the Rangers to the NCAA Division II tournament three out of her four years at Regis. Lopez and the Rangers won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) tournament championship in 2007. The support also spilled onto the court, as Lopez's younger sisters served as the team's ball girls.

In recognition of her achievements, Lopez was inducted into the RMAC Hall of Fame in July.

"I was surprised," she said, regarding her induction. "It's been so long, but it was definitely nice to have that recognition and to reminisce about those moments. It means a whole lot to me. I'm a very quiet person. I would just go out and play. I never really was one to look at my stats or anything like that. I was fortunate to have that opportunity."

The women's head basketball coach at the time, Linda Raunig, said Lopez was a very talented player when she first arrived at Regis, but it was the way Lopez matured and became a leader that impressed her the most.

Raunig said as the seasons went on, she and her assistant coach didn't have to do much in terms of guiding the team, as Lopez and her teammates were able to conduct strategy and take command.

"It was such an amazing experience as a coach to, literally during games, just sit and watch the game and not feel like I had to run the show," Raunig said. "We had players that knew what to do because we practiced it every day, but it was demonstrated by Diana and her teammates."

Raunig said during her time as a coach, players invited younger students to the Northwest Denver Campus and assisted in running contests and games, and sometimes they shared their experiences as college athletes.

Diana Lopez and her twin sister, Denise, both the first in their family to attend college, brought a Gemini effect to the team and dispelled any freshman fears early in their collegiate careers.

"I just remember our first game at the Air Force Academy," Denise Lopez said. "We didn't start, and we were freshmen and kind of just still trying to understand college basketball, but we got into the game and did really well. That's something that we both remember and talk about just because our family was there and our high school coaches were there, and it kicked off our college careers.

"We had a lot of families that would come to the games who were in the Regis neighborhood and had never come to a game before," Denise Lopez continued. "They just wanted their daughters

LOPEZ WAS A FIRST-BALLOT REGIS ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE IN 2019,

along with her twin sister, Denise. Diana Lopez was previously honored by the RMAC in 2009 when she not only was named to the RMAC's All-Century team but was also voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) among the league's AllCentury roster.

to meet us. We had elementary schools come and want to speak to us. We just understood that people were watching, and what you have can be used to make other people better."

Diana Lopez said her time as a student-athlete helped her learn to manage her schedule better and overcome different challenging situations.

"Getting a scholarship to Regis meant a lot to my sister and I," Lopez said. "I remember kind of breaking down my freshman year just feeling like I didn't belong, or I didn't fit in, but our coaches were always very supportive and helpful."

That mentorship throughout her college career inspired Lopez to become a school counselor. She now works for Westminster Public Schools at Orchard Park Academy.

"I had the power of belief, people believing in me and everything that we accomplished there, for me was a lot more meaningful than just basketball," she said. "That gave me the desire and the passion to help other students, showing them their capabilities, letting them know what seems out of reach is possible."

Diana Lopez said she still tries to catch a Rangers game when she can, a way to keep her connected to the Regis community.

"We realized that we do bring something pretty special and used that to encourage our teammates, support our coaches and to be leaders," Denise Lopez said, adding that increased confidence propelled the sisters try to be leaders in their communi- ties, particularly as women of color. Do we have any examples of that leadership?

Denise Lopez said having her sister selected for the Hall of Fame is a great reminder of the years they spent at Regis and "just how special they were."

"For me, I associate Regis with a lot of pride," Diana Lopez said. "I think still going back, almost 20 years later, you still feel part of that community. I think to take that opportunity of being part of something that still embraces you and welcomes you year after year, I carry that experience with pride."