Fans gather at airport to welcome home CSU-Pueblo football team

The homecoming of the Division II national champion CSU-Pueblo football team was delayed for several hours Saturday because of a mix-up at Kansas City International Airport.

The team’s arrival at the Pueblo Airport was scheduled at 9:30 p.m., but airport staff said the team was asked to leave its plane and go through security a second time.

The reason for that is unclear, and head coach John Wirsten explained the delay was due to “a miscommunication.”

The team’s flight landed just before midnight, and players and coaches were greeted enthusiastically by fans in the terminal.

The team boarded two buses and a caravan of law enforcement officers led them back to campus at 1 a.m..

Fans began arriving at the airport at 7 p.m. Mike Peuber, a longtime fan, was among those in attendance.

“Not everybody can claim to be a national champion,” he said. “That’s very hard to get. I’m so excited about it.”

City Councilman Steve Nawrocki said most of the plans to honor the team won’t happen until after students return next month from the holiday break.

“I’ve had discussions with the Chamber of Commerce,” he said. “We’re looking at a parade and a big lunch. This is the bust-out thing we’ve been looking for in the community for a long time to put us on the map.”