Colorado Mesa Voted Favorite in 2023 RMAC Preseason Baseball Poll
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Mesa captures the top spot in the 2023 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Baseball Preseason Poll, the league announced Wednesday. The Mavericks lead the way with seven of nine first-place votes, while Metropolitan State University of Denver collects the league’s final two first-place votes. The RMAC Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll is voted on by the league’s nine head coaches. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their program.
Heading into the 2023 season, the Mavericks secured 63 points and seven first-place votes in preseason voting after closing out the 2022 campaign with a 23-9 conference record and a 43-17 overall mark. Colorado Mesa claimed its 10th consecutive regular-season title and a trip to the NCAA Super Regional during the last season. Sophomore Kannon Handy highlights the Mavs’ pitching staff after registering a 4.47 Earned Run Average with a 9-1 record during his freshman season. All-conference selection Harrison Rodgers also returns to Colorado Mesa’s lineup after slashing a 1.062 OPS and a .338 batting average, which leads the Mavericks’ active roster.
MSU Denver enters the 2023 campaign with 56 points and a pair of first-place votes to secure the league’s second-place position. The Roadrunners are coming off an RMAC Tournament title and their inaugural appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament. MSU Denver returns seven all-conference selections, including reigning RMAC Freshman of the Year Cam Yuran. Yuran leads the Roadrunners’ explosive offense after registering a 1.282 OPS and a .400 batting average with 21 extra-base hits last season. Ross Smith also returns to the lineup after posting a 1.129 OPS, a .339 batting average, 20 doubles and 20 home runs throughout the 2022 season.
Regis claims the third-place spot with 48 points after finishing the 2022 season with a 20-12 conference record and a 27-24-1 overall mark under reigning RMAC Coach of the Year, Drew LaComb. Brady Gilmore, the 2022 RMAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year, returns to the mound for the Rangers after striking out 36 batters through 40.2 innings last season. Redshirt senior Colten Chase leads the Rangers’ offense into the upcoming season after posting a .380 batting average in 2022 while stealing 24 bases on 26 attempts.
Colorado State University Pueblo claims the fourth-place spot with 43 points, while Colorado School of Mines occupies fifth place with 39 points. In sixth place is University of Colorado Colorado Springs with 30 points, followed by Colorado Christian with 20 points.
New Mexico Highlands (16 points) and Adams State (9 points) round out the preseason poll in eighth and ninth place, respectively.
The 2023 RMAC Baseball Tournament is scheduled for May 10-13, with the tournament location to be determined based on the league’s final regular-season standings.
2023 RMAC Baseball Preseason Poll
| Institution (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Colorado Mesa (7) |
63 |
| 2. MSU Denver (2) |
56 |
| 3. Regis |
48 |
| 4. CSU Pueblo |
43 |
| 5. Colorado School of Mines |
39 |
| 6. UCCS |
30 |
| 7. Colorado Christian |
20 |
| 8. New Mexico Highlands |
16 |
| 9. Adams State |
9 |