Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the 2023 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse season on the horizon, the league has announced its preseason poll with Regis leading the way as the favorite. The RMAC women’s lacrosse preseason poll is voted on by the league’s six head coaches. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own program.
 
The Rangers enter the 2023 campaign with high hopes and standards after earning 25 points and five first-place votes in the RMAC preseason poll. Earlier this week, Regis was also tabbed No. 9 in the nation, according to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) preseason poll. After sweeping the RMAC regular-season and tournament titles for the third consecutive season, the Rangers are led by a pair of all-conference selections, Gabby Rothermund and Maya Quigley, whom each earned second-team distinctions last season. Reigning RMAC Coach of the Year, Sarah Kellner, has her squad primed and ready to upstage the 2022 season, where the Rangers earned an appearance in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Colorado Mesa checks in second overall in the RMAC preseason poll, earning the league’s final first-place vote along with 25 points. The Mavericks are also earning preseason national recognition as the No. 22 squad in the IWLCA preseason poll. Ali Bryant returns to Colorado Mesa for her sophomore campaign after being crowned the RMAC Midfielder and Freshman of the Year last season. Bryant is joined by two more all-conference selections from 2022, Kelsey Viger and Taylor Jakeman.
 
University of Colorado Colorado Springs captures the third-place position in preseason voting with 18 points. Madison McGriff and Julia Patrick return for the Mountain Lions after earning first and second-team all-conference distinctions, respectively, last season. McGriff will look to upstage her redshirt junior campaign in which she was named the RMAC Co-Goalie of the Year. UCCS closed the 2022 campaign with an 11-7 overall record and an 8-4 mark in conference play to earn the third seed at the RMAC Tournament.
 
Fort Lewis and Westminster stand tied for fourth in the RMAC preseason poll, with each squad earning 11 points. The Skyhawks return a pair of all-conference selections in Averi Basso and Rebecca Kiyokawa, who earned first and second-team honors, respectively. Basso enters her senior season after being named the RMAC Co-Goalie of the Year in 2022, helping the Skyhawks to a 5-7 conference record and the No. 4 seed at the RMAC Tournament.
 
The Griffins enter the season tied for fourth place in preseason voting after securing a 4-8 record in conference play last year. Senior goalkeeper Hannah Bargeron returns for Westminster after finishing the 2022 campaign ranked 15th nationally for saves per game (15.1). Maddie Kelleher also returns for the Griffins this season after racking up an impressive 4.07 draw controls per game in 2022.
 
Colorado State University Pueblo rounds out the RMAC preseason poll in sixth place with five points. The ThunderWolves closed the 2022 season ranked first in the RMAC, 24th nationally, with 15.7 draw controls per game. Taylor Christensen steps in to lead the Pack as the interim head coach for the 2023 season and aims to vault the ThunderWolves into the RMAC Tournament.
 
The 2023 RMAC Women’s Lacrosse season is slated to officially begin on Saturday, Feb. 18. All six RMAC squads have their sights set on the RMAC Tournament, which is scheduled for May 5 and 7, at the site of the tournament’s No. 1 seed.