Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Adams State claims the top spot in the 2023 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll after securing 195 points and 13 first-place votes, the league announced Wednesday. The RMAC Women’s Cross Country preseason poll is voted on by the league’s 15 head coaches. Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own programs.
 
After hoisting their third consecutive NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country national title in 2022, the program’s 20th since 1992, the Grizzlies enter the 2023 season as the RMAC favorites. Adams State aims for its third consecutive RMAC title after a dominant postseason run from a veteran roster last year. The Grizzlies will lean on its young talent to continue the success from its previous three national championships.
 
With a third-place finish in the 2022 National Championship, Colorado School of Mines ranks second in the 2023 RMAC Women’s Cross Country preseason poll with 183 points and a pair of first-place votes. After placing four runners among the top 50 individuals at last year’s NCAA DII Women’s Cross Country Championship, the Orediggers will look to improve upon its podium finish with a string of veteran leadership.
 
UCCS claims third place with 164 points after earning its best performance in program history at last year’s NCAA DII Championship, a fourth-place team finish. The Mountain Lions are riding a wave of success and have qualified for six consecutive appearances at the national meet under head coach Corey Kubatzky.
 
Western Colorado claims 160 points to earn fourth place in preseason voting, while Colorado Christian rounds out the top-five spots with 136 points. Colorado State University Pueblo checks in at sixth with 132 points, followed by Fort Lewis in seventh place with 106 points.
 
Colorado Mesa occupies eighth place in the preseason poll with 96 total points, just ahead of Metropolitan State University of Denver, which resides in ninth place with 89 points. Westminster sits in 10th place in preseason voting with 88 points, while Black Hills State holds 80 points for 11th place.
 
New Mexico Highlands sits in 12th place with 44 points, while Chadron State (41 points), South Dakota Mines (35 points) and Regis (26 points) close out the RMAC Women’s Cross Country preseason rankings.
 
The 2023 RMAC Cross Country season begins on September 2 with various league members in action across Colorado. MSU Denver will serve as host of the 2023 RMAC Cross Country Championships, which are slated for Saturday, Oct. 21, at Washington Park in Denver, Colo.