By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Eight-time regular-season champion Colorado Mesa University is the favorite to add to its trophy case, earning the top spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Men’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Poll released Wednesday in conjunction with the 2026 Preseason All-RMAC Men’s Lacrosse Team.
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
2025 Preseason Men's Lacrosse
Coaches’ Poll
|
| PL |
Team |
1sts |
2nds |
3rds |
Points |
| 1. |
Colorado Mesa |
4 |
|
|
22 |
| 2. |
Concordia University Irvine |
1 |
3 |
|
18 |
| 3. |
Westminster |
|
2 |
3 |
17 |
| 4. |
Dominican |
1 |
|
1 |
14 |
| 5. |
Adams State |
|
1 |
1 |
10 |
| 6. |
Northwest Nazarene |
|
|
1 |
9 |
Notes:
Head coaches were not permitted to vote for their team.
5 points for a 1st-place vote, 4 for 2nd, etc.
25 points maximum in men's lacrosse |
The Mavericks received four of a possible five first-place votes in the poll – coaches could not vote for their own team – and finished with 22 points. Concordia University Irvine was picked second in the poll with one of the other first place votes and scored 18 points.
Predicted to round out the tournament field were Westminster University in third place at 17 points followed by Dominican University of California in fourth with the remaining first-place vote and 14 points. Adams State University is fifth in the poll while Northwest Nazarene University, fielding its inaugural Division II men’s lacrosse team, rounded out the six-team poll.
The Preseason All-RMAC team, which is determined by placing returning players in order of the head coaches’ voting from the 2025 All-RMAC Teams, sees nine members of the 2025 First Team All-RMAC team return. Colorado Mesa and Concordia each have five athletes named to the preseason team, with the Golden Eagles also returning three league Players of the Year.
Senior attacker Jeremy Barnes, senior midfielder Max Texter, and graduate student defender Jake Cloutier all return to lead Concordia in 2026 after earning the Player of the Year award at their positions last season. Barnes led CUI and was tied for the league lead in assists (1.40 per match) and was fifth in points (3.13) last season. Texter provided 20 goals and nine assists last season despite coming off the bench in all 15 games for the Golden Eagles. Cloutier had 30 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers last season.
The RMAC men’s lacrosse season gets underway on February 5 when Westminster travels to Dominican in a nonconference tilt. Five of the league’s members will see action that week. Northwest Nazarene will wait to open its first Division II season until Feb. 26, when it travels to Quincy. However, the Nighthawks' wait to open RMAC play won’t take much longer as they travel to face Dominican on March 6 in the league opener.
The 2026 RMAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship is set for April 24 and 26, with the winner receiving the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Men’s Lacrosse Championship, which starts with opening-round play on May 6. The national championship is set for May 24 and will be hosted by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.
All RMAC men’s lacrosse matches broadcast by its member institutions will only be available on the RMAC Network, with fans able to purchase a single-game pass or a monthly or annual subscription. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league’s membership to enhance their programs.
With the start of the spring sports seasons just around the corner, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is presenting its third RMAC Network “Peak Pricing” sale, beginning Thursday and available until Friday, Jan. 30. During the sale, fans can purchase the final months of an annual subscription for 25% off using the code RMACSPRING26 during the purchasing process.
2025 Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Men's Lacrosse
|
| Player |
School |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| Shaden Shields (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
GK |
6-1 |
Jr. |
Naples, Fla. |
| Jeremy Barnes (PotY, 1) |
Concordia |
A |
5-10 |
Sr. |
Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Connor Jensen (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
A |
5-10 |
RJr. |
Brentwood, Tenn. |
| Luke Sillstrop (2) |
Westminster |
A |
5-10 |
Sr. |
Encinitas, Calif. |
| Max Texter (PotY, 1) |
Concordia |
M |
5-10 |
Sr. |
Irvine, Calif. |
| Dillon Pless (1) |
Colorado Mesa |
M |
6-2 |
Sr. |
Highlands Ranch, Colo. |
| Matt Carresi (1) |
Concordia |
M |
5-10 |
Sr. |
Rossmoor, Calif. |
| Jake Cloutier (PotY, 1) |
Concordia |
D |
6-0 |
Gr. |
Simi Valley, Calif. |
| Keller Hopkins (2) |
Westminster |
D |
5-10 |
Sr, |
Park City, Utah |
| Brady Porter (1) |
Colorado Mesa |
D |
6-0 |
RJr. |
Parker, Colo. |
| Deuce Kirschke (1) |
Colorado Mesa |
SSD |
5-10 |
Sr. |
Lone Tree, Colo. |
| Ben Weber (1) |
Westminster |
LSM |
6-2 |
So, |
Littleton, Colo. |
| Cade Poe (1) |
Concordia |
FO |
5-7 |
Gr. |
Los Alamitos, Calif. |
| Symbols in parentheses are 2025 All-RMAC Recognitions: PotY-was the Player of the Year at their position; 1 -was a First Team All-RMAC selection; 2 - was a Second Team All-RMAC selection. |
About the RMAC
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 institutions located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. The RMAC currently competes in 22 NCAA Division II sports and has earned 71 national championships and 53 national runners-up since 1992. Founded in 1909, the RMAC is the most historic athletic conference in the western United States and Division II.
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