By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications
DENVER, Colo. – Two-time defending champion Colorado State University Pueblo is again picked as the preseason favorite in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Preseason Football Coaches’ Poll released Wednesday in conjunction with the RMAC Football Kickoff event hosted at Metropolitan State University of Denver’s CAVEA Theater.
The league also announced its 2026 Preseason All-RMAC Football Team with 32 student-athletes earning recognition. Again this season, the RMAC’s preseason teams are determined by placing returning players in order of head coaches’ voting from the league’s 2025 All-RMAC Teams
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
2026 Preseason Football Coaches’ Poll
|
| PL |
Team |
1sts |
2nds |
3rds |
Points |
| 1. |
CSU Pueblo |
8 |
1 |
|
80 |
| 2. |
Western Colorado |
1 |
5 |
2 |
69 |
| 3. |
Colorado School of Mines |
|
2 |
4 |
62 |
| 4. |
Chadron State |
1 |
1 |
3 |
60 |
| 5. |
Colorado Mesa |
|
1 |
1 |
52 |
| 6. |
New Mexico Highlands |
|
|
|
38 |
| 7. |
South Dakota Mines |
|
|
|
34 |
| 8. |
Black Hills State |
|
|
|
29 |
| 9. |
Fort Lewis |
|
|
|
16 |
| 10. |
Adams State |
|
|
|
10 |
Notes:
Head coaches were not permitted to vote for their team.
9 points for a 1st-place vote, 8 for 2nd, etc.
81 points maximum in football. |
CSU Pueblo received eight of a possible nine first-place votes, and one second-place vote, to amass 80 of a possible maximum 81 points to lead the 2026 preseason poll. The ThunderWolves had three athletes named to the preseason team, led by wide receiver Marcellus Honeycutt Jr., who returns after earning Second-Team All-RMAC recognition last season.
Western Colorado University, which reached the second round of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs last season, was picked second in the poll with one first place vote and 69 points. The Mountaineers led all teams with seven returning student-athletes, including two offensive linemen from the 2025 First Team All-RMAC, named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team.
Colorado School of Mines was picked third with 62 points and placed six student-athletes on the preseason team, including running back Max Barnes and tight end Black Smotherman, who both return after Second Team All-RMAC seasons a year ago.
Chadron State College was fourth in the poll, receiving the remaining first-place vote and 60 points after reaching the Division II playoffs last season. Colorado Mesa University rounded out the top half of the poll with 52 points. Both the Eagles and Mavericks placed four individuals on the Preseason All-RMAC squad.
The second half of the 10-team poll is led by New Mexico Highlands University with 38 points. The Cowboys are followed by South Dakota Mines (34 points), Black Hills State University (29), Fort Lewis College (16), and Adams State University (10).
Four 2025 First Team All-RMAC honorees return to lead the 2026 Preseason All-RMAC unit. Western Colorado offensive linemen Taylor Nichols and Joseph Shepardson, Black Hills State kick returner Bryce Coulson, and Colorado School of Mines long snapper Josh Hildebrand. They were joined by 14 returning Second Team All-RMAC selections, including New Mexico Highlands outside linebacker Dontaivious Nelson, who returns after earning the league’s Defensive Freshman of the Year honor last season.
2026 Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Offense
|
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| QB |
Aidan Thompson |
Chadron State |
6-5 |
210 |
RSr. |
Abilene, Texas |
| RB |
Max Barnes (2) |
Colorado School of Mines |
5-9 |
210 |
RJr. |
Austin, Texas |
| RB |
Dawson Dunbar |
South Dakota Mines |
5-11 |
200 |
RSr. |
Chadron, Neb. |
| WR |
Marcellus Honeycutt Jr. (2) |
CSU Pueblo |
6-1 |
190 |
Jr. |
Aurora, Colo. |
| WR |
Caden Measner (2) |
Western Colorado |
6-0 |
195 |
RSr. |
Greeley, Colo. |
| WR |
Pierce Richards |
Colorado School of Mines |
5-11 |
190 |
RJr. |
Kingwood, Texas |
| TE |
Blake Smotherman (2) |
Colorado School of Mines |
6-4 |
240 |
RSr. |
Fort Collins, Colo. |
| TE |
Alex Turpin (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
6-5 |
250 |
RJr. |
Highlands Ranch, Colo. |
| OL |
Dominic Castanon |
Chadron State |
6-1 |
275 |
Sr. |
Fresno, Calif. |
| OL |
Calem Grimble (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
6-5 |
295 |
Sr. |
Centennial, Colo. |
| OL |
Cooper Mumford (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
6-4 |
275 |
Sr. |
Highland, Utah |
| OL |
Taylor Nichols |
Western Colorado |
6-2 |
300 |
RSr. |
Castle Rock, Colo. |
| OL |
Joseph Shepardson |
Western Colorado |
6-6 |
295 |
RSr. |
Fruita, Colo. |
2026 Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Defense
|
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| DE |
Drew Johnson (1) |
Western Colorado |
6-3 |
250 |
RJr. |
Salida, Colo. |
| DE |
William Stemler (2) |
Chadron State |
6-3 |
240 |
RSr. |
Sierra Vista, Ariz. |
| DT |
Mikey Smith (2) |
Western Colorado |
5-11 |
295 |
RJr. |
Colorado Springs, Colo. |
| ILB |
Ian Loomis (1) |
Western Colorado |
6-3 |
225 |
Jr. |
Loveland, Colo. |
| ILB |
Cooper Walton (2) |
Chadron State |
6-1 |
230 |
RSr. |
Johnstown, Colo. |
| OLB |
Dawson Chapman |
New Mexico Highlands |
6-2 |
220 |
Sr. |
Tooele, Utah |
| OLB |
Dontaivious Nelson (2, FotY) |
New Mexico Highlands |
6-2 |
200 |
So. |
St. Petersburg, Fla. |
| S |
Gibson Leafgreen (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
6-0 |
205 |
Sr. |
Centennial, Colo. |
| S |
Kahden Rullo |
CSU Pueblo |
6-1 |
205 |
Sr. |
Denver, Colo. |
| CB |
Joshua Faulkner |
Black Hills State |
5-8 |
170 |
RSo. |
Lynwood, Calif. |
| CB |
Jaheim Roper |
Black Hills State |
6-0 |
170 |
RSr. |
Denver, Colo. |
2026 Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Special Teams
|
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| PK |
Preston Kyle (2) |
Colorado School of Mines |
6-0 |
175 |
RSo. |
Houston, Texas |
| PK |
Jackson Smith (2) |
CSU Pueblo |
5-11 |
180 |
Sr. |
Centennial, Colo. |
| P |
Lucas LeSieur |
Colorado School of Mines |
5-11 |
190 |
RSo. |
Walnut Creek, Calif. |
| PR |
Easton Peterson (2) |
Western Colorado |
6-0 |
175 |
RJr. |
El Cajon, Calif. |
| KR |
Bryce Coulson (1) |
Black Hills State |
5-11 |
175 |
So. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| LS |
Josh Hildebrand (1) |
Colorado School of Mines |
6-3 |
240 |
RSo. |
Cecil, Ala. |
Notes: Two tight ends and placekickers due to ties in the voting.
Symbols in parentheses are 2025 All-RMAC Recognitions: FotY – was a Freshman of the Year at their position group; 1 -was a First Team All-RMAC selection; 2 - was a Second Team All-RMAC selection; all others were honorable mention selections. |
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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