By: Nash Loibl, Director of Strategic Communications and Internal Operations

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines holds the top spot in the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll, the conference announced Thursday.
 

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2026 Women’s Cross Country Preseason Coaches’ Poll
PL	Team	1sts	2nds	3rds	Points
1.	Colorado School of Mines	8	6		190
2.	Adams State	7	7		189
3.	UCCS		2	8	165
4.	Western Colorado			6	158
5.	Colorado Mesa				130
	CSU Pueblo			1	130
7.	Fort Lewis				126
8.	Colorado Christian				100
9.	MSU Denver				92
10.	Black Hills State				88
11.	Chadron State				56
12.	New Mexico Highlands				48
13.	Regis				46
14.	South Dakota Mines				43
15.	Westminster				14
Notes: Head coaches were not permitted to vote for their team. 14 points for a 1st-place vote, 13 for 2nd, etc. 196 points maximum in cross country

The league also announced its 2026 Preseason All-RMAC Women’s Cross Country Team with 14 student-athletes earning recognition.

Colorado School of Mines enters the 2026 season as the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll favorite, collecting eight first-place votes and six second-place votes for 190 points. The Orediggers are coming off a standout 2025 season in which they captured the RMAC Cross Country Championship before placing second at the NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country Championship, finishing just four points behind the national champion and 62 points clear of third place. The Orediggers are represented on the 2026 Preseason All-RMAC roster by three student-athletes, all hailing from last year’s First-Team All-RMAC team in Emily LaMena, Callen Nash, and Sierra Wall.

Adams State enters the 2026 season just one point behind Colorado School of Mines in the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, earning 189 points with seven first-place votes and seven second-place votes. The Grizzlies are coming off a strong 2025 campaign that saw them place third at the RMAC Cross Country Championship and fourth at the NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country Championship. Adams State returns reigning RMAC Runner of the Year Tristian Spence and boasts four student-athletes on the 2026 Preseason All-RMAC roster, tying the University of Colorado Colorado Springs for the most selections in the conference.

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs lands at No. 3 in the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 165 points. The Mountain Lions enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign, highlighted by a runner-up finish at the RMAC Cross Country Championship and a sixth-place showing at the NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country Championship. UCCS enters the new season with four student-athletes named to the 2026 Preseason All-RMAC roster.

Western Colorado University comes in at No. 4 in the RMAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll with 158 points. Colorado Mesa University and Colorado State University Pueblo follow in a tie for fifth at 130 points apiece. Fort Lewis College sits seventh with 126 points, followed by Colorado Christian University (100), Metropolitan State University of Denver (92), and Black Hills State University (88) to round out the Top 10.

Chadron State College (56), New Mexico Highlands University (48), Regis University (46), South Dakota Mines (43), and Westminster University (14) take the final spots in the 2026 Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The 14-member 2026 Preseason All-RMAC team is headlined by 11 student-athletes who earned First- or Second-Team All-RMAC recognition in 2025. Seven returning first team selections lead the group, including Spence and Sierra Wall, the 2025 RMAC Freshman of the Year. The preseason squad also features four returning Second-Team All-RMAC honorees.

The 2026 RMAC Cross Country season gets underway on Friday, September 4, with the RMAC Championship scheduled for November 7 in Rapid City, South Dakota. The NCAA Division II National Championship follows on December 4 in Lawrence, Kansas as part of the NCAA Division II Fall Championships Festival.
 

2026 Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Women’s Cross Country
Player	School	Yr.	Hometown
Tanya Bouet	Adams State	Gr.	Tornac, Gard, France
Madison Brosig (2)	UCCS	5th	Greeley, Colo.
Keira Damron (2)	Adams State	Sr.	Phoenix, Ariz.
Kate Henderson	UCCS	So.	Albuquerque, N.M.
Claragh Keane (2)	Adams State	Sr.	Wexford, Ireland
Emily LaMena (1)	Colorado School of Mines	R-Jr.	Huntington, N.Y.
Carysa Marquez	Fort Lewis	So.	Albuquerque, N.M.
Elizabeth McQuitty (1)	UCCS	So.	Alamosa, Colo.
Callen Nash (1)	Colorado School of Mines	R-Sr.	Tomball, Texas
Kseniya Nikanorov (1)	UCCS	5th	Castle Rock, Colo.
Tristian Spence (RotY, 1)	Adams State	Sr.	Grand Junction, Colo.
Sierra Wall (FotY, 1)	Colorado School of Mines	R-Fr.	Boulder, Colo.
Peyton Weiss (1)	Western Colorado	Jr.	Milwaukee, Wis.
Lauren Willson (2)	Western Colorado	Jr.	Round Rock, Texas
Symbols in parentheses are 2025 All-RMAC Recognitions: RotY – was the Runner of the Year; FotY1 – was the Freshman of the Year; 1-was a First Team All-RMAC selection; 2 - was a Second Team All-RMAC selection.

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