By: Anthony Moscaret, External Communications Assistant
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Mesa University is selected to win the 2026-27 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men’s Swimming & Diving Championship, as chosen by the league’s head coaches in the 2026-27 Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was released Thursday in conjunction with the 2026-27 All-RMAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Preseason Team.
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
2026-27 Preseason Men's Swimming
& Diving Coaches’ Poll
|
| PL |
Team |
1sts |
2nds |
3rds |
Points |
| 1. |
Colorado Mesa |
5 |
– |
– |
25 |
| 2. |
Colorado School of Mines |
1 |
4 |
– |
21 |
| 3. |
Simon Fraser |
– |
2 |
1 |
15 |
| 4. |
Oklahoma Christian |
– |
– |
4 |
14 |
| 5. |
Texas Permian Basin |
– |
– |
1 |
10 |
| 6. |
Adams State |
– |
– |
– |
5 |
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 swimming & diving |
Colorado Mesa tallied five first-place votes to total 25 points, while Colorado School of Mines claimed the remaining first-place vote, coming in second with 21 points. Simon Fraser University was picked third (15 points) followed by Oklahoma Christian University (14 points), Texas Permian Basin University (10 points), and Adams State University (five points).
Colorado Mesa swimmer Micah Moore, the reigning Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-RMAC honoree last year, returns this season alongside eight other Mavericks who earned Preseason Honors. Teammate Aron Jonsson will look to defend this title in the 200-yard breaststroke this year. Twenty-four other returning Mavericks join both swimmers as the team looks to win its ninth straight RMAC Championship.
The 2026-27 swimming and diving season is already underway but begins in earnest this weekend with four programs competing. All six RMAC teams are beginning their build-up to the 2026-27 RMAC Swimming & Diving Championships set for Feb. 9-13 at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction.
All RMAC swimming & diving competitions broadcast by its full and associate members will only be available via pay-per-view on the RMAC Network. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league’s members to enhance their programs.
Fans can purchase a $25 Monthly Pass that provides the same access as the All-Access Pass. Single-game passes are available for $12.50 and grant access to a single game or event for 24 hours.
Additionally, a discounted annual subscription price will be available to students, faculty, and staff of each member institution throughout the year. Those fans can use their institutional email address with the code Y27-RMACEDU at any time during the 2026-27 season.
2026-27 Preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference: Men's Swimming & Diving
|
| Event |
Top Returnee |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| 50 Free |
Richard Schmiedefeld (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
Jr. |
Stuttgart, Germany |
| 100 Free |
Braden Felio (1) |
Colorado Mesa |
Jr. |
El Cajon, Calif. |
| 200 Free |
Jonas Friess (1) |
Colorado Mesa |
Sr. |
Bad Mergentheim, Germany |
| 500 Free |
Vlad Kazakin (1) |
Colorado School of Mines |
Jr. |
Parker, Colo |
| 1,000 Free |
Owen Nicholson (1) |
Simon Fraser |
Sr. |
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| 1,650 Free |
Owen Nicholson (1) |
Simon Fraser |
Sr. |
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| 100 Back |
Richard Schmiedefeld (2) |
Colorado Mesa |
Jr. |
Stuttgart, Germany |
| 200 Back |
Lukas Buck (1) |
Simon Fraser |
Jr. |
Squamish, British Columbia, Canada |
| 100 Breast |
Aaron Jonsson (1) |
Colorado Mesa |
5th |
Kopavogur, Iceland |
| 200 Breast |
Aaron Jonsson (1) |
Colorado Mesa |
5th |
Kopavogur, Iceland |
| 100 Fly |
Jack Fulham (2) |
Colorado School of Mines |
So. |
Clifton, Va. |
| 200 Fly |
Micah Moore (1, FotY) |
Colorado Mesa |
So. |
Fort Collins, Colo. |
| 200 IM |
Ben Vester (1) |
|
Jr. |
Stuttgart, Germany |
| 400 IM |
Ben Vester (1) |
|
Jr. |
Stuttgart, Germany |
| Symbols in parentheses are 2025-26 All-RMAC Recognitions: Yellow background indicates a returning RMAC champion (or co-champion) in that event; PotY – was a Player of the Year at their position group; FotY – was a Freshman of the Year at their position group; 1 -was a First Team All-RMAC finisher in the event; 2 - was a Second Team All-RMAC finisher in the event. |
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 67 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.
# EverythingElevated #