COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Adams State University swim teams are less than 2 weeks away from the first meet of their 2023-24 seasons. The Dan France Continental Divide Cup will be held at home against Western Colorado University and will start October 7th at 11:00 a.m.
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) announced the 2023-24 RMAC Men and Women's Swimming Coaches Preseason Polls on Monday Morning. The Grizzlies garnered 5 points on the men's side and 12 points on the women's side, placing them in 6th and 9th place respectively.
The poll follows the final 2022-23 standings as the Grizzlies finished last season 5th and 8th in the RMAC Championships.
Men's Swim
Colorado Mesa claimed the top position in the 2023-24 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Preseason Poll. The RMAC Men's Swimming and Diving Preseason Poll is voted on by the league's six head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their program.
The Mavericks earned 25 points and five first-place votes as they look to defend their RMAC crown, which they have earned in five consecutive seasons. With 38 swimmers and plenty of experience on the roster, Colorado Mesa is poised for success this season and aims to build off a fifth-place finish, a program-best, at the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships.
Colorado School of Mines, Oklahoma Christian and Simon Fraser each tied for second place in the poll with 17 points apiece. The Orediggers received the final first-place vote and will look to challenge the Mavericks for the conference title once again. The Eagles return last year's RMAC Swimmer of the Meet, Victor Rosado, and hope to soar past their second-place finish at the 2023 RMAC Championship. Meanwhile, the Red Leafs will make their debut in the RMAC this season after being added as an associate member over the summer.
The University of Texas Permian Basin received nine points for fifth place in preseason voting.
2023-24 RMAC Men's Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll
| School (First-place votes) |
|
Points |
|
| 1. Colorado Mesa (5) |
|
25 |
|
| T2. Colorado School of Mines (1) |
|
17 |
|
| T2. Oklahoma Christian |
|
17 |
|
| T2. Simon Fraser |
|
17 |
|
| 5. UTPB |
|
9 |
|
| 6. Adams State |
|
5 |
|
Women's Swim
Colorado Mesa is the favorite heading into the 2023-24 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women's Swimming and Diving season. The Mavericks lead the league that now has nine members. The RMAC Women's Swimming and Diving Preseason Poll is voted on by the league's nine head coaches.
The Mavs secured the first-place position in preseason voting with 63 points and seven first-place votes after earning a historic fourth-place team finish at the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships. Colorado Mesa will once again boast a talented squad that has won the five consecutive RMAC titles. Head coach Mickey Wender has reloaded with weapons all across the board that aim to continue its recent success at the RMAC and NCAA national levels.
Colorado School of Mines secures second place with 52 points after a second-place finish with 717 points at the 2023 RMAC Swimming and Diving Championships. The Orediggers enter the 2023-24 campaign after claiming 16 positions on the 2022-23 RMAC All-Conference roster. Mines closed out last season with a strong showing from a slew of individuals at the NCAA DII Championships.
Entering its first year in the RMAC as an associate member, Simon Fraser stands tied for third in preseason voting with 49 points and a pair of first-place votes. Oklahoma Christian also finished preseason voting with 49 points to enter the year ranked tied for third in RMAC voting.
Western Colorado resides in fifth place with 31 points, followed by University of Texas Permian Basin in sixth place with 30 points. Colorado State University Pueblo racked up 20 points for seventh place, while Nebraska-Kearney (18 points).
2023-24 RMAC Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Poll
| School (First-place votes) |
Points |
| 1. Colorado Mesa (7) |
63 |
| 2. Colorado School of Mines |
52 |
| T3. Simon Fraser (2) |
49 |
| T3. Oklahoma Christian |
49 |
| 5. Western Colorado |
31 |
| 6. UTPB |
30 |
| 7. CSU Pueblo |
20 |
| 8. Nebraska-Kearney |
18 |
| 9. Adams State |
12 |
