COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Preseason Coaches' Poll for Volleyball was released Tuesday at noon, announced by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Adams State Volleyball team was ranked to finish tied with Colorado School of Mines for 9th place in the conference heading into the 2025 season. This follows Adams State's first year under Coach Garcia Ramser, during which they posted a 2024 record of 11-16 (5-8 RMAC).
Looking at the rest of the conference, MSU Denver nearly swept the poll as they received a total of 194 of the possible 196 points after receiving 13 of the 14 possible 1st place votes. This comes as no surprise as MSU Denver has won four consecutive regular-season titles, and two of the last three RMAC Tournaments. Following MSU Denver was Colorado Mesa with 183 points, including 2 1st place votes, 11 2nd place votes, and 1 3rd place vote. Rounding out the top five was Colorado Christian in third with 162 points, South Dakota Mines in fourth with 154 points, and CSU Pueblo in fifth with 133 points. Colorado Christian received 3 2nd place votes and 5 3rd place votes, while South Dakota Mines received 7 3rd-place votes.
Outside of the top five you have Regis in sixth with 117 points, Westminster in seventh with 105 points, UCCS in eighth with 104 points, Adams State and Colorado School of Mines tied for ninth with 95 points, Fort Lewis in eleventh with 59 points, Western Colorado in twelfth with 57 points, Chadron State in thirteenth with 55 points, New Mexico Highlands in fourteenth with 37 points, and Black Hills State rounding out the conference in fifteenth with 25 points.
Following the news of the Coaches' poll, Coach Ramser stated, "The preseason poll gives us a starting point, but that is all it can say. With all of the new that goes into RMAC volleyball each year we are singularly worried about pushing the program forward every day". Coach Ramser continued to state that; "Much like Clydesdale horses pulling together the pace will be slow in the tough times and faster in the good ones, but it is always an easier path to trudge ahead when we do it as one".
With 8 returners and 10 new Grizzlies, Coach Ramser will look to continue to build in his second year as Head Coach after a solid first year in which the Grizzlies went on a heater at the end of the season, winning 7 of their final 9 matches, barely missing the RMAC tournament. Coach Ramser will look to continue this hot streak into the 2025 season, in which the Grizzly Volleyball team has nothing but potential to go out and make the RMAC tournament for the first time since 2017.
Looking at the Grizzlies' schedule, they open up the season on the road, going down to San Angelo, Texas, for four matches starting on September 5th and finishing on the 6th. Adams State will face off against Texas Permian Basin and Angelo State University on the 5th, followed by Southern Nazarene University and University of Arkansas at Monticello on the 6th. After the short road trip, the Grizzlies will come home for their Home Opener against West Texas A&M University on Wednesday, September 10th at 6 PM. Following the Home Opener, the Grizzlies will again go on the road for their final pre-conference matches before conference play opens up at home on Friday, September 19th against Colorado Mesa. The Conference opener will start a stretch of three straight home matches for the Grizzlies and will be a great opportunity for everybody to come out and support the Grizzly Volleyball team as they seek to have an outstanding 2025 season.
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
2025 Preseason Volleyball Coaches' Poll
1. MSU Denver (13 First-Place Votes) - 194
2. Colorado Mesa (2) - 183
3. Colorado Christian - 162
4. South Dakota Mines - 154
5. CSU Pueblo - 133
6. Regis - 117
7. Westminster - 105
8. UCCS - 104
9. Adams State - 95
Colorado School of Mines - 95
11. Fort Lewis - 59
12. Western Colorado - 57
13. Chadron State - 55
14. New Mexico Highlands - 37
15. Black Hills State - 25
