COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University Mavericks have been named as the favorites to defend their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Volleyball title, according to the conference's preseason poll, which was released Wednesday morning by conference officials.
The Mavericks received a plurality (seven) of the first place vote and topped the poll with 182 points. MSU Denver and Colorado School of Mines each received three first place votes and came in second and third in the poll with 174 and 172 points, respectively. Regis also received a first place vote and was picked fourth with 156 total points.
Adams State, picked 14
th overall, also received a first place vote.
The league's 15 head coaches each ranked their opposition 1-14 without voting for their own squad. The complete poll can be seen below.
In the spring of 2021, the Mavericks went 11-0 in RMAC play and 15-1 overall to win the conference's regular season title. They return the entire starting lineup and 15 overall players, including three first team and six overall All-RMAC selections from that team while also welcoming in four newcomers.
Earlier this week, the Mavericks were slotted tenth in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll as the first of four RMAC teams in the top 25. MSU Denver and Mines were right behind at No. 11 and 12 while Regis was ranked 22
nd.
The Mavericks will hold the last of their Maroon & White intra-squad scrimmages on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Brownson Arena before traveling to Western Colorado University, tied for eighth in the poll, for another scrimmage on Saturday at 11 a.m.
They then officially begin the season on Sept. 3 and 4 at the Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott Oredigger Volleyball Classic in Golden.
CMU will play their home and RMAC-opener on Thursday, Sept. 16 against MSU Denver at 6 p.m.
2021 RMAC Volleyball Preseason Poll
| Institution (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Colorado Mesa (7) |
182 |
| 2. Metropolitan State University Denver (3) |
174 |
| 3. Colorado School of Mines (3) |
172 |
| 4. Regis (1) |
156 |
| 5. Colorado State University Pueblo |
144 |
| 6. Colorado Christian |
125 |
| 7. South Dakota Mines |
98 |
| T8. University of Colorado Colorado Springs |
93 |
| T8. Western Colorado |
93 |
| 10. Black Hills State |
88 |
| 11. Fort Lewis |
87 |
| 12. Chadron State |
61 |
| 13. Westminster |
44 |
| 14. Adams State (1) |
43 |
| 15. New Mexico Highlands |
15 |
