COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference released the Softball Preseason Coaches Poll and Players to Watch this afternoon with the Colorado Mesa University receiving top honors as the top pick and adding three members to the watch list.

The Maverick's earn this year's top spot after going 46-11 last season with a 41-3 record in RMAC play. CMU was the RMAC regular season champions and finished the year as the sub-regional runner up to UT Tyler.

In the poll, Colorado Mesa received 117 points and eight of 11 first place votes. Last season, the Mavs were selected to finish third with two of the first place votes.

After CMU in first place, Colorado Christian was selected to finish second with 107 points and two first place votes. MSU Denver was selected third with 106 points with one first place vote and Regis came in fourth with 90 points and the final first place vote to round out all of the first place votes.

Members of the watch list and returning to lead this year's team are the trio of Myah Arrieta, Preslee Christensen and Ally Distler.

In 2024 both Arrieta and Distler were All-America picks by the D2CCA, with all three of the women earning selections to the All-Region Teams. Arrieta was tabbed the South Central Region Player of the Year as well. In addition, all three were First Team All-RMAC picks in 2024 with Arrieta being named the RMAC Player of the Year and Christensen being named the RMAC Pitcher of the Year.

Finishing 2024, Arrieta led the team hitting .470 on the season while racking up 68 RBIs, 15 doubles, 10 stolen bases and 28 homeruns. Her 28 homeruns on the year set a new school and RMAC record for homeruns in a season.

Distler was another force on last year's offense as she hit .345 with 68 RBIs as well. She would add nine doubles and 19 homeruns to help boost the team's long-ball approach.

Christensen was the only CMU pitcher to be represented on the list after her impressive 2024 campaign where she went 19-5 with a 2.32 ERA. She totaled 120 strikeouts on the season while leading the conference in both wins and ERA.

The Mavericks will open their season later this month when they head down to Texas to take part in the DII First Pitch Invitational from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. In their trip they will take on six different teams from the Lone Star Conference. They will host Regis University on Feb. 15 for their home opener.