COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University Maverick women's swimming & diving team have been unanimously picked to win an eighth straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title, according to the leagues' annual preseason coaches' poll, which was released on Thursday.
The Mavericks also had nine different student-athletes combine to claim 14 of the 16 possible spots on the Preseason All-RMAC team, which was announced in conjunction with the poll.
The Mavericks received all eight possible first place votes in the polling of the league's head coaches, who were asked to rank their opposition 1-8 without voting for their own squad. The Mavs received eight points for each of those votes and topped the conference poll with 64 points.
They won their seventh straight conference crown in 2024-25, taking the title by a 745-point margin and went on to finish third at the NCAA Division II National Championships.
Associate RMAC member Simon Fraser, which finished seventh at the national meet after taking second at the conference meet, received Maverick head coach
Mickey Wender's first place vote and finished second in the poll with 56 points after receiving six other second place votes.
The Colorado School of Mines finished third in the poll with 49 points after finishing third at last year's conference meet while Oklahoma Christian scored 44 points to take the No. 4 spot in the poll, despite finishing fifth at last year's conference meet. The Eagles also received five third place votes.
Western Colorado (34), CSU Pueblo (27), Nebraska-Kearney (21), UT Permian Basin (18) and Adams State (11) rounded out the poll.
The Preseason All-RMAC team was made up of the highest returning placer from last year's RMAC Championships in each of the 16 individual events.
The Maverick women will return the RMAC Champion in five different events, a group led by reigning RMAC Diver of the Year
Kenya Meyer, who swept the diving events at last year's conference meet.
Antonia Leese (100 Breast),
Kiara Borchardt (100 Fly) and
Tori Bartusiak (200 Fly) are also returning conference champions.
Bartusiak was one of three Maverick swimmers to earn multiple spots on the Preseason All-RMAC team. She also finished second in the 200-yard individual medley at last year's conference meet behind now volunteer assistant coach
Sophia Bains.
Senior
Olivia Hansson, the RMAC runner-up in the 500, 1000 and 1650 Freestyle events last year earned a conference-high three nods on the preseason recognition list.
Meanwhile,
Kendyll Wilkinson, last year's RMAC Freshman of the Year, was given the nod in both the 100 and 200 Free.
Elli Williams (50 Free),
Taylar Hooton (100 Back) and
Haven Hinkle (400 IM) were also selected to the preseason team after strong campaigns a year ago.
The CMU men were also unanimous selections to win an eighth straight title.
The Mavs will begin the season next week hosting two days of meets during the annual Intermountain Shootout on Oct. 3 and 4. NCAA Division I BYU and Adams State are slated to compete against the Mavs.
CMU will again host the RMAC Championships from Feb. 10-14, 2026.
