COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.— The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) has announced the 2018-19 Women’s Basketball Preseason Awards.
The awards were voted on by the conference’s 16 head coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
PRESEASON COACHES POLL
In the coaches poll, Black Hills State was selected to win the team title garnering eight first place votes for a total of 209 points. The Yellow Jackets who went 24-8 (16-5 RMAC) last season will return 14 student-athletes from last years squad including four of the five main starters. Black Hill State fell to CSU-Pueblo in the RMAC Championship game and advanced to the first round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament.
MSU Denver earned one first place vote and comes in ranked No. 2 in the coaches poll with 187 points. The Roadrunners made it to the second round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament after finishing last season 23-9 (17-5 RMAC). MSU Denver will return four seniors from last years team.
Regis garnered one first place vote and a total of 181 to be selected to finish third. The Rangers finished 16-13 (14-8 RMAC) last year. Regis will benefit from the return of five seniors and a graduate transfer from Colorado Christian to help provide veteran leadership.
Both CSU-Pueblo and Colorado School of Mines received 177 points each to be selected fourth. The ThunderWolves picked up six first place votes after going 25-7 (20-2 RMAC) last season and was both the regular season and tournament champions. CSU-Pueblo reached the first round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament. The Orediggers are coming off an 18-11 (15-7) season last year are looking to extend its streak of double-digit wins in a season to eight straight.
Westminster was picked to finish sixth only four points behind fourth with 173 points. Colorado Mesa and Fort Lewis round out the top eight with 144 and 137 points, respectively.
Coaches Poll (first-place votes)
1. Black Hills State (8) – 209
2. MSU Denver (1)– 187
3. Regis (1)– 181
T-4. Colo. Sch. of Mines – 177
T-4. CSU-Pueblo (6) – 177
6. Westminster – 173
7. Colorado Mesa – 144
8. Fort Lewis – 137
9. South Dakota Mines – 109
10. Dixie State – 104
11. UCCS – 89
12. Western – 78
13. Colo. Christian – 57
14. Chadron State – 42
15. Adams State – 34
16. New Mexico Highlands – 22
PRESEASON PLAYERS OF THE YEAR/ALL-RMAC
Westminster senior Denise Gonzalez was named both the RMAC Preseason Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Gonzalez helped guide the Griffins to 16-10 (15-7 RMAC) record last season. She started in all 26 games leading the team in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. She scored 375 points, averaged 14.4 per game, pulled down 5.3 rebounds per game, dished out 4.7 assists per game and tallied 2.5 steals per game. Gonzalez was first in the RMAC in steals, third in assists, fifth in field goal percentage and sixth in scoring. She was named to the All-RMAC First Team last year.
Preseason All-RMAC Team
Nicole Archambeau, Colo. Sch. of Mines
Jordan Baer, Colorado Christian
Jaylyn Duran, Colorado Mesa
Denise Gonzalez, Westminster
Kayla Herrera, Fort Lewis
Lauren Heyn, CSU-Pueblo
Hunter Krebs, Westminster
Lyndzi Rich, Black Hills State
Majestie Robinson, Regis
Julia Seamans, Black Hills State
Jaelynn Smith, MSU Denver
*There was a tie for the final spot so 11 are on the preseason team. Student-athletes are listed in alphabetical order