COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo women's basketball team has been tabbed to finish seventh in the Preseason Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coaches' Poll that was released by the league office on Thursday afternoon.

In the poll voted on by the league's 15 head coaches, the ThunderWolves garnered 121 points to sit four points in front of No. 8 New Mexico Highlands (117 points) and six points behind No. 6 Black Hills State (127 points), who defeated the Pack 82-56 in the first round of the 2025 RMAC Tournament in Spearfish, S.D.

Colorado Mesa, who are the reigning RMAC regular season champions, was tabbed as the preseason favorite to repeat as the RMAC Champions as the Mavericks, who return two-time RMAC Player of the Year Olivia Reed Thyne for her final season of eligibility, earned 191 points and nine out of a possible 15 first-place votes. Last season, Colorado Mesa went 25-6 overall and 18-2 in the league.

UCCS (19-12 overall, 12-8 RMAC) was tabbed second as they earned 181 points and six first place votes, while Adams State (19-12 overall, 14-6 RMAC) was tabbed third with 169 points and Western Colorado (21-8 overall, 15-5 RMAC) was tabbed fourth as they earned 150 points.

Colorado School of Mines (12-16 overall, 10-10 RMAC) was selected fifth as they earned 141 points and following Black Hills State, CSU Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands in the poll, MSU Denver (6-22 overall, 5-15 RMAC) was tabbed ninth as the Roadrunners earned 89 points in the preseason poll.

Colorado Christian (10-18 overall, 8-12 RMAC) was tabbed 10th and is followed by South Dakota Mines (8-19 overall, 8-12 RMAC) at No. 11 with 56 points, and Fort Lewis (6-22 overall, 3-17 RMAC) was tabbed 12th as they earned 54 points.

The final three teams in the poll were Westminster (6-21 overall, 5-15 RMAC) at No. 13 with 47 points, Chadron State (6-20 overall, 5-15 RMAC), who is coached by former Pack assistant coach Jalen Little, is at No. 14 with 46 points, and Regis (13-15 overall, 11-9 RMAC) was tabbed 15th with 21 points.

CSU Pueblo, who is coached by Tommie Johnson, welcomes back just three players that saw action for the Pack during the 2024-25 season. The Pack finished last season with an 18-11 overall record and were tied for fourth in the RMAC with a 13-7 record. The Pack also advanced to the RMAC Tournament for the fourth consecutive season in 2024-25.

Johnson, who is entering his eighth season as the Pack's head coach, welcomes back just 147 of its 1,892 points scored and 108 of its 1,028 rebounds from last season.

The top returner for the Pack was senior guard Genesis Sweetwine (Aurora, Colo./Northeastern JC), who played in all 29 games and averaged 4.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game last season. In addition to Sweetwine, the other two returners are senior guard Destiny Smith (Tulsa, Okla./Garden City CC) and sophomore forward Brooklyn Meza (Windsor, Colo./Roosevelt).

In addition to the three returners that played a combined 690 minutes a season ago, Johnson has added 11 newcomers to the roster, including eight transfers and three high school players. The newcomers this season are freshman forward Jada Bobb (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest), sophomore forward Malorie Byrne (Arvada, Colo./Chadron State), junior forward Latai Charles (Chandler, Ariz./Murray State College), junior guard Wynter Jones (Dallas, Texas/Blinn College), senior guard Seneya Martinez (Windsor, Colo./Appalachian State), junior forward Dasani Nesbit (Billings, Mont./Gillette College), junior forward Anyla Owens (Colorado Springs, Colo./Otero JC), junior forward Laci Roffle (Aurora, Colo./MSU Denver), freshman guard Talia Strode (Aurora, Colo./Cherokee Trail), freshman guard Jamie Suazo (Pueblo, Colo,/Pueblo West), and senior guard Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck (Melbourne, Australia/Idaho State).

The Pack will prepare for the season with an 11 a.m. scrimmage on Saturday, Oct. 25, against Northeastern JC, before tipping off the 2025-26 season with three games at the Division II Tip-off Classic at the Trailhead hosted by MSU Billings, scheduled for Nov. 7-9. The Pack will open the event on Friday, November 7, with a 5:30 p.m. game against Nebraska-Kearney, followed by a match-up against the host school, MSU Billings, on Saturday, November 8, at 5:30 p.m., and concluding the event on Sunday, November 9, at 3:30 p.m. against the University of Mary.

After opening the season with three games in Montana, the Pack will open its home schedule on Nov. 14 by hosting the South Central Region Crossover at Massari Arena against UT-Tyler at 1 p.m. and then will face Lubbock Christian on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.

The Pack's first RMAC contest of the season is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 4, in Massari Arena against Westminster University. Tip-off time is slated for 5:30 p.m.