COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo men's and women's cross country teams were each selected among the top six in their respective 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Polls, which were announced Thursday by the league office.
Men's Cross Country
The ThunderWolves men's team was picked to finish sixth in the 15-team conference after receiving 123 points in the preseason voting. CSU Pueblo finished just behind fifth-place Fort Lewis, which collected 136 points, and narrowly ahead of seventh-place Colorado Christian with 121 points.
Under the direction of Head Coach Matt Morris, the ThunderWolves will look to return to the national stage in 2026. CSU Pueblo qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championships in both 2023 and 2024 before missing out on a third consecutive trip to Nationals last season.
Despite missing the national meet in 2025, the Pack returns several heavy hitters to its lineup. Morris has traditionally relied heavily on members of his highly successful track and field program to bolster the cross country roster, and that group enters the fall with plenty of championship-level experience.
Leading the returning group is 2025 CSU Pueblo Male Athlete of the Year Jon Sweepe, who has established himself as one of the Pack's top performers on the track. CSU Pueblo also brings back 800-meter All-American Tim Anstett along with reigning NCAA Division II 1,500-meter National Champion Caleb McLeod, giving the ThunderWolves a talented and decorated group to build around entering the 2026 campaign.
With Sweepe, Anstett and McLeod leading the way, the Pack will look to translate its success on the track to the cross country course and make a push toward returning to the NCAA Division II National Championships.
Colorado School of Mines was selected as the preseason favorite on the men's side after receiving eight first-place votes and 190 points. Defending RMAC champion Adams State was second with 188 points, followed by Western Colorado (163), UCCS (144) and Fort Lewis (136) to round out the top five.
Women's Cross Country
On the women's side, CSU Pueblo was picked in a tie for fifth place with Colorado Mesa as both programs collected 130 points. The Pack also received one third-place vote in the preseason balloting.
Under Morris, the ThunderWolves have established themselves as one of the nation's most consistent programs, qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championships in each of the past five seasons. That run has been highlighted by a historic 2024 campaign when CSU Pueblo recorded its highest national finish in program history with a third-place podium finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships.
The Pack will look to continue that tradition in 2026 despite having to replace several accomplished veterans from last year's squad.
CSU Pueblo lost a pair of All-Americans in Camille Renou and Olivia Drodz, both of whom finished inside the Top 40 individually at the 2025 NCAA Division II National Championships. Renou departed the program following graduation, while Drodz transferred following the season.
The ThunderWolves also lost longtime veteran Jadyn Herron to graduation. Herron was a key piece of the Pack's success throughout her career and leaves the program as a multiple-time NCAA Division II Track & Field National Champion, representing another significant loss of championship experience from the ThunderWolves' roster.
Despite those departures, the Pack returns a strong group of runners with valuable experience on the national stage. Charlotte Young, Ella Egizio and Lily Smithson each competed for the ThunderWolves at the 2025 NCAA Division II National Championships in Wisconsin, giving CSU Pueblo three experienced returners to help lead the way in 2026.
All three broke the 23-minute mark in the 6K at last year's national meet, providing the Pack with a strong returning foundation as it looks to earn a sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II National Championships.
Young also brings championship experience from the track, as she was a member of CSU Pueblo's national championship Distance Medley Relay team during the indoor season. She continued her strong year during the outdoor season by qualifying for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 800 meters.
With Young, Egizio and Smithson returning, CSU Pueblo will look to blend its experienced core with the next wave of runners as the ThunderWolves attempt to continue their run of national championship appearances under Morris.
Colorado School of Mines earned the top spot in the women's poll with 190 points and eight first-place votes, edging Adams State by just one point. The Grizzlies collected 189 points, while UCCS was picked third with 165 points and Western Colorado was fourth with 158. CSU Pueblo and Colorado Mesa followed in a tie for fifth.
Pack Opens Season in Lawrence
The ThunderWolves will officially open the 2026 season in Big 12 Country on Saturday, Sept. 5, as the Pack travels to Lawrence, Kan., to compete in the Bob Timmons Rim Rock XC Classic, hosted by the University of Kansas.
The season-opening trip will also give CSU Pueblo an early look at Lawrence, which will serve as the host city for the NCAA Division II National Championships on Dec. 4. The Pack will look to make a return trip to Kansas later in the year, with the women seeking their sixth consecutive appearance at Nationals and the men looking to return to the national stage for the first time since 2024.
The 2026 RMAC Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7 in Rapid City, S.D., with the NCAA Division II National Championships following on Dec. 4 in Lawrence, Kan.
2026 RMAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
- Colorado School of Mines – 190 points
- Adams State – 188
- Western Colorado – 163
- UCCS – 144
- Fort Lewis – 136
- CSU Pueblo – 123
- Colorado Christian – 121
- Colorado Mesa – 105
- MSU Denver – 98
- Black Hills State – 87
- South Dakota Mines – 65
- New Mexico Highlands – 52
- Regis – 43
- Chadron State – 41
- Westminster – 19
2026 RMAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
- Colorado School of Mines – 190 points
- Adams State – 189
- UCCS – 165
- Western Colorado – 158
T-5. Colorado Mesa – 130
T-5. CSU Pueblo – 130
- Fort Lewis – 126
- Colorado Christian – 100
- MSU Denver – 92
- Black Hills State – 88
- Chadron State – 56
- New Mexico Highlands – 48
- Regis – 46
- South Dakota Mines – 43
- Westminster – 14
