COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced its 2026-27 men's basketball preseason coaches' poll Tuesday afternoon, with MSU Denver selected to finish fifth in the conference with 125 points.

The Roadrunners landed in the middle of a competitive 15-team field, finishing 13 points behind fourth-place Fort Lewis College, which received 138 points. MSU Denver was projected ahead of Colorado Mesa, Colorado Christian, UCCS and eight other conference programs.

Black Hills State was selected as the preseason favorite, collecting 192 points and 12 first-place votes. CSU Pueblo followed in second with 178 points and one first-place vote, while Colorado School of Mines rounded out the top three with 153 points and one first-place vote. Fort Lewis claimed fourth with 138 points, followed by MSU Denver in fifth.

Colorado Mesa placed sixth with 116 points, while Colorado Christian and UCCS tied for seventh with 111 points apiece. Adams State was picked ninth with 94 points, followed by New Mexico Highlands in 10th with 90 points. South Dakota Mines earned 85 points for 11th, while Westminster (65 points), Western Colorado (52), Chadron State (36) and Regis (29) rounded out the poll.

The preseason poll was determined by the conference's head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own teams. First-place votes were worth 14 points, with each subsequent position receiving one fewer point. 

The Roadrunners are looking to bounce back in the 2026-27 campaign after missing the RMAC Tournament last season. They will play their first game on Friday, Nov. 13 against Lubbock Christian in Golden, Colorado.