DENVER – The MSU Denver cross country teams will enter the 2026 season looking to climb the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, with both the women's and men's squads picked ninth in their respective RMAC Preseason Coaches' Polls, announced Thursday.

The MSU Denver women received 92 points to land ninth in the conference poll, while the Roadrunner men collected 98 points to also rank ninth.

Colorado School of Mines was selected as the preseason favorite on the women's side, receiving 190 points, while Adams State followed closely behind with 189. UCCS was picked third with 165 points, with Western Colorado rounding out the top four at 158. On the men's side, Mines also earned the top spot with 190 points, followed by Adams State with 188 and Western Colorado with 163. UCCS and Fort Lewis rounded out the top five.

The preseason polls set the stage for another competitive season in the RMAC, with the conference championships scheduled for Nov. 7 in Rapid City, South Dakota. The NCAA Division II 

National Championship is set for Dec. 4 in Lawrence, Kansas.

The Roadrunners will begin their 2026 campaign on Sept. 5 at the UCCS Rust Buster in Colorado Springs, opening a season that will provide an opportunity to move up the conference 

standings and make their mark on the regional and national stages.

MSU Denver will look to use the early-season slate to build toward the RMAC Championship and NCAA postseason, with both Roadrunner squads entering the year ranked among the conference's top 10.

The 2026 season begins Sept. 5 in Colorado Springs, where the Roadrunners will compete in the UCCS Rust Buster.