By: Patrick Murphy


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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll was announced Tuesday and heading into the 2025-26 season, the reigning champions Colorado School of Mines were voted to second in the league in the 15-team poll.
 
Mines went 29-5 overall last year and 18-2 in RMAC play, sweeping the regular season and tournament titles before advancing to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship.
 
The Orediggers netted a trio of first place ballots in the preseason poll and earned a total of 167 points. Black Hills State was picked to win the league this season with 10 first place votes and 183 points overall. Colorado Mesa checked in third with one first place vote and 158 points followed by UCCS in fourth with 144 points and Fort Lewis in fifth with 143 points.
 
MSU Denver topped the midfield with 137 points followed by Chadron State with 102 points and the final first place vote. Colorado Christian was eighth with 90 points followed by Adams State and Westminster with 86 and 80 points respectively.
 
Positions 11-15 featured New Mexico Highlands (74 points), CSU Pueblo (68), Western Colorado (56), Regis (46) and South Dakota Mines (41).
 
Additionally, the conference office announced pre-season All-Conference selections, which featured former RMAC Freshman of the Year Alex Romack and Second Team honoree from a season ago Markus Pastorcic-Straun.
 
Romack followed up his freshman campaign with an Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection as a sophomore, averaging 9.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game with 19 starts in 34 games played. Romack shot .594 from the floor and grabbed 171 rebounds and posted career-best marks with 38 assists and 31 steals. He was also named to the South Central Regional All-Tournament Team for his performance in the national tournament.
 
Pastorcic-Straun emerged as one of the top sixth-men in the RMAC in his sophomore season, averaging 20.3 minutes per game off the bench in 34 outings and posting 11.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per night. He shot .540 from the floor and .750 from the line and was tied for the team lead with 37 steals and 19 times scored in double figures. In addition to All-Conference honors, Pastorcic-Straun was named to both the RMAC All-Tournament Team and joined Romack on the South Central Regional All-Tournament Team.
 
The Orediggers open their 2025-26 season at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic at The Trailhead hosted by MSU Billings November 7-9. Central Missouri, Nebraska-Kearney and Angelo State will be the first three opponents of the new season.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines men’s basketball on X and Instagram at @minesmbb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.
 
2025-26 RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Black Hills State (10 First Place Votes) – 183
2. Mines (3) – 167
3. Colorado Mesa (1) – 158
4. UCCS – 144
5. Fort Lewis – 143
6. MSU Denver – 137
7. Chadron State (1) – 102
8. Colorado Christian – 90
9. Adams State – 86
10. Westminster – 80
11. New Mexico Highlands – 74
12. CSU Pueblo – 68
13. Western Colorado – 56
14. Regis – 46
15. South Dakota Mines – 41
 
2025-26 RMAC Preseason All-Conference Team
Ty Allred, F, R-Sr., Colorado Mesa
Chuol Deng, F, 5th, Fort Lewis
Jaeton Hackley, G, R-Jr., Black Hills State
Tristan Hurdle, G/F, R-Sr., Black Hills State
Cam Lowe, G, R-So., Black Hills State
Xavier Martinez, G, Jr., UCCS
Markus Pastorcic-Straun, G, Jr., Mines
Alex Romack, F, Jr., Mines
Jude Tapia, G, Sr., Fort Lewis