COLORADO SPRINGS – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced the 2018 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll today, and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Mountain Lions are picked 11^th out of 16 teams with 89 points.  Black Hills State University is the preseason favorite with 209 points and eight first place votes.
 
The Mountain Lions closed out the 2017-18 season in 10^th place in the league standings with a 10-12 league record, and a 10-17 overall mark.
 
UCCS returns nine letterwinners from last year's team: Caley Barnard, Abby Feickert, Madi Gaibler, Maddie Golla, Kelly O'Flannigan, Chelsea Pearson, Joey Sale, Emily Seifert, and Tatum Tellin.  The Mountain Lions bring seven to the program this season: Anna Davern, Jae Ferrin (Westmont College), Kaity Hovasse, Elly Johnson, Madison Lord (Lower Columbia College), Bo Shaffer (redshirt-freshman), and Kyra Young (redshirt-freshman).
 
Denise Gonzalez from Westminster College has been voted the 2018-19 RMAC Preseason Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
 
The preseason poll and awards were voted on by the conference's 16 head coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.

The Mountain Lions will open the 2018-19 season Nov. 9-10 at the West Texas A&M University Conference Challenge.
 
Preseason Poll
1. Black Hills State (8) – 209
2. MSU Denver (1)– 187
3. Regis (1)– 181
T-4. Colo. Sch. of Mines – 177
T-4. CSU-Pueblo (6) – 177
6. Westminster – 173
7. Colorado Mesa – 144
8. Fort Lewis – 137
9. South Dakota Mines – 109
10. Dixie State – 104
11. UCCS – 89
12. Western – 78
13. Colo. Christian – 57
14. Chadron State – 42
15. Adams State – 34
16. New Mexico Highlands - 22