COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's cross country team was selected third in the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference announced Thursday.
UCCS received 165 points in the preseason poll, placing the Mountain Lions behind Colorado School of Mines (190) and Adams State (189). UCCS received two first-place votes and eight second-place votes.
Four UCCS student-athletes were selected to the 2026 Preseason All-RMAC Team: fifth-year
Kseniya Nikanorov, senior
Madison Brosig and, sophomores
Elizabeth McQuitty and
Kate Henderson.
The RMAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll is voted on by the league's 15 head women's cross country coaches. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team. The RMAC's preseason teams are determined by placing returning athletes in order of their finish at last year's RMAC Championship.
The Mountain Lions enter the 2026 season following a sixth-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Division II Championship, a second-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional and a second-place finish at the RMAC Championship.
UCCS advanced to the NCAA Division II Championship for the ninth consecutive season under head coach
Corey Kubatzky, who was named the USTFCCCA South Central Region Women's Coach of the Year.
Madison Brosig earned All-RMAC Second Team, USTFCCCA All-Region Team and RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll recognition following the 2025 cross country season. She competed in five meets, recording a season and personal-best 5K time of 17:49.2 at the UCCS Rust Buster. Brosig also posted a season and personal-best 6K time of 21:08.6 at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional and finished 58th at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships with a time of 21:24.5.
Kate Henderson earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors during her freshman cross country season. She competed in four meets and recorded a season and personal-best 6K time of 21:10.6 at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, placing 10th overall and scoring 10 points for the Mountain Lions.
Elizabeth McQuitty earned All-RMAC First Team honors and was named the RMAC Freshman of the Meet following the 2025 season. She competed in three meets and recorded a season and personal-best 6K time of 21:01.6 at the RMAC Championships, finishing sixth overall. McQuitty also competed at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, placing 41st with a time of 21:05.
Kseniya Nikanorov earned USTFCCCA All-America, USTFCCCA All-Region, All-RMAC First Team and RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll recognition in 2025. She competed in four meets, winning the UCCS Rust Buster with a season and personal-best 5K time of 17:27.9. At the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, Nikanorov recorded a season and personal-best 6K time of 21:03.9 and placed 38th overall.
The 2026 UCCS cross country season begins on Saturday, Sept. 5 at the UCCS Rust Buster. The RMAC Championship is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, in Rapid City, South Dakota.
RMAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
| PL |
Team |
Points |
| 1 |
Colorado School of Mines |
190 |
| 2 |
Adams State |
189 |
| 3 |
UCCS |
165 |
| 4 |
Western Colorado |
158 |
| 5 |
Colorado Mesa |
130 |
| 5 |
CSU Pueblo |
130 |
| 7 |
Fort Lewis |
126 |
| 8 |
Colorado Christian |
100 |
| 9 |
MSU Denver |
92 |
| 10 |
Black Hills State |
88 |
| 11 |
Chadron State |
56 |
| 12 |
New Mexico Highlands |
48 |
| 13 |
Regis |
46 |
| 14 |
South Dakota Mines |
43 |
| 15 |
Westminster |
14 |
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
