GUNNISON, COLO.,   Western Colorado projected to finish 13th in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, earning 56 total points. 

• That placing shows the league's coaches view this season as a bit of a rebuilding effort for the Mountaineers.
• The Poll was topped by Black Hills State Yellow Jackets, who received 10 first-place votes and 183 points, with Colorado School of Mines Orediggers and Colorado Mesa Mavericks rounding out the top three.
• The 2025–26 Western Colorado men's basketball roster features a young but promising mix of talent under head coach Zac Claus. Senior guard Christian Still returns as the team's veteran leader, bringing valuable experience and leadership to a roster filled with newcomers.
• The Mountaineers added several international players, including 6-foot-7 freshman forward Adam Massarsch from Sweden and 6-foot-10 center David Shelia from the Republic of Georgia, along with 6-foot-11 forward Joanis Koulisianis from the Czech Republic, giving Western some of the tallest front courts in the RMAC.
• The roster also includes a strong group of underclassmen from across Colorado and the western United States, signaling the program's growing recruiting reach. While the team's youth may bring some early-season growing pains, the combination of size, athleticism, and international versatility provides plenty of upside.
• If the younger players adjust quickly to the college game and Still continues to anchor the back court, Western Colorado has the potential to outperform its preseason projection and develop into a competitive team as the season progresses.
• Western Colorado opens their season on the road, taking on Colorado College on Fri. Nov. 7 at 7:30pm.