COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The 2026-27 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason women's wrestling coaches' poll has been released, and Western Colorado's inaugural team was voted sixth by the league's coaches.

Simon Fraser University, the three-time and reigning RMAC champions, earned the top spot in the poll with 23 points from four first-place votes and one third-place vote, edging out Colorado Mesa's 22 points. The Mavericks picked up the remaining two first-place markers along with three second-place votes.

Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own team.

"Preseason polls don't decide anything, but with us being the new kid on the block, it's an expected outcome," remarked head coach Taylor Summers on Western's placement within the coaches' poll. "I'm confident, though, in the work that this group has put in thus far.

"Our focus is on executing daily to be the best we can be and if we can do that at a high level, consistently, I think the new kid is going to surprise a lot of people outside of the program."

The Mountaineers enter the 2026-27 campaign led by Summers and assistants Waipu'ilani Estrella-Beauchamp and Marissa Gallegos.

Hired in August 2025, Summers spent the ensuing year on the recruiting trail.

Those efforts have brought 34 wrestlers to the Western Slope, 29 of whom are freshmen with five more transferring into the nascent program.

The Mountaineers open the season in Paul Wright Gym with their Crimson & Slate Intrasquad on Fri., Oct. 23, highlighting the evening by closing out the night following the men's program's intrasquad.

The schedule includes tournaments in Grand Junction, Colo.; Marshall, Mo.; Hays, Kan.; Las Vegas, Nev.; and Chadron, Neb.; along with six duals.

The Mountaineers will host the Western Colorado Open on Sat., Jan. 9 in the Mountaineer Field House, preceded the day before by the Inaugural Miles Van Hee Duals.