COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.  The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference on Thursday afternoon released its official 2026-27 Women's Swimming & Diving Preseason Coaches' Poll, showing Western Colorado fifth in the rankings with a total of 36 points.

Returning champion Colorado Mesa University leads the preseason rankings, collecting eight first-place votes (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team).

The Mountaineers have finished in fourth place at the past two RMAC championship meets in 2026 and 2025, were fourth in 2023 and placed third at the 2022 conference meet.

The program has been represented at the NCAA Division II championship the past three years by distance freestyler Morgan Nielsen, who owns Western program records in the 500-, 1,000- and 1,650-yard freestyle events.

Nielsen returns for her senior season with the 2026-27 campaign, which kicks off with the October 1-2 Intermountain Shootout at Colorado Mesa's El Pomar Natatorium, the site of the 2027 RMAC swimming & diving championship meet.

The Mountaineers are led by first year head coach Justin Hastings and assistant Halee Evans.