Playing volleyball in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference won’t be for the faint of heart in 2015.
Five different teams received first-place votes, led by Colorado Mines’ eight and 217 points.
The Orediggers were picked as the preseason favorite in the conference and the Mountain Division.
With 16 teams participating in 2015, the RMAC split into two divisions, the Mountain Division and Rocky Division.
Metro State was picked atop the Rocky Division with 198 points and one first-place vote ahead of Colorado Mesa, who had 197 points and five first-place votes.
Mines was ranked No. 8 nationally, while Colorado Mesa will start the season ranked No. 10 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Regis received a first-place vote and 189 points, while CSU-Pueblo picked up the last first-place vote and 171 points.
Fort Lewis college was picked 11th overall and sixth in the Mountain Division with 82 points.
The Skyhawks finished 8-18 last year and did not qualify for the RMAC tournament.
They’ll enter head coach Kelley Rifilato’s third season with a member of the RMAC Preseason All-Conference Team on the roster – junior defensive specialist Ally Dell’Amico.
She finished fourth in the league with 4.86 digs per set last season and was RMAC Honorable Mention.
Mines setter Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood was both the RMAC Preseason Player and Setter of the Year.
She was an AVCA First Team All-American last year and ranked third nationally with 12.48 assists per set.
Rebecca Sponcil earned the conference’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year award despite playing setter.
FLC opens the 2015 season Sept. 4 against Sterling College in Goodwell, Oklahoma, at the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies Challenge.
The Skyhawks’ first RMAC game is Sept. 18 at Chadron State, and they first play at Whalen Gymnasium on Sept. 25 against UC-Colorado Springs.
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