The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Football Media Day is set for Friday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in the Denver Tech Center as 2023 NCAA Division II participants Colorado Mines and Western Colorado will be among the featured schools after finishing in the top two spots in the league’s preseason poll.
For the fourth straight season, Colorado Mines is rated as the top school in the RMAC preseason polls. The Orediggers have won or shared the league title in seven of the last nine seasons. Colorado Mines enters the 2024 season after posting back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division II championship game.
The Orediggers have currently won 21 straight RMAC games, with their last setback in league play being 26-21 at Colorado Mesa on October 23, 2021. Since the 2014 season, Colorado Mines has posted a 96-21 record (82.1 winning percentage, 55-7 at home) with only 11 losses (74 wins) in RMAC play.
Headlining the featured players to Friday’s session with be Colorado Mines receiver Max McLeod and Colorado State University Pueblo defensive back Daniel Bone III. Both players are listed on pre-season All-American teams.
Last season, a consensus All-American, McLeod set the Mines single-season records for receptions (115) and receiving yards (1,656) while catching 16 touchdown passes. He led NCAA Division II in receiving yards, ranked fourth in TDs, and sixth in receptions per game.
One of four Colorado high school products at Friday’s sessions, Bone III tied for the team lead in tackles with 84, including 50 solo stops for CSU Pueblo. He recorded eight tackles for a loss of 31 yards and had 3.5 quarterback sacks for 26 yards in losses. Bone III had two pass interceptions, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup and led the team with three forced fumbles.
Here is the interview session for each RMAC school on Friday at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in the Denver Tech Center.
9 a.m. – Fort Lewis – Coach Johnny Cox / Senior OL Jacob LaCroix, Senior DB Asa Robinson
9:30 a.m. – New Mexico Highlands – Coach Kurt Taufa’asau / Junior WR Teneil Nichols, Loane Vete
10 a.m. – Adams State – Coach Jarrell Harrison / Senior WR Alex Reid, Senior LB Christian Toeleiu
10:30 a.m. – Chadron State – Coach Jay Long / Sophomore WR Tommy Thomas (Fort Collins, Colo. Poudre HS), Junior LB Xavier Harrel (Highlands Ranch, Colo. Arapahoe HS)
11 a.m. – South Dakota Mines – Coach Charlie Flohr / Junior TE Henry Dryden, Senior LB Hunter Newsom
11:30 a.m. – Black Hills State – Coach Josh Breske / Junior OL Cam Reiman (Monument, Colo. Palmer Ridge HS), Junior LB Aaron Thiele
12 p.m. – Colorado Mesa – Coach Miles Kochevar / Junior WR Trevin Edwards, Senior DB JaCari Williams
12:30 p.m. – CSU Pueblo – Coach Philip Vigil / Senior WR Reggie Retzlaff, Senior DB Daniel Bone III (Colorado Springs, Colo. Pine Creek HS)
1 p.m. – Western Colorado – Coach Jas Bains / Junior QB Drew Nash, Senior DB Bryce Lucas
1:30 p.m. – Colorado Mines – Coach Pete Sterbick / Senior WR Max McLeod, Senior LB Adrian Moreno
Before Friday’s Football Media at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in the Denver Tech Center, the RMAC coaches and players will visit Children’s Hospital.
