With two more “exhibition” games remaining for Centennial State collegiate basketball teams, the women’s squads at Colorado Mesa, MSU Denver, and Western Colorado open their regular-season campaigns in Hawai’i and Texas this weekend.
Air Force, Colorado, Colorado College, Colorado State, Denver, and Northern Colorado open the men’s regular season next Monday while Western Colorado has an exhibition contest in Utah.
On Monday’s women’s slate, Air Force meets Denver in the Mile High City, and Colorado State hosts Lindenwood in Fort Collins to open their regular season. Fort Lewis plays an exhibition game at Utah Valley.
As the 16 schools that play collegiate basketball at the 4-year level in the Centennial State, here are the preseason polls for Colorado-based colleges and universities: Big Sky (Men/Women); Big XII (Men/Women); Mountain West (Men/Women); Pac-12 (Men TBA Thursday/Women TBA Thursday); Rocky Mountain (Men/Women), Southern Collegiate (Men/Women), and West Coast (Men/Women). Colorado Mesa (RMAC) and Colorado College (SCAC) women’s teams are favored to win their conferences.
Here is the men’s schedule along with earlier exhibition results:
- O11 – Wyoming 94, Northern Colorado 68 at Gillette (Exhibition)
- O18 – Colorado 67, North Texas 64 at Denver (Exhibition)
- O25 – at San Diego 73, Colorado State 58 (Exhibition)
- O28 – at Weber State 85, Colorado Mesa 60 (Exhibition)
- N2 – Air Force at Wright State, 5 p.m.
- N2 – Abilene Christian at Colorado, 7 p.m.
- N2 – Colorado College at Northern Colorado, 7:30 p.m.
- N2 – Montana State at Colorado State, 8 p.m.
- N2 – Denver at Wisconsin, 5:30 p.m.
- N2 – Western Colorado at Utah Valley, 6 p.m.
Here is the women’s schedule:
- O26 -at New Mexico 93, MSU Denver 59 (Exhibition)
- O27 – at Colorado 100, Adams State 39 (Exhibition)
- O27 – at Brigham Young 120, Western Colorado 36 (Exhibition)
- O28 – at Colorado State 109, Chadron State 38 (Exhibition)
- O30 – Colorado Mesa vs. Alaska Anchorage at Honolulu, 6:30 p.m.
- O30 – MSU Denver vs. Texas Woman’s at Canyon, Texas, 11 a.m.
- O30 – Western Colorado vs. Hawaii Pacific at Honolulu, 12:45 p.m.
- O30 – Fort Lewis at Utah Valley (Exhibition), 11 a.m.
- O31 – Colorado Mesa vs. Chaminade/St. Mary’s at Honolulu, TBA
- O31 – MSU Denver vs. Angelo State at Canyon, Texas, 11 a.m.
- O31 – Western Colorado vs. Winona State/Lubbock Christian at Honolulu, TBA
- N1 – Colorado Mesa vs. TBD at Honolulu, TBA
- N1 – Western Colorado vs. TBD at Honolulu, TBA
- N2 – Lindenwood at Colorado State, 5:30 p.m.
- N2 – Denver at Air Force, 6:30 p.m.
2026-2027 Centennial State Basketball Schools
Men’s Schedule/Roster / Coach (season at school, record; Overall, record)
Big Sky Conference (preseason poll)
- Northern Colorado – Schedule/Roster / Steve Smiley (7th, 109-83; 7th, 109-83)
Big XII Conference (preseason poll)
Mountain West Conference (preseason poll)
- Air Force – Schedule/Roster / Joe Crispin (1st, 0-0; 7th, 114-54)
Pac-12 Conference (preseason pool to be announced)
- Colorado State – Schedule/Roster / Ali Farokhmanesh (2nd, 21-13; 2nd, 21-13)
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (preseason poll)
- Adams State – Schedule/Roster/ Kenny Tripp (5th, 38-47; 5th, 38-47)
- Colorado Christian – Schedule/Roster / Liam Simmons (7th, 59-100; 7th, 59-100)
- Colorado Mesa – Schedule/Roster / Ken DeWeese (1st, 0-0; 1st, 0-0)
- Colorado Mines – Schedule/Roster / Pryor Orser (27th, 490-248; 27th, 490-248)
- CSU Pueblo – Schedule/Roster / Zach Ruebesam (2nd, 22-8; 2nd, 22-8)
- Fort Lewis – Schedule/Roster / Jordan Mast (3rd, 37-23; 8th, 136-49)
- MSU Denver – Schedule/Roster / Dan Ficke (5th, 60-55; 8th, 121-80)
- Regis – Schedule/Roster / Rex Walters (2nd, 2-24; 12th, 160-184)
- UCCS – Schedule/Roster / Jeff Culver (15th, 218-176; 15th, 218-176)
- Western Colorado – Schedule/Roster / Zac Claus (4th, 29-54; 8th, 57-142)
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (preseason poll)
- Colorado College – Schedule/Roster / Jeff Conarroe (7th, 61-79; 7th, 61-79)
West Coast Conference (preseason poll)
- Denver – Schedule/Roster / Tim Bergstraser (2nd, 15-17; 5th, 90-39)
Empire Conference – Region IX
- Lamar CC – Schedule/Roster / Jaxon Autry (3rd, 29-32; 3rd, 29-32)
- Northeastern – Schedule/Roster / Kameron Pearce (1st, 0-0 1st, 0-0)
- Otero CC – Schedule/Roster / Tim Bowlen (2nd, 4-24; 2nd, 4-24)
- Trinidad State – Schedule/Roster / Mike Folda (17th, 253-216; 17th, 253-216)
Scenic West Conference – Region XVIII
- Colorado NW – Schedule/Roster / Jaxon Barlow (2nd, 4-26; 2nd, 4-26))
2026-2027 Centennial State Basketball Schools
Women’s Schedule/Roster / Coach
Big Sky Conference (preseason poll)
- Northern Colorado – Schedule/Roster / Kristen Mattio (6th, 80-78; 12th, 234-113)
Big XII Conference (preseason poll)
Mountain West Conference (preseason poll)
- Air Force – Schedule/Roster / Stacy McIntyre (3rd, 34-34; 3rd, 34-34)
Pac-12 Conference (preseason poll to be announced)
- Colorado State – Schedule/Roster / Ryun Williams (15th, 281-158, 29th, 539-310)
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (preseason poll)
- Adams State – Schedule/Roster / Nic Cantrell (1st, 0-0; 1st, 0-0)
- Colorado Christian – Schedule/Roster / Carissa Ratliff (3rd, 17-39; 3rd, 17-39)
- Colorado Mesa – Schedule/Roster / Taylor Wagner (15th, 331-92; 23, 23rd, 518-155)
- Colorado Mines – Schedule/Roster / Brittany Simpson (15th, 246-156; 15th, 246-156)
- CSU Pueblo – Schedule/Roster / Tommie Johnson (8th, 96-97; 8th, 96-97)
- Fort Lewis – Schedule/Roster / Lauren Zuniga (3rd, 24-33; 3rd, 24-33)
- MSU Denver – Schedule/Roster / Mario Caetano (1st, 0-0; 6th, 99-56)
- Regis – Schedule/Roster / Jason Kohler (2nd, 2-21; 2nd, 2-21)
- UC Colorado Springs – Schedule/Roster / Misty Wilson (4th, 64-31; 13th, 210-145)
- Western Colorado – Schedule/Roster / K.C. Bassett (1st, 0-0; 12th, 231-115)
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (preseason poll)
- Colorado College – Schedule/Roster / Katherine Auguste (11th, 143-107; 11th, 143-107)
West Coast Conference (preseason poll)
- Denver – Schedule/Roster / Erik Johnson (5th, 72-52; 11th, 140-167)
Empire Conference – Region IX
- Lamar – Schedule/Roster / Chris Godfrey (2nd, 21-7; 2nd, 21-7)
- Northeastern – Schedule/Roster / Bronson Moton (4th, 46-50; 4th, 45-50)
- Otero CC – Schedule/Roster / Kyle Herring (5th, 59-66; 5th, 59-66)
- Trinidad State – Schedule/Roster / Alvin Nyangau (2nd, 2-25; 2nd, 2-25)
Scenic West Conference – Region XVIII
- Colorado Northwestern – Schedule/Roster / Ty Burgess (1st, 0-0; 1st, 0-0)
