Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference basketball coaches released their preseason poll Thursday, with the Metro State and Fort Lewis men’s teams the choice to win their divisions, and the Nebraska-Kearney and Colorado State-Pueblo women’s squads the favorites. Metro won the men’s regular-season and conference tournament titles last season, with the Regis women duplicating that feat.
Senior forward Brian Stamer of Colorado Christian (Highlands Ranch High School) was selected preseason player of the year, and his teammate, sophomore Justin Neuhaus, was the choice as defensive player of the year.
Mesa State senior guard Brittany Fowler (Longmont High School) is the preseason player of the year, and Metro’s Ashley Mickens, who played at Air Force, is the preseason defensive player of the year.
Eagles re-sign Leonard, add two
The Colorado Eagles on Thursday re-signed forward Seth Leonard, who was fifth on the team in scoring last season, and signed Central Hockey League all-star Mike Lukajic and former Avalanche seventh-round selection Ian Keserich.
Lukajic made the 2005 all-star squad in his rookie season with Topeka, scoring 33 goals in 60 games. He played for Oklahoma City, Corpus Christi and Tulsa last season, scoring 31 points in 62 games.
Keserich is a goaltender who played collegiately at Ohio State, was drafted by the Avs in 2004, and then played in the United States Hockey League and the United States Junior Hockey League.
