North Henderson’s strength looks to be in its offensive line behind seniors Jacob Allison, Curtis Matthews and Brock McKee. Jordon Proctor-Bates takes over at running back and will run behind an experienced offensive line that returns four players, including seniors Troy Tobe and Christian Nunez. Player to Watch: Jacob Burnette, Sr., DB/WR. 1918: Brigham Young University joins the league as the ninth member.  Full member (non-football)  Bell (54 catches, 693 yards) will likely see more action as a receiver this season with the departure of Bryson Patton and Nathan St. Onge. 2009: Northern State University and Minnesota State University Moorhead joined the RMAC as associate members in swimming. They were: Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Fort Lewis College, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Pittsburg State University, the University of Southern Colorado (now Colorado State University-Pueblo), Southern Utah State University, Regis University, Washburn University, Western New Mexico University and Westminster College of Utah. With the departure of quarterback Grayson Perkins, junior Hunter Bryson will get his shot as a starter after playing as a defensive back last season. 2008: Texas-Permian Basin and the University of the Incarnate Word joined the RMAC as associate members for swimming only. Smith will try and find holes behind 5-10, 285-pound lineman Logan Fender while senior defensive end Zeb Gunter returns to lead the defense along with senior defensive lineman Hunter Rivers. 1910: The league changed its name to the Rocky Mountain Faculty Athletic Conference (RFMAC). Key Players: Kendrick Weaver, Sr., QB; Simeon Thompson, Sr., WR; Tristian Brank, Sr., TE/DE; Jackson Gouge, Sr., OL/DL. After missing the 2017 season because of a broken ankle, Higgins – who was slated as the starter – will get his chance at redemption as North Buncombe’s quarterback. 1978: The RMAC beings sponsoring women's championships. "Watch out for us this year.". The Mountaineers (7-5, 5-3) finished fourth in the WMAC and advanced to the playoffs. It was the Warriors who played Reynolds the closest during the 2017 conference season, falling 49-34 in Week 4. Returning Starters: 13 (5 defense; 8 offense), Key Players: Kobe Miles, Sr., WR/DB; Troy Tobe, Sr., OL/DL; Christian Nunez, Sr., OL/D; Shak Hill, Sr., ATH. 1967: The RFMAC changes its name to the current Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). 2013: California Baptist University became an RMAC associate in three sports—men's and women's swimming, plus wrestling. 1969: New Mexico Highlands leaves the RMAC due to financial aid restrictions. Three Hillier returns for Asheville High after throwing for a school-record 2,570 yards as a sophomore. 1921: The University of Wyoming joins the conference. West Henderson also looks to break through after barely missing the playoffs in 2017. 1959: Montana State leaves the conference, membership is back down to five. Utah State University also joins the league to bring membership up to seven. "I feel like everything is going to come together for us this year.". Roberson’s 2017 season was all about close calls - many of which did not go its way. Practice opportunities will be available in the fall semester for fall sport student-athletes per Division II rules and at the discretion of each RMAC member institution. Fort Lewis was an affiliate member from 1990 to 1994. Reynolds returns 11 starters from the 2017 team, including senior quarterback Alex Flinn, an East Carolina commit, who passed for 3,972 yards with 40 touchdowns. Junior Graham Hill will lead the offensive line while senior defensive tackle Jeremiah Musser and Burnette. The East Carolina commit returns as the top passer in WNC after throwing for 3,972 yards with 40 touchdowns in 2017 while leading the Rockets to the 3AA state title game and a third consecutive conference championship. 2012: Nebraska-Kearney left the RMAC to join the MIAA. Returning Starters: 12 (7 defense; 5 offense), Key Players: Logan Fender, Sr., OL; Zeb Gunter, Sr., DE; Hunter Rivers, Sr., DB; Shannon Gacusana, Jr., QB. It has been more than a decade since Enka’s last winning season, coming closest in 2012 with a 6-7 mark. The Cougars are the most recent conference team to defeat Reynolds. Nebraska–Kearney was a full member in 1989–90 and from 1994 to 2012. Two schools joined for women's lacrosse only—Lindenwood University and Rockhurst University. After Rockhurst's affiliation contract with the RMAC in men's lacrosse expired, that team joined the school's other sports in the GLVC; women's lacrosse remained in the RMAC, as the GLVC then sponsored lacrosse only for men. Roberson senior quarterback Ty Gossett (2,528 yards, 26 TDs) also returns to lead the Rams after a disappointing 2017 season. In a meeting earlier today, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Presidents' Council postponed conference schedules and championships for fall sports (Football, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Volleyball) to the As it stands currently with NCAA guidance, cross country and golf are lower risk than all other fall sports. The five remaining members of the RFMAC were Colorado College, Colorado Mines, Montana State, Northern Colorado and Western State. … All four are full members. He also finished with 361 yards receiving on 26 catches with two touchdowns. 2018: Dixie State became an all-sports RMAC member. A total of 49 different schools have been associated with the RMAC, either through full or associate membership. Dinwiddie took full responsibility. Gossett returns after passing for 2,528 yards with 26 touchdowns in 2017 for a Rams team that underperformed. Nebraska-Kearney also was voted into membership. Since then, the Rockets have rattled off 24 consecutive victories, winning three conference titles, including last year in the newly-formed Western Mountain Athletic Conference. But hopefully we can do something about that.". 1974: New Mexico Highlands rejoins the RMAC as the ninth member. Western New Mexico and Colorado State University-Pueblo announce that they are leaving the RMAC. Senior Tristan McAfee (419 yards, 1 TD) takes over for Corey Clement as the starting running back while Trevon Robinson and Famous Paisley (28 catches, 583 yards, 6 TDs) line up as the Cougars’ top wide receiver threats. Founded in 1909, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is the fifth oldest active college athletic conference in the United States, the oldest in NCAA Division II, and the sixth to be founded after the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Big Ten Conference, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Ohio Athletic Conference, and the Missouri Valley Conference. For the third consecutive season, Asheville High was eliminated in the first round of the NCHSAA playoffs, falling to Watauga 21-9. Fort Lewis announces their intention to leave, however they stay on as an associate member of the conference. Western New Mexico rejoined the conference, keeping membership at 14 schools. Burnette is an athletic player with the ability to play multiple positions on both sides of the ball. He was the Falcons’ second-leading receiver in 2017 with 11 catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns. The Warriors return 14 players from a 2017 team that peaked late in the year after coach Rodney Pruett named Kendrick Weaver as their starting quarterback. 1937: Colorado, Colorado State, Brigham Young, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming and Denver leave the conference to form the Skyline Conference. Questions related to eligibility, scholarships and academics should be directed to member institutions as always. Behind Weaver, who finished the season with almost 2,000 total yards and 25 touchdowns, Erwin won six of its last seven games, falling 44-34 in a first-round playoff game to A.L. "That's all in the past," West Henderson coach Paul Whitaker said. Ewart was selected the All-WNC kick returner of the year last season. They also regain quarterback Caden Higgins, who missed the 2017 season because of a broken ankle. Smith plays “at a 100 miles per hour,” according to his coach, and again will play a vital role in Enka’s offense. They finished 3-8, missing the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. Brown, Returning Starters: 14 (7 offense; 7 defense). The Knights will need less-experienced skill players to step up in 2018 after a tough 2017 season in which they went winless in the WMAC. The Mountaineers saw their all-time series lead vanish in 2017 after dropping its fifth consecutive  game to the Black Bears. Their offense will be led by returning quarterback Three Hillier, who set a school record with 2,570 yards passing as a sophomore. Expectations are at an all-time high for a Reynolds team that in 2017 fell one win short of its first state title since 2009. Dinwiddie, whose team lost five games by six points or less. 1976: The MPIAA was dissolved for economic reasons and the two conferences went their separate ways. Northern Colorado ended up leaving the association to become an independent. The off-season battle to replace quarterback Dalton Cole continued into the summer with a three-way competition between senior Jordan Geyer, junior Auden Brennan and sophomore Keyaris Cash.