CHADRON, Neb. -- September 13, 2022 -- Chadron State College will host the first rodeo of the 2022-23 school year in the Central Rocky Mountain Region this weekend (Sept. 16-18) at the Dawes County Fairgrounds.

Since at least 500 entries are expected, slack on Friday and Saturday will take place along with the two evening performances. The top 10 contestants in each of the nine events following that competition will advance to the finals on Sunday, when the champions will be crowned.

The slack sessions will begin at 1 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday. They are open to the public without charge. The evening performances will start at 7 p.m. those days.  The finals will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday, preceded by Cowboy Church at 8 a.m. in the fairgrounds grandstand.

The worship program is open to the public without charge and will include gospel music and inspirational messages.

Dustin Luper, who is beginning his 15th year as the Chadron State rodeo team's coach, said that while several of the leaders on last year's team graduated, he believes this year's team will be competitive. He said he and assistant coach Lane Day worked hard to recruit some promising newcomers.

Bolstered by a 50 percent increase in the number of cowgirls, this year's CSC team has 36 contestants, a half dozen more than a year ago.  Eleven of the women are returnees from last year. They have been joined by five transfers and five freshmen.

Nine cowboys are back from a year ago to go with four transfers and two freshmen who have been added. The transfers include two Panhandle cowboys. They are saddle bronc rider Jack Skavdahl of Harrison and steer wrestler Tray Travnicek of Minatare.  They previously attended Casper College and Eastern Wyoming, respectively.

Chadron State team leaders include the seniors. They are Phannette Gray, LaPlant, S.D.; Sierra Lee, Rhame, N.D.; Taryn Underwood, Crawford; Lance Dybdal, Seward, Neb.; Blaine Flack, Crawford; and Colton Storer, Arthur.  Also returning is Parker Johnston, a junior from Maywood, Neb., the steer wrestling winner at last year's CSC rodeo.

Among those helping make the CSC rodeo click will be announcer Sugar Ray Quinn of Rapid City, and bull fighters Gus Kronberg and Rowdy Moon, a former CSC bareback rider.  The pickup men during the bronc riding will be Chad Brennan of Crawford and Justin Kissack, a Gillette, Wyo., native and a former College National Finals bareback qualifier while attending Chadron State.
             Spud Creek Rodeo of Interior, S.D., will furnish the rough stock and the Haythorn Ranch at Arthur is providing the critters for the timed events.
              General admission to the evening performances and the finals on Sunday is $10 per person except youths 12 and under will be admitted free.  There's also no charge for CSC students, employees and Golden Eagles, the retired CSC personnel.
                The other rodeos in the Central Rocky Mountain Region this fall are Sept. 23-25—at Central Wyoming College at Riverton, Sept. 30-Oct. 2—at Sheridan College, Oct. 7-9—at Lamar College and Oct. 14-16—at Laramie County Community College at Cheyenne.

Golf team sets new three-round school record in Colorado

THORNTON, Colo. – September 13, 2022 – Chadron State College golf finished up its three-round season opener on Tuesday afternoon at Todd Creek Golf Club in Thornton, Colorado. The Eagles were 10th of 16 teams, scoring a consistent 318-315-318-951, to set a new 54-hole school record.
 
The previous three-round record was 957, and it was accomplished in the previous most recent meet, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in April.
 
All three rounds qualified among the 10 lowest ever recorded by a CSC team.
 
"We lost Brooke [Kramer] during the second round to a hand injury," said CSC Head Golf Coach John Ritzen. "She just hit the ground a little heavy and hurt something in her hand."
 
"The ladies played really well and were close to putting together some great team scores. We had a couple bad holes which really hurt us, but overall they played really well. A lot of our ladies have the potential to score low, so we don't have to rely on one person to carry us."
 
Junior Jordan Grasis led the Eagles all three rounds. Her 78-78-76-232 was also a new school record on 54 holes. Grasis, who tied for 19th individually out of 89 golfers, was also tied for No. 2 in the field on par fours, and she was one of only seven to score an Eagle.
 
Senior Alpine Hickstein held the old 54-hole record of 234, which she set her freshman season at the 2019 RMAC Championships.
 
Host Colorado Christian University won its own event, firing 305-293-305-903.
 
Tristan Gabbard, of Midwestern University in Texas, was the individual tourney champ, with scores of 71-77-70-218.
 
The next stop for CSC is at the Golf Club at Red Rock in Rapid City, South Dakota, where South Dakota Mines hosts the Hardrocker Fall Invite in one week.
 
CSC Individual Results
T19, Jordan Grasis, 78-78-76-232; 41, Kinsey Smith, 79-80-80-239; T51, Alpine Hickstein, 82-79-84-245; T54, Kenzey Kanno, 90-78-78-246; 70, Allison Acosta, 91-80-85-256; 85, Aubree Heinsma, 96-90-89-275; 89, Brooke Kramer, 79-0-0-DNF.
 
Team Scores
1, Colorado Christian, 305-293-305-903; 2, Midwestern State, 309-301-297-907; 3, Angelo State, 312-299-308-919; 4, CSU-Pueblo, 314-310-300-924; T5, Biola, 314-303-308-925; T5, Cameron, 309-314-302-925; 7, Colorado Mesa, 313-320-304-937; 8, UCCS, 319-314-309-942; 9, MSU Denver, 323-307-315-945; 10, Chadron State, 318-315-318-951; 11, Fort Hays State, 327-310-318-955; T12, Fort Lewis, 326-321-322-969; T12, Regis, 330-323-316-969; 14, South Dakota Mines, 341-338-332-1011; 15, Black Hills State, 344-348-346-1038; 16, Adams State, 401-379-376-1156.

Eagles visit Black Hills State, and South Dakota Mines this Weekend

CHADRON, Neb. – September 13, 2022- The Chadron State College volleyball team will be on the road this weekend as it faces off against Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota on Friday at 7 p.m. and South Dakota Mines on Saturday in Rapid City, South Dakota at 3 p.m.

The Eagles (3-7, 1-1) are going to be looking to extend their winning streak starting with a match against the Yellow Jackets (1-9, 0-2).

The Eagles are entering the weekend with a hitting percentage of .150 led by freshman Bella Adams who is hitting .287 on the season. Sophomore Aiyana Fujiyama is helping with a .244 hitting percentage. Adams also leads the team in total kills with 75, with junior Lexi Hurtado following with 70.

The Yellow Jackets have a hitting percentage of .140 on the season with senior Mariah Robinson leading the team with a .196. Fellow senior Madison Hoopman leads the Yellow Jackets with 109 total kills.

The Yellow Jackets' defense is led once again by junior Haedyn Rhoades who has 205 total digs with a receiving percentage of .971. Her father, Jay, is a CSC Athletics Hall of Famer for football, while her mother, Angela, is also enshrined for volleyball. Her brother, Harley, is a student assistant with the CSC volleyball team.

The Eagles defense has been led by senior Abby Schaefer who has 124 total digs, followed by junior Rylee Greiman who has 102 total digs on the year. At the net Adams leads the Eagles with 28 blocks on the year, with Fujiyama having 23. Mayson Fago has also helped defensively with 22 blocks of her own.

The Eagles have split the last four matches with the Yellow Jackets.

On Saturday, the Eagles will take on the Hardrockers (4-6, 1-1). They have a team hitting percentage of .164 led by Jacey Koethe with a .315, and she leads the team with 128 total kills.

The Hardrockers defense is led by Anna Thomas who has 178 total digs so far this year, and Koethe who has 38 blocks on the year.

The Eagles are 1-3 against the Hardrockers in their last four matches, losing the last thre