CHADRON, Neb. -- August 25, 2023 -- The Chadron State College volleyball team is preparing for their 2023 season opener on Friday, September 1, with high hopes for the season.
 
With a roster of 23, the Eagles return plenty of talent from the 2022 season. A total of four seniors, six juniors, seven sophomores and six freshmen compose the 23-person team.
 
At the net, the team's top nine in kills from a season ago return while the top eight in blocks return defensively.
 
"We have done a lot of hard work in our gym not just in these past two weeks but I am also really proud of the growth we saw over the spring semester," Head Coach Jennifer Stadler said.
 
The top four in each category includes Aiyana Fujiyama, a junior from Wahiawa, Hawaii, who was named Honorable Mention All-RMAC after leading CSC at the net defensively with 93 total blocks, an average of .95 a set. Fujiyama finished fourth for CSC with 140 kills.
 
Mayson Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado, led CSC with 185 kills and 1.89 kills per set and was third on the team with 51 blocks in 2022.
 
Lexi Hurtado and Bella Adams finished second and third with 178 and 167 kills, respectively. Adams had a team high hitting percentage of .254.
 
Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado, was second with 76 total blocks, while Hurtado, a senior from Aurora, Colorado, was fourth with 42 blocks.
 
The fifth and final player to have over 100 kills a season ago is Amber Harvey, a junior from Centennial, Colorado, who had 123 kills.
 
Other returners from last season that received valuable playing time include Rylee Greiman, Allie Ferguson, Natali Keni, Kiera Alfred and Kiley West.
 
Greiman will most likely be a starter for the fifth straight season on September 1. A graduate student from Windsor, Colorado, Greiman finished 2022 with 249 digs, an average of 2.59 a set while playing libero. She led the team with 27 service aces.
 
West, a sophomore from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the only returner to record over 50 assists, finishing with 268 a year ago, an average of 3.27 a set.
 
Ferguson, a senior from Chadron, appeared in 26 of the teams 27 matches a year ago, while Keni appeared in 14 and Alfred played in 13.
 
Newcomers include one transfer and five freshmen. The transfer is Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah.
 
Hernandez joins the program after spending a season at DI Norfolk State and two seasons at Central Wyoming College (CWC). While at CWC, she was the Region Nine Conference Libero of the Year during both her seasons.
 
At the net, Kally Kirkwood from Fleming, Colorado, joins the team as a middle hitter. Burns, Wyoming native Emma Norris and Windsor, Colorado native Avery Lacy both are outside hitters.
 
Cydney Eskew, a freshman from Casper, Wyoming is listed on the team's roster as a setter. Katie Bell of Fort Morgan, Colorado and Josie Loosvelt of York, Nebraska are both defensive specialists.
 
After hosting an intra-squad scrimmage today, CSC will open their season with a home tournament on September 1 and 2.
 
"Everyone is really providing an impact contributing and the buy in into our culture and the things that we want to do is really good right now. We are excited to get across the net from someone and see what we can do," Stadler said.

Travis Brewster to lead CSC Women's Basketball program

CHADRON, Neb. -- August 25, 2023 -- Chadron State College athletic director Joel R. Smith announced on Friday the hiring of Travis Brewster as the school's next head women's basketball coach.
 
"Our committee reviewed a strong pool of applicants," Smith said. "Travis stood out for his experience and success.  Once we got him on campus he was also a great match with our staff and college.  We are excited to have someone of his caliber coaching our women's basketball team." 
 
Brewster has been the coach of Saint Xavier University (NAIA) in Chicago the past two seasons.
 
While at Saint Xavier, Brewster had an overall record of 45-16. In 2021-22, the Cougars qualified for the national tournament and won their conference regular season championship with a record of 21-1.
 
"I'm blessed to be able to leave a place like Saint Xavier University that has great people and join Chadron State College, another place with great people," Brewster said.
During the 2020-21 season, Brewster was an assistant coach at Idaho State (D1). Idaho State finished 22-4 while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and winning both the Big Sky regular season and tournament championships.
 
Brewster was the Head Coach of the University of North Dakota (D1) from 2012 to 2020.
 
The Fighting Hawks went 128-120 during his tenure.
 
During his second season in 2013-14, North Dakota went 22-10 overall and were named Big Sky Regular Season Champions. Brewster was named the conference's Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the season.
 
In 2015-16, the team went 19-14 with a second-place finish in the Big Sky.
 
Brewster earned his second Big Sky Coach of the Year award in 2016-17 after leading the Fighting Hawks to their first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) berth in school history and an overall record of 20-10.
 
His 100^th career win occurred on February 8, 2018 against Weber State.
 
During his final two years with the Fighting Hawks, Brewster developed Lexi Klabo, who was a semifinalist (Top 10) for the Cheryl Miller Award. The Cheryl Miller award is annually given to the nations top small forward in college basketball.
 
UND saw outstanding success under Brewster's direction including over 100 victories, four consecutive postseasons (2014-17), two Big Sky Championships, and an NCAA tournament appearance. 
 
From 2008 until 2012 at North Dakota, he held the role of assistant basketball coach for one year before being named the Associate Head Coach.
 
Brewster was an assistant coach for one year at South Dakota State University and one year at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2006 until 2008.
 
Brewster first called Grand Forks, North Dakota home from 2001 until 2006 when he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for North Dakota, who was NCAA Division II at the time.
 
The five years were highlighted by a 34-1 finish a National Tournament Regional Final berth during the 2005-06 season.
 
Brewster's coaching career began as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Iowa Lakes Community College. His two seasons at Iowa Lakes included a combined 45-21 record and a seventh-place finish in the nation in 2001.
 
During his ten years as a head coach, Brewster has had many players earn postseason honors. Eight have been First Team All-Conference and another eight have been Second Team. Another five players have been Honorable Mention All-Conference.
 
In addition, Brewster coached one of each of the following:  Conference Player of the Year, Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Conference Newcomer of the Year and Conference Women of the Year.
 
Three players have been named Honorable Mention All-American.
 
Brewster's overall record as a head coach is 173-135.
 
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Brewster graduated from Charleston Southern University in 1994.
 
"There are a lot of people that made this possible and I'm thankful for their continued support through the years," Brewster said. "I want to say thank you to President Dr. Ron Patterson and Athletic Director Joel Smith. I look forward to building on the vision and mission of athletics and CSC. It's a special opportunity for my family to be a part of the college and the community."