WAYNE, Neb. -- After defeating Colorado Mines in five sets for the first time since 2007 and falling to #9 ranked MSU-Denver last weekend, the Eagle volleyball team faces more tough competition against Wayne State tomorrow.
 
The match, which is in Wayne, Nebraska, will be Chadron State volleyball's first ever matchup against the number one team in the nation since CSC joined Division II in 1989.
 
The Wildcats are 8-1 on the season and 1-0 in the Northern Sun Conference. The lone loss of the season was in five sets against Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, September 9. Concordia-St. Paul is the number two ranked team in the nation.
 
On Friday, September 15, St. Paul and the Wildcats had another match up. This time around, Concordia-St. Paul was ranked #1 in the nation. Wayne State swept them to gain the #1 ranking.
 
Taya Beller leads Wayne State with 124 kills, an average of four per set. Beller is hitting .391 this season.
 
Kelsie Cada and Maggie Brahmer each have 97 kills. Cada is hitting .278 this season while Brahmer is hitting .370.
 
The Wildcats setter is Rachel Walker who 324 assists, an average of 10.45.
 
Defensively, Jordan McCormick leads the Wildcats in digs with 132, an average of 4.26 per set. Two players have over 20 blocks. Maggie Brahmer has 31 while Beller has a team high 40, an average of 1.29 per set.

Five CSC entries place high at their rodeo

CHADRON, Neb. -- Led by saddle bronc riding winner Jack Skavdahl of Harrison, five Chadron State College contestants placed among the top six in their events at the CSC rodeo this past weekend.

Skavdahl won the long go-round of the bronc riding with 80 points and was second during Sunday's finals with 78 points to win the championship. 

Two Chadron State cowgirls from along Highway 2 in the Nebraska Sandhills were the runners-up in their events.  Shailey McAbee of Hyannis was second in the barrel race and Brooke McCully of Mullen was the reserve champion in breakaway roping, catching her calves in 2.1 and 2.5 seconds.

Still another CSC entry from the same region, Elle Ravescroft of Nenzel and a graduate of Cody-Kilgore High School, was sixth in the barrels.  Both McCully and Ravenscroft were on the CSC basketball team the past two years, but switched to rodeo this year.

There were 91 barrel racers and 97 breakaway ropers at the rodeo.

CSC cowboy Grant Turek of St. Paul, Neb., was Chadron State's other top six placewinner. He was fourth in tie down roping with times of 10.4 and 10.5 seconds.  Turek was tie down winner at last year's CSC rodeo, when his total time was 20.4 seconds, a half second faster this year's tally.

Chadron State placed fifth in both of the team standings. Casper College won the men's team title and Gillette College won the women's honors. Haiden Thompson of the Gillette team was the all-around cowgirl while Sutton Kohr of the University of Wyoming was the all-around cowboy.

The event winners included two more cowboys from along Highway 20. Carter Anderson of Gordon and Sage Shrunk of Valentine joined forces to win the team roping in 8.1 and 9.3 seconds while catching both hind legs on both runs.

This weekend's rodeo in the Central Rocky Mountain Region will be at Central Wyoming College in Riverton.

Gruver hired to lead CSC Track and Field

CHADRON, Neb. -- Chadron State College Athletic Director Joel R. Smith announced on Sunday the hiring of Jake Gruver, naming the former Eagle All-American the new Head Track and Field Coach at CSC.
 
"We are excited that Jake is coming back to Chadron State to take over the Track and Field program," Smith said.
 
Before working outside of athletics for nine years, Gruver was an assistant track coach for CSC in 2012.
 
During that season, the Eagles had two women's all-time records fall and one men's record. The three records still stand today. The CSC women's track team finished fourth at both the indoor and outdoor RMAC Championships, while the men were second.  
 
As an athlete for the Eagles, Gruver was a seven-time RMAC Champion and a one time All-American. His lone All-American accolade happened in 2011 when he was a member of the schools 4x100 relay team that placed sixth. With a time of 41.10, they were the first CSC relay team to place at a national meet since an 880-yard team was third at the NAIA Meet in 1959.
 
In 2010, Gruver ran the 10th best indoor 200m time in school history, clocking in at 22.15.
 
Outdoors, he holds the ninth and 14th best 100m time and the ninth and 12th best 200m time. Gruver's best time outdoors in the 100m was 10.53 and his best 200m time outdoors was 21.33, both in 2011.
 
"I'm impressed with the vision that Gruver has for the program and I am excited about his enthusiasm for Chadron State and his excitement and passion to return to his alma mater," Associate Athletic Director Ted Tewahade said. 

Golf in fourth after round one

RAPID CITY, S.D. -- The Chadron State College golf team is currently in fourth place after day one of this week's tournament, hosted by South Dakota Mines at the Red Rocks in Rapid City, South Dakota.
 
The hosts, S.D. Mines, is in first place at +33. CSC is the next Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team in the standings, finishing +47.
 
Kinsey Smith, a senior from Windsor, Colorado, is sitting second after round one, shooting +4 (76).
 
Smith started slow on the front nine, recording two bogeys, one double-bogey and a birdie. On the back nine, she had two bogeys and one birdie.
 
Tied for 12th place was Kenzey Kanno, a senior from Mitchell, Nebraska. Kanno had three bogeys, one double-bogey and a birdie on the front nine. The back nine consisted of four bogeys and a triple bogey, making her score an 83 (+11).
 
A senior from Yuma, Arizona, Jordan Grasis is currently tied 18th after finishing at +12 (84). Grasis had four bogeys and one double-bogey on the front nine. Two double-bogeys, three bogeys and two birdies found her score card on the back nine.
 
Currently tied 20th is Payton Wise, a sophomore from Kimball, Nebraska. Wise, who is at an 85 (+13) after round one, had two bogeys, two birdies and was five over on hole nine. Four bogeys, two double- bogeys, and one birdie were shot by Wise on the back nine.
 
Allison Acosta, a senior from Oro Valley, Arizona, Brooke Kramer, a senior from Aurora, Colorado and Aubree Heinsma, a sophomore from Windsor, Colorado, each finished in the 90s.
 
The Eagles will play round two tomorrow at 9 a.m.