CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State shot 50 percent from the field and 56 percent from three-point range to win their third game in a row, defeating CSU Pueblo 81-65 on Saturday afternoon at the Chicoine Center in Chadron. 

The Eagles (12-10, 8-6 RMAC) have won five of their last six games, with all five wins coming at home. Crucially, Chadron State moved into seventh place in the RMAC standings and three games ahead of CSU Pueblo (10-12, 5-9 RMAC), which is part of a pack of schools tied for ninth place with the top eight schools qualifying for the conference tournament. 

While the lead changed hands six times in the opening six minutes, Chadron State led for the final 34 minutes of game time and pushed the lead to as many as 20 in the second half before the final margin of 16 points. Chadron State outrebounded CSU Pueblo 39-28, outscored them 38-22 in the paint and held the ThunderWolves to 38 percent from the field and 25 percent from deep.

Above all, the Eagles got hot shooting, making 32 of 64 field goal attempts and 10 of 18 threes. It marks the sixth time this season that the Eagles have shot 50 percent or better, while CSC's .556 percentage from beyond the arc is its second-best single-game performance of the year in that category.

Zy Wright scored 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting to lead the Eagles, also making 2 of 3 three-pointers and all four free-throw tries. Trey Ballard added 19 points off the bench, hitting a team-high three three-pointers. 
Jalen Thomas stuffed the stat sheet again, finishing with 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Darrius Miles added 11 points and eight rebounds. 

Five players – Miles, Dalton Petersen, Julio Phipps, Zach Smith and John Jenkins – all hit one three-pointer apiece for the Eagles, with Petersen, Smith and Jenkins all connecting on their only attempt from behind the arc. 

Chadron State led by seven at halftime and continued to generate good looks in the second half. After CSU Pueblo closed the deficit to five points, CSC scored on its next four possessions, punctuated by a Zy Wright three, to open up a 52-40 advantage. 

Leading by 11 after the under-12 media timeout, Chadron State hit three threes in four trips down the floor, with Trey Ballard splashing home a triple to put CSC up 70-50 with 9:09 left and prompting a Pueblo timeout. The Eagles led by 14 or more for the rest of the game.

The Eagles will play their next four games away from home. A key stretch awaits next week when CSC travels to face third-place MSU Denver and first-place Colorado School of Mines next weekend on February 13 and 15. 

Chadron State— Zy Wright 22, Trey Ballard 19, Jalen Thomas 14, Darrius Miles 11, Dalton Peterson 3, Julio Phipps 3, Jaylen Davis 3, Zach Smith 3, John Jenkins 3. Totals: 32-64 FG, 10-18 3PT, 7-9 FT. 81 points, 39 rebounds, 18 assists, 11 turnovers.

CSU Pueblo— Kesean Bazile 13, Brevin Walter 11, De'Shaun Cooper 10, Jordan Blair 9, Victor Lado 7, Armon Muldrew 6, Jaden Kennis 5, Denim Johnson 4. Totals: 20-52 FG, 6-24 3PT, 19-25 FT. 65 points, 28 rebounds, 13 assists, 11 turnovers.

Pueblo Beats Eagles Despite Krise's 22

CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State women's basketball hung with a talented CSU Pueblo team for three quarters, but the ThunderWolves pulled away in the fourth to win 86-77 on Saturday afternoon at the Chicoine Center. 

The Eagles (4-16, 3-11 RMAC) and ThunderWolves (14-8, 9-5 RMAC) were tied 61-61 at the end of the third quarter, but an 11-0 run by the visitors midway through the final period proved to be decisive. 

Reigning RMAC Defensive Player of the Year Alisha Little had a 29-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead the ThunderWolves after putting up 23 points and 12 rebounds earlier this season against CSC. 

That performance helped overcome the third 20-point game of the season by Eagles junior guard Kylie Krise, who finished with 22 points on 6 of 11 shooting, making three three-pointers and going a perfect 7-for-7 from the line. 

Megan Counts finished with 12 points and Kyra Tanabe added 11 to give CSC three players in double figures. Freshman Malorie Byrne made 3 of 5 three-pointers on the night to score a career-high nine points. 

The ThunderWolves did most of their offensive damage in the first and fourth quarters, scoring 25 points in each period. CSU Pueblo shot 52.6 percent from the field for the game, including 62.5 percent in the first and 70 percent in the fourth. Pueblo outscored CSC 44-28 in the paint, but Chadron State did have the overall rebounding advantage, 36-27.

The Eagles were 46.6 percent from the field and made a season-high nine three pointers, ending up 9-for-23 from deep for 39.1 percent. They were also nearly perfect from the line, hitting 14 of 15 foul shots for a season-best 93.3 percent.

CSU Pueblo shot the ball well in the first quarter and were up 25-14, but the Eagles responded with a 14-2 run across the end of the first quarter and start of the second quarter, with back-to-back Counts threes pulling CSC within one before Allison Richards put back her own miss to give the Eagles their first lead, 28-27.

The teams see-sawed from there and were knotted at 38-38 as time wound down in the first half, but Pueblo's Genesis Sweetwine was fouled at the buzzer and hit both free throws to give CSUP a two-point lead heading into the locker room. 

Chadron State found its shooting stroke to take the lead in the third quarter, as Byrne hit two straight threes immediately followed by another from Kyra Tanabe in the span of a minute to give CSC a 51-46 advantage. Moments later, Pueblo responded with a 7-0 run that tied the game at 55-55. 

Pueblo went on their big run and earned its largest lead of the entire night of 13 points with just 43 seconds remaining at 84-71. 

The Eagles will play their next four games away from home, starting with a road trip to MSU Denver and Colorado School of Mines next weekend on February 13 and 15.

Chadron State— Kylie Krise 22, Megan Counts 12, Kyra Tanabe 11, Malorie Byrne 9, Ashayla Powers 8, Allison Richards 7, Jordyn Stokes 2, Bati Assefa 2, Liberty Line 2, McKenzi Petersen 2. Totals: 27-58 FG, 9-23 3PT, 14-15 FT. 77 points, 36 rebounds, 15 assists, 18 turnovers.

CSU Pueblo— Alisha Little 29, Tomia Johnson 18, Genesis Sweetwine 12, Yara Garcia 10, Landri Hudson 7, Tosjanae Bonds 6, Brynae Stewart 4. Totals: 30-57 FG, 4-18 3PT, 22-29 FT. 86 points, 27 rebounds, 11 assists, 11 turnovers.

Balcazar Wins To Lead WWR At Midland Open

FREMONT, Neb. – Rylee Balcazar went 4-0 to conquer a field of 10 wrestlers and win the 110-pound bracket, headling the performances from a limited number of Chadron State women's wrestlers that made the trip to the Midland Warrior Open at Midland University. 

Overall, three of the eight competing Chadron State wrestlers placed, with Regan Rosseter going 5-2 on the day to finish fourth at 138 pounds and Maria Arellano placing sixth at 160 pounds. 

Also making the trip and competing were Trona Bates (124), Maddox Gehlhausen (124), Hattie Baldwin (138), Alissa DuBois (160) and Estrella Vasquez Gutierrez (207).

Balcazar was dominant in all her matches as she became the second Eagle after Esther Peters to win an open title during the 2024-25 season. It is Balcazar's second top-two finish of the year as she previously finished second in the Bob Smith Open at Fort Hays State on December 1. Balcazar also placed fifth at 110 pounds at last week's RMAC Championships.

On Saturday, the freshman from Fort Lupton, Colorado won by tech fall margins of 10-0 and 12-1 in the first two rounds before earning a pin at 3:58 into her semifinal and running up another 12-1 tech fall in the championship. She defeated wrestlers from Iowa Western CC (twice), Hawkeye CC and Doane. 

Rosseter did well to bounce back from an opening round loss to earn her way into the places with a five-match winning streak through the consolation bracket with three tech falls and two decision victories. 
Arellano advanced to the semifinals by earning 8-6 and 7-3 decision victories before falling in the semi and consolation semi and then forfeiting the fifth/sixth place match. 

Chadron State will have two more duals against nonconference opponents this upcoming Wednesday, as they face Hastings College at 4 p.m. MT and Fort Hays State at 5 p.m. MT on February 12. 

After that, the Eagles will compete at NCWWC Regionals in Denton, Texas on Saturday, February 22 and hope to qualify for nationals, which are on March 7 in Coralville, Iowa.

Softball Takes Two To Finish Texas Trip

LUBBOCK, Texas. – Chadron State softball rode effective pitching to a 2-0 day, as the trio of Belle Akins, Kenzi Garner and Tori Haug allowed just three runs across 14 innings while defeating Sul Ross State 4-1 and Texas-Permian Basin 4-2 at the Lubbock Sports College Invitational. 

The two victories improve the Eagles to 3-1 on both the season and the weekend. Chadron State was scheduled to play one more game on Sunday morning, but that game has been cancelled due to impending weather. 

Akins, a true freshman from Elkhorn, Nebraska, made her collegiate debut in the circle during game one against Sul Ross State and sparkled. Akins went the distance on 82 pitches, scattering seven hits and allowing just one run with a walk and a strikeout. 

Garner and Haug, who each through complete games during Friday's action, tag-teamed the second game on Saturday against UTPB. Garner got the start and threw five two-run innings, allowing just five hits and striking out four. Haug slammed the door in relief, pitching two perfect innings with two strikeouts and earning the win after CSC took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. 

Game one began with Akins facing the minimum in her first college inning after Sul Ross's Alexandra Ramos singled with one out but was gunned down trying to steal second by catcher Sophia Brennan. Akins wound up retiring the Lobos in order in three of the next four innings and only allowed a run on a fielder's choice in the third. 

Trailing 1-0, Chadron State took the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Sydney Loyet and Aliyah Rothstein hit back-to-back singles, with Rothstein reaching on a bunt, before J'lyssa Martinez doubled down the left field line to score both runners and give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. 

The Eagles added on in the fifth when Rothstein left the yard for her first home run of the season to lead off the frame. With one out, Martinez hit another double and came around to score on Ashland Baca's two-out single to left field. 

Sul Ross State tried to threaten in the late innings, but Brennan threw out another baserunner attempting to steal third in the sixth and Akins escaped a two-on, nobody out jam to preserve the 4-1 win. 

Against Texas-Permian Basin, both teams manufactured offense without the benefit of a hit. Chadron State took the lead in the bottom of the second inning with two walks and two stolen bases to put runners on second and third before Loyet dropped down a sacrifice bunt that scored a run. 

The Falcons responded in the fourth, getting a run on a walk, error and passed ball before the first hit of the inning scored a second runner to give UTPB a 2-1 lead. The Eagles responded with an unearned run of their own in the bottom half to knot up the score. 

The big hit of the night came in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, J'Lyssa Martinez walked and Lauren Zimmermann singled to put runners on for Angelina Quezada with two away. Quezada hit a sinking line drive that was nearly caught by a diving Falcons outfielder, but it fell for a base hit to score both runners and give the Eagles the lead plus insurance. 

Haug ensured there would be no more drama in the seventh, retiring the Falcons in order on two strikeouts and a groundout. 

With no game Sunday, the Eagles will head home and prepare for RMAC play starting Saturday, February 15 on the road against CSU Pueblo.

Eagle Track Tallies Six Event Wins In Wayne

WAYNE, Neb. – At least 25 members of the Chadron State College track and field teams improved their season-best marks at Wayne State's Wildcat Indoor Classic on Saturday, as Chadron State boasted six individual event champions.

Four Eagle men and two women were among event winners while the same number of each, four men and two women, were event runners-up. The meet drew athletes from six institutions.

Sophomore Chayton Bynes was once again among the headliners, winning the triple jump event with a season-best leap of 15.71 meters, or 51 feet, 6 ½ inches. Bynes added nine inches to what was already the second-best triple jump this winter in NCAA Division II. It still ranks second, but is only 7 ¼ inches shy of the longest mark, which belongs to Donte Dockery of Wilmington University in Delaware. Only two other DII triple jumpers have gone more than 50 feet this winter.  

Bynes's jump Saturday also put him within two inches of the CSC record that was set by Isaac Grimes in 2019 when Grimes earned the silver medal at the NCAA II National Indoor Championships. 

In addition to winning the triple jump during Saturday's meet, Bynes was second in the long jump, going 22-4 ½. Head Coach Jake Gruver said that while Bynes's triple jump was the Eagles' highlight because of its national impact, nearly all 45 of the CSC team members had a good day.

"It was a really good meet for us," Gruver said. "We're headed in the right direction." 

The remaining three CSC men who won events did so with plenty of room to spare. Senior Creighton Trembly cleared the 60-meter hurdles in 8.22 seconds, 0.18 in front of the nearest challenger. Freshman Wyatt Bly won the 3000 meters in 8:36.08, the fourth fastest time all-time at CSC and 19 seconds ahead of the race's runner-up. And, junior Blaine Johnson's winning time of 16:02.41 in the 5000 was nearly a full minute faster than the next finisher.  

The two Chadron State women to win did so in the shortest and the longest women's races with their career-bests. Shantae Morgan won the 60 meters, which had 18 entries, in 7.86 seconds and Alissa Wieman finished first in the 3000 in 10:18.60, her fastest time ever by more than five seconds. 

Two more CSC women, Lydia Peters and Samantha Rodewald, were second and third in the 3000, also running career-bests to give CSC a sweep of the podium. Sophomore Eva Nitschke ran a season-best time of 26.59 while placing second in the 200 and also finished third in the hurdles. 

Six CSC men had career-best times in the 200 meters, led by sophomore Ryan Clapper's 21.88 that was good for second place and is the fourth fastest in CSC history. Junior Esosa Iyengunmwena was the runner-up in the 60 meters and also took fourth in the 200, which had 26 entries.  

A pair of CSC seniors had their best marks of the season while finishing second and fourth in the 35-pound weight throw. Christopher Jennings was the runner-up at 60-8 ½ and Parker Gonser hit 57-5, three feet farther than his previous best.

Junior Nate Mann took second in the mile run, that drew 16 runners, in 4:29.90, just two seconds off his career best.   

Next weekend, the Eagles will enter the South Dakota State Indoor Classic and on Saturday, Feb. 22, they will host the Golden Eagle Last Chance Meet, a week prior to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in Colorado Springs.    
        
The Eagles' top-six placings at Wayne State follow: 

Men's Events
              60 meters—2, Esosa Iyengunmwena, 6.92.
              200—2, Ryan Clapper, 21.88.4; 4, Esosa Iyengunmwena, 22.09; 5, Christopher Cormier, 22.23; 6, Nicquaine Henry, 22.23.
              400—4, Greg Logsdon, 50.91; 5, Diego Perez, 51.18.
              Mile—2, Nate Mann, 4:29.90.
              3000—1, Wyatt Bly, 8:36.08; 4, Kyle Shirley, 9:00.10.
              5000—1, Blaine Johnson, 16:02.41.
              60 hurdles—1, Creighton Trembly, 8.22.
              Shot put—5, Parker Gonser, 48-9 ½. 
              Weight throw—2, Christopher Jennings, 60-8 ½; 3-4 tie, Parker Gonser, 57-5. 
              Long jump—2, Chayton Bynes, 22-4 ½.
              Triple jump—1, Chayton Bynes, 51-6 ½.
              Pole vault—5, Triston Hite, 11-5 ¾.

Women's Results
              60 meters—1, Shantae Morgan, 7.86
              200—2, Eva Nitschke, 26.59.
              800—4, Ivy Hise, 2:44.92; 5, Zelma Rudd, 3:03.24.
              3000—1, Alissa Wieman, 10:18.60.2; Lydia Peters, 10:46.67; 3, Samantha Rodewald, 10:50.54; 6, Katelyn Beshara, 11:11.35.
              60 hurdles—3, Eva Nitschke, 9:40.
              Shot put—5, Morgan Ekwall, 39-8.
              Pole vault—4, Madison Clause, 10-6.