COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Chadron State men's basketball guard Jalen Thomas earned the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week award from the conference office, the league announced Monday. 

Thomas averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game and shot 55 percent from the field across a pair of Eagle victories this past weekend, led by an NCAA career-high scoring outburst, as Chadron State men's basketball has won three in a row and five of its last six. 

With the win, Thomas joins teammate Zy Wright (who won on December 16) as Chadron State players to win the league's offensive weekly honor during the 2024-25 season. Colorado Mesa forward Yaak Yaak was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week.

A graduate student from Amarillo, Texas, Thomas set a new NCAA career high with 24 points against Colorado Christian on Thursday. Thomas shot 9-18 from the field and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line and added on five rebounds and four assists. 

Thomas had another well-rounded game against CSU Pueblo two days later. The Tarleton State transfer scored 14 points, made 7 of 11 field-goal attempts and added seven rebounds, seven assists and a steal. Dating back to the home win over Black Hills State on January 30, Thomas has finished with over seven points, rebounds and assists in two of CSC's last three games. 

This season, Thomas ranks second on the team by averaging 12.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and leads the team with 3.9 assists per game (85 total). The guard now has five 20-point games this season. 

Chadron State will be on the road this upcoming weekend, facing MSU Denver on Thursday and Colorado School of Mines this Saturday. The Roadrunners and Orediggers are third and first, respectively, in the RMAC team standings.

Haug Named RMAC Pitcher of the Week

CHADRON, Neb. – Senior Tori Haug was named the RMAC Pitcher of the Week Monday by the league office, earning the first weekly honor of her career to cap a strong opening weekend for Chadron State softball. 

Haug was the winning pitcher in two games last weekend, throwing a complete game in the season opener against Adams State before entering out of the bullpen to throw two perfect innings of relief to seal a win over Texas-Permian Basin. 

Chadron State finished its season-opening tournament in Texas with a 3-1 record, and the Eagles' .750 winning percentage has them atop the RMAC standings in the early going of the 2025 season. 

Haug got the call in the circle for the Eagles first game of the new campaign, a 12-2 six-inning victory over Adams State. Haug pitched all six innings for the victory and scattered two runs on five hits while walking four and striking out seven. She did not allow multiple hits in an inning throughout her outing. 

The following day, with CSC looking to secure a winning record for the weekend, Haug entered a tie ballgame in relief against UTPB and slammed the door for the final two innings. Across her two-inning stint, Haug did not allow a baserunner and struck out two, including for the final out of the game to cap an eight-pitch at-bat. The Eagles scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 4-2 victory and give Haug the win. 

A native of Commerce City, Colorado, Haug becomes the first CSC pitcher to win the RMAC Pitcher of the Week award since former player Delaney Farnsworth on March 7, 2023. Haug has pitched to a 1.75 ERA so far this season while her opponent batting average of .167 is currently the lowest mark in the RMAC. 

Chadron State softball opens RMAC play this weekend, taking on the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves on the road on February 15-16. First pitches are set for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday. The following weekend, February 22-23, is CSC's scheduled home-opening series against New Mexico Highlands.

Women's Wrestling Triangular Cancelled, Regionals Next

CHADRON, Neb. – Due to a combination of weather and student-athlete availability, Chadron State, Hastings and Fort Hays State have agreed to cancel their scheduled triangular women's wrestling dual that was scheduled for this Wednesday. 

With the two duals this week no longer happening, Chadron State women's wrestling's next competition date will now be the NCWWC Regional Tournament in Denton, Texas on Saturday, February 22. 

The Eagles are coming off a third-place finish at the second-ever RMAC Women's Wrestling Championships on February 1, highlighted by runner-up finishes by Mana Chanthasone at 103 pounds and Esther Peters at 207 pounds. 

Peters and Chanthasone were each included in the latest rankings from The Open Mat, with Peters coming in at No. 11 at 207 and Chanthasone ranked No. 20 at 103. In the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)'s regional rankings, Peters is No. 2 and Chanthasone is No. 4, alongside freshman Sicily Frates, who is regionally ranked at No. 5 at 180 pounds. 

All of Chadron State's regional participants will be hoping to qualify for the NCWWC National Championships, set for March 7-8 in Coralville, Iowa.