Chadron State football picked 7th in preseason conference poll

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Chadron State football program finished in a tie for seventh place in the RMAC Preseason Poll while wide receiver Tommy Thomas, safety Dax Yeradi and punter Brodie Eisenbraun earned selections to the Preseason All-RMAC team, as announced by the league Thursday. 

Chadron State earned 31 points in the preseason poll, which is based on a vote of the league's 10 head coaches, who do not rank their own program. That point total tied the Eagles with New Mexico Highlands in the voting, one year after CSC, Highlands and Fort Lewis tied for seventh in the league standings in 2024. 

There were multiple ties throughout the preseason voting, including at the top. Defending league champions CSU Pueblo and defending runners-up Western Colorado finished in a dead heat for first place at 76 points, both receiving the exact combination of five first place votes, three second place votes and one third-place vote. 

Colorado School of Mines finished third in the voting with four second place votes and four third place votes. Colorado Mesa finished fourth in the poll, tallying four third-place votes. Regional rivals South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State tied for fifth in league preseason voting with 43 points. After the Eagles and New Mexico Highlands in seventh, the poll was rounded out by Fort Lewis in ninth and Adams State in 10^th. 

The Eagles also earned three selections on the Preseason All-RMAC Team, which is determined by the top returning players in each position from last fall's all-conference voting. 

Despite missing three games during his junior season, Tommy Thomas was Chadron State's leading receiver with 36 catches, 419 yards and four touchdowns. Thomas had his best game of 2024 against Black Hills State, hauling in 11 catches for 146 yards. 

Dax Yeradi was a defensive star in 2024, earning First Team All-RMAC and Second Team D2CCA All-Region selections as a safety. The Wright, Wyoming native finished the season tied for the RMAC lead with four interceptions, including a 51-yard pick six against Fort Lewis, and also finished with 51 tackles and four pass breakups. He was the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week for the week of September 23 last season.

Brodie Eisenbraun earned Academic All-American honors and Second Team All-RMAC honors while averaging 43.26 yards per punt, a Chadron State single-season record. Eisenbraun hit 15 punts for 50 yards or more and pinned 17 punts inside the 20-yard line against just three touchbacks.

The Eagles will open their 2025 season on the road against the University of Northern Colorado on Saturday, August 30, then the second edition of "The Good Life Trophy" rivalry game against Nebraska-Kearney the following week. Chadron State's home and RMAC opener will be on Saturday, September 13 against Black Hills State.