CHADRON, Neb. – Chadron State will open its indoor track season with its first home meet of the year as the Eagles host the Birds and the Bees Holiday Open on Saturday, December 7 at the Nelson Physical Activity Center on campus. 

The event is open to the public and free to attend. Chadron State athletes will compete alongside athletes from Black Hills State University, in addition to a few unattached runners. The meet will take place with a rolling schedule, with the field events starting at 9 a.m. and the running events kicking off at noon. 

Looking Back
The 2023-24 indoor season for Chadron State College saw the Eagles receive nine First Team All-RMAC awards, three All-Region awards, two First Team All-Academic awards and the RMAC Indoor Track Co-Freshman of the Year. The Chadron State men's team placed fifth at the RMAC Indoor Track Championships while the women's squad took ninth at the RMAC meet. 

Other team highlights included CSC taking home both team titles at the 2024 Myrle Hanson Open in Spearfish, South Dakota and an RMAC Summit Award for then-senior Kyle Shirley, who also claimed the RMAC's top academic honor during the 2024 cross country season.

Meet Schedule
Saturday will feature a rolling schedule, with field events including the men's and women's weight throw, shot put, high jump, long jump, triple jump and pole vault beginning at 9 a.m. 

The running events, also on a rolling schedule beginning at 12 p.m., will start with middle distance and hurdles before progressing into sprints and ending with relays. 

FULL SCHEDULE: Birds and the Bees Holiday Open

The Season
This weekend's meet will be the first of two indoor meets held in Chadron. The Eagles will also host the "Golden Eagle Last Chance" meet on Saturday, February 22, an opportunity for student-athletes chasing a provisional NCAA qualifying mark as the season winds down. 

The Golden Eagle Last Chance meet will be CSC's final competition prior to the RMAC Indoor Championships in Colorado Springs on February 28. 

In between the two home meets, CSC is scheduled to make two trips to Spearfish for the David Little Invite on Saturday, January 18, followed by the Myrle Hanson Open on Saturday, January 25, both hosted by Black Hills State. 

The Eagles will head to Brookings, South Dakota for the SDSU Open and Multi on January 31-February 1, then head to Wayne for the Wildcat Open on February 8. CSC will return to South Dakota State for the SDSU Indoor Classic in Brookings on February 14-15.

The Roster
by Con Marshall
The Eagles have nearly 40 student-athletes on the men's roster and about 35 on the women's list.  

Several seniors are expected to wrap up their careers in style this winter.  Among them are hurdler Creighton Trembly and weight thrower Christopher Jennings, who both were the silver medalists in their respective events at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Meet last February. Jennings also earned a spot on the RMAC All-Academic First Team.       

Other seniors on the men's roster who have frequently placed during their careers include 400 runner Greg Logsdon of Yoder, Wyo., and thrower Parker Gonser of Windsor, Colo. 

A pair of sophomores also return after excelling last year to win All-RMAC honors as freshmen. Chayton Bynes, the Chadron High School long and triple jump recordholder, went 49-6 ½ while placing second in the triple jump at last year's RMAC Indoor Meet, while Ryan Clapper was third in the 200 at the conference meet a year ago in 21.25 seconds. 

CSC's sprint corps also includes Nigerians Quincy Efeturi and Esosa Iyengunmwena, both of whom ran with Clapper on the Eagles' record-setting 4x100 outdoor last season. Nicquaine Henry, a graduate student from Jamaica who joined the Eagles this fall from Lee University, is also expected to excel in the sprints. Another Jamaican, junior Shantae Morgan, returns as one of CSC's top sprint options on the women's side.

Chadron State head coach Jake Gruver highlighted senior Alissa Wieman in the 3000 meters and freshman Camila Salvucci, a native of Argentina, in the triple jump as athletes that may be able to threaten school records this season. 
Gruver also speculated that sophomores Eva Nitschke of Rawlins, Wyo., in the hurdles and Ashlyn Tapio of Parkston, S.D., in the shot put will earn points this winter.