COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Redshirt senior Quade Smith earned the first RMAC Men's Wrestling Athlete of the Week award of the 2025-26 season Tuesday after his 5-0 start to the year at the DWU Open. 

Smith took home the win in the 125-pound bracket at the event hosted by Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota this past Saturday. It was a triumphant return to competition for Smith, who took a redshirt year in 2024-25 after three years as the Eagles' 125-pound starter prior to that. 

Smith, ranked No. 14 in the NWCA's national 125-pound rankings, drew a tough first-round opponent in No. 13 Sloan Johannsen of Northern State, but got past the NSU wrestler by a 14-7 decision, taking a 6-1 lead after one period and recording a nearfall in the second. 

Smith rolled through the bracket's middle rounds, pinning his next two opponents (Jamestown's Mario Fernandez and Augustana's Carter Katherman), then collecting a semifinal major decision win over MSU Moorhead's Clayson Mele by a 12-2 score. In the final, Smith earned a shutout win against UMary's Mason Gutenberger, prevailing 4-0 with a first-period takedown and a second-period escape. 

On the day, Smith defeated one nationally-ranked wrestler (Johannsen) and two wrestlers from teams who are in the top 15 of the NWCA team rankings (Augustana and UMary). 

Smith's RMAC Wrestler of the Week win is the redshirt senior's first since his true freshman campaign, when he took home the honor on November 16, 2021. 

Chadron State won three RMAC Men's Wrestler of the Week awards last season, with heavyweight Cody Pinkerton, 184-pounder Keegan Gehlhausen and 197-pounder Mason Villwok winning one time each. Gehlhausen and Villwok return to this year's roster.

The Eagles have their first two duals of the season this Saturday, competing in a triangular against Otero Junior College and Fort Hays State in Wray, Colorado.