CHADRON, Neb. – After an outdoor season-opening meet at the site of this year's Division II nationals in Pueblo, Chadron State track and field will make another trip to Colorado this weekend as the Eagles compete in the Jack Christiansen Invitational, hosted by Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
The meet is set to start on Friday at 12 p.m. with field events, including the men's hammer throw. On Saturday, the meet will resume at 9:20 a.m. with the start of the track events schedule, with field events resuming at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The meet will feature eight collegiate institutions across divisions, including three RMAC schools – Bismarck State, Black Hills State, CSC, Colorado State, Northern Colorado, Regis, the University of Colorado and the University of Wyoming. The hosts, Colorado State, were just crowned Mountain West Men's Indoor Track and Field Champions while the women's team are the reigning outdoor champs from 2024.
A livestream of the meet is scheduled to be available on Saturday only, streaming on the Mountain West Network. Live results are also available.
Looking Back
Six top-10 placings by throwers led the way for Chadron State at the Dan Caprioglio Invitational, hosted by CSU Pueblo last Friday and Saturday, which opened the outdoor season for CSC.
RECAP:
Dan Caprioglio Invitational (CSUP)
The Eagles had two top-10 finishers in each of the men's javelin (
Trace Hanchett and
William Stemler) and men's hammer throw (
Parker Gonser and
Christopher Jennings) and one apiece in the men's and women's shot put (
Quade Jordan and
Morgan Ekwall).
Creighton Trembly also got off to a strong start in the 110 hurdles, running 14.54 seconds to place second at the meet behind only the Division II indoor national silver medalist.
Strong Start
Freshman
Trace Hanchett was CSC's highest placer in a field event at the Pueblo meet by placing third in the javelin, but his performance was even more significant in the context of CSC program history.
Hanchett threw 62.01 meters, or 203 feet, 5.25 inches during last Saturday's competition. With that heave, Hanchett became the first Chadron State athlete since 1989 to break the 200-foot barrier in the javelin.
The school record, set in 1986 by Deron Dolfi, is 206 feet, 8 inches. With Hanchett coming within three-and-a-half feet of Dolfi in his first collegiate meet, the Philipsburg, Kansas native will certainly have his eyes on the record as soon as this weekend.
Standout Sprinter
Chadron State's efforts in the short sprints were headed by junior
Esosa Iyengunmwena.
The Nigerian recorded career-best marks in both the 100 and 200 meters during last Saturday's meet in Pueblo. Iyengunmwena ran the 200 in 21.71 seconds to place third out of 70 entrants, then finished seventh among the 60 racers in the 100 meters with a time of 10.62 seconds.
Iyengunmwena, who has NCAA outdoor national qualifying experience as a member of CSC's school record-holding 4x100 relay team last season, is off to a good start in hopes of making an individual qualifying run at the national tournament.
The Season
Chadron State's current schedule, weather-permitting, currently has the Eagles make three trips to Colorado and two to South Dakota prior to the RMAC Championships from April 25-27 in Golden, Colorado.
After the two season-opening trips to Pueblo and Fort Collins, the Eagles are set to visit Black Hills State on April 4-5 and South Dakota Mines on April 18-19 for meets. Those South Dakota trips are sandwiched around the Kit Mayer Classic on April 11-12 at Colorado School of Mines, which will give CSC an opportunity to compete on the eventual RMAC Championship track.
After the RMAC meet, the Eagles will likely schedule specific runners in "last chance" meets, particularly options at Concordia (Neb.) and Nebraska-Kearney, in an attempt to secure national qualifiers for the NCAA Championships in Pueblo from May 22-24.
Coach's Corner
Jake Gruver, a former CSC All-American, returned to take over the Chadron State Track and Field program in September 2023. In the fall of 2024, Gruver also began overseeing Chadron State's cross-country program.
Gruver was previously a CSC assistant coach in 2012 before working outside athletics. As an athlete for the Eagles, Gruver was a seven-time RMAC Champion and a one time All-American. His lone All-American accolade happened in 2011 when he was a member of the schools 4x100 relay team that placed sixth.
In Gruver's first season as cross country coach, the CSC women's team recorded its highest placing at the RMAC Championships since 2017. The Eagles also excelled in the classroom, with
Kyle Shirley earning the RMAC Summit Award (the conference's highest individual academic honor) and Chadron State placing a program-record three student-athletes on the RMAC All-Academic Team.
