CHADRON, Neb. – After the holiday break, Chadron State women's basketball will return to the RMAC schedule for an eight-week sprint to the finish, starting with road matches this Thursday and Saturday at Colorado School of Mines and Regis. 
 
The Eagles (0-9, 0-4 RMAC) have their first chance to win in 2026 when they face the Orediggers (7-8, 2-2 RMAC) Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Golden before something has to give when CSC takes on Regis (0-7, 0-4 RMAC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Denver.
 
Both games will be streamed live on the RMAC Network, accessible through daily, monthly or annual subscription options, or listen live on Double Q Country 97.5 and 105.9 FM and doubleqcountry.com with Dave Collins on the call. 
 
Looking Back
A week before Christmas, Chadron State played in its final two nonconference games of the season, falling 90-46 to Nebraska-Kearney and 92-49 to Fort Hays State, who was the No. 7-ranked team in the country.
 
RECAPS: Nebraska-Kearney | Fort Hays State
 
Audrey Quintana scored a season-high 16 points to pace the Eagle attack against Nebraska-Kearney, making 6 of 13 attempts and 3 of 7 three-pointers. Chadron State had a more balanced attack against Fort Hays, with four players (Kenna Wagner, Dreanna Jackson, Ella Moser and McKenzi Petersen) all scoring between 8-10 points.
 
All-Around Audrey
Junior Audrey Quintana, a transfer from Central Arizona College, has made a mark in her first season at Chadron State, ranking at or near the top among CSC players in several major categories. 
 
Heading into the New Year, Quintana ranks third on the team in points per game (8.0), field goal percentage (.329), three-point percentage (.282), assists per game (1.4) and steals (seven). She is the only CSC player in the top three on the team in both points and assists.
 
Quintana had her best performance of the year against regional rival Nebraska-Kearney. That total is a season and CSC career-high for Quintana and the third-highest single-game scoring performance of the season for the Eagles after McKenzi Petersen's 18 points against South Dakota Mines on December 16 and Ella Moser's 17 against CSU Pueblo on December 11.
 
Gentle Thievery 
Chadron State activated their quick hands during their contest against Fort Hays State. The Eagles came up with 13 steals, five more than their previous season high. 
 
Overall, Chadron State forced the No. 7-ranked Tigers into 24 turnovers, the most in a game this season by FHSU. It also marked the first time that Chadron State won the turnover battle, with the Eagles committing 20 turnovers to come in four under their opponents. 
 
Two Eagles are averaging over a steal per game, with both Ella Moser and Kenna Wagner each logging 12 steals in nine games apiece. 
 
D-Jack is Back
Edmonds Community College transfer Dreanna Jackson made a return to the rotation in the nonconference games against UNK and Fort Hays. 
 
Jackson featured heavily in CSC's first three games of the season, averaging about 15 minutes per game with eight points and seven rebounds. But she played just seven minutes against Black Hills State on December 4 before exiting, then missed the next three contests against South Dakota Mines, CSU Pueblo and UCCS.
 
Jackson came back just before the break, logging 13 minutes against UNK. She had her best performance of the season against No. 7-ranked Fort Hays State, scoring nine points on 4 of 8 shooting, including 3-for-3 on two-point attempts. Jackson also added a block and two steals defensively.
 
In the Polls
With new program leadership and a primarily new team, the Chadron State women's basketball program was picked 14^th in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll. 
 
Defending regular season champions Colorado Mesa were the preseason pick to win the league, receiving nine first-place votes plus five second-place votes for 191 total points. The other six first-place votes went to defending tournament champions UCCS, who also had four second-place votes and three third-place votes for 181 total points. 
 
Behind the top two, Adams State, Western Colorado and Colorado School of Mines rounded out the top five. The remainder of the RMAC Tournament places are occupied by Black Hills State, CSU Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands. MSU Denver is picked ninth, followed by Colorado Christian, South Dakota Mines, and Fort Lewis in the top 12. 
 
Westminster placed 13^th with 47 points in the poll, just one point ahead of the Eagles, who had 46. Regis rounded out the poll and was picked 15^th, receiving 21 points. 
 
The RMAC has one nationally ranked team in the WBCA Coaches Poll – Colorado Mesa at No. 11.
 
Stat Standouts
·      Chadron State is scoring 49.6 points per game and allowing 79.3 points per game. 
·      CSC is shooting 33.2 percent from the field, 26.6 percent from three and 65.8 percent from the line. 
·      Eagle opponents are averaging 48 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from deep and 73.5 percent from the line.
·      McKenzi Petersen is the Eagles' leading scorer (9.9 ppg) and rebounder (5.2 rpg, 23^rd in RMAC).
·      Ella Moser ranks sixth in the RMAC in three-point field goal percentage (.356) and fifth in made three-pointers per game (2.3).
·      Amya Winfrey has been good in short spurts, shooting 48.1 percent from the field and averaging 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in just 15 minutes per game. Winfrey also ranks tied for 10th in the RMAC with 0.7 blocks per game.
·      McKenzi Petersen and Audrey Quintana are the only Chadron State players to start every game so far this season.
·      The Eagles rank 10^th in the RMAC with 9.4 offensive rebounds per game.
·      Chadron State ranks ninth in the RMAC with 5.9 made threes per game.
 
Scouting the Opponents
Colorado School of Mines
The Orediggers of Colorado School of Mines are 7-8 overall with a 2-2 record in RMAC play. Of Mines's eight losses, four were to teams nationally ranked at the time of the game – No. 20 UT Tyler, No. 3 Texas Woman's, No. 8 Minnesota State and No. 13 Colorado Mesa. 
 
Sofia Baldessari is leading the Orediggers as a sophomore with 16.7 points per game, which ranks sixth in the RMAC. Baldessari's average has been buoyed by a 45-point outing against Nelson University on January 2, which broke the program single-game scoring record, and 25 points against Northern New Mexico on January 3, leading to an RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honor.
 
The Orediggers also won the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week award, which went to sophomore Jade Leon, who added eight steals and 18 rebounds. Leon is averaging 6.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game this season. Jenna Shandy (12.3 points per game) and Emma Sixta (10.6) also average in double figures. 
 
Head coach Brittany Simpson is in her 14^th year. She has three RMAC championships, five NCAA tournament berths and three RMAC Coach of the Year honors. Simpson was an assistant coach at Mines for four seasons before getting the head job.
 
Regis
Regis enters the week 0-7, and like Chadron State, the Rangers are 0-4 in RMAC play. Regis has had some close calls, falling by just three points to Fort Lewis, nine points to Western Colorado and 10 points to Angelo State. Regis was picked 15^th and last in the RMAC preseason poll.
 
Junior Kate Gallery is Regis's leading scorer at 14.2 points per game. She has been limited to four games this season but returned to the lineup last Saturday, January 3, against Colorado Mesa. She has double-digit performances in three of the four games she has played, including a 20-point outing against Angelo State. 
 
Jessica Bollwahn is the RMAC's leading rebounder, grabbing 11.1 boards per game in seven contests. Bollwahn had a 19-point, 19-rebound double-double against Fort Lewis. Sophomore Caitie Turnbow averages 10.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game to rank second on the team in both categories.
 
Head coach Jason Kohler is in his first year at the lead of the Regis program, but was with the program for the previous three seasons as an assistant. He was on the staff of the 2022-23 Regis team that swept the RMAC regular season and tournament championships.
 
Coach's Corner
Jalen Little is in his first season leading the Chadron State women's basketball program. 
 
For the past five seasons, Little has served as the lead assistant women's basketball coach at RMAC foe CSU Pueblo. During Little's time on staff, the ThunderWolves qualified for four consecutive RMAC tournaments from 2022-25, including a fifth-place finish (18-11, 13-7 RMAC) in the league standings last year. 
 
Little began his coaching career by spending four seasons as an assistant coach with the Chadron State men's basketball program under Houston Reed, who coached Little as a player. 
 
As a student-athlete, Little played one season at Alaska Anchorage (Division II, GNAC) before transferring to Otero Junior College. He closed his playing career at the Division I level for Abiliene Christian University (Texas).