By: Paxton Ritchie&nbsp; CSC Sports Information Director

CHADRON, Neb. – Allison Richards scored a game-high 16 points, Megan Counts logged her first career double-double and the Chadron State women's basketball team earned a statement win over rival Black Hills State by a 60-50 margin Thursday evening at the Chicoine Center.

The win snaps a 13-game losing streak for the women's program against the Yellow Jackets, as CSC's last win over the Spearfish school prior to Thursday was back on February 24, 2017. 

Chadron State improved its record to 4-14 overall and 3-9 in the RMAC. Black Hills State dropped to 11-7 overall and 7-4 in the RMAC. The Yellow Jackets began 6-0 in conference play but have lost three straight and four of their last five.

Richards, who scored the second-most points in her Chadron State career Thursday, shot 6-for-8 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range in 29 minutes off the bench. Counts added an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double for the Eagles, setting a career-high in rebounds in the process. 

Chadron State's offense was the story in the first quarter, with the Eagles coming out of the gate hot and shooting 72 percent (8-11) in the opening period featuring a three from Kyra Tanabe and two threes from Richards to lead 21-12 after 10 minutes. 

The Eagle defense dominated the second quarter, holding the Yellow Jackets without a field goal as the visitors were 0-14 from the field and scored five points in the second frame, all from the free throw line. Chadron State led 27-17 at halftime. 

Chadron State withstood a BHSU run in the third period. A 10-0 Yellow Jackets run turned a 12-point Eagle lead into a one-basket lead at 33-31, and Black Hills took the lead for the first time in the second half with a Morgan Hammerbeck three that made it 38-36, BHSU. 

The Eagles held their nerve, with Richards answering immediately with a three at the other end to put Chadron State back up by one when the third quarter ended. After the Yellow Jackets scored a three-point play to open the fourth quarter, Counts answered with a three-ball to hand the lead right back to CSC. 

Counts took over, scoring six of eight CSC points as the home team built a 52-46 lead. The Yellow Jackets hung tough, with free throws keeping it a four-point game at 54-50 with 1:38 left, but the Eagles iced it at the line and Black Hills didn't score again.

In a statistical quirk, three of the four quarters featured one team outscoring the other 21-12, with the Eagles having the advantage in the first and fourth quarters and Black Hills outscoring CSC by that margin in the third.

Chadron State shot 35.8 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from three and 78.9 percent from the line. The Eagles held Black Hills to a season-low 24.1 percent from the field and 17.6 percent from deep. 

The two teams were tied in points in the paint with 20 apiece, but the Eagles outscored BHSU 33-0 in bench points, led by 16 from Richards and nine from Tanabe. Behind Counts' 10 boards, Bati Assefa and Kylie Krise grabbed six apiece for CSC. 

The Eagles are off the rest of the week and are home again next week, facing Colorado Christian on Thursday, February 6 and CSU Pueblo on Saturday, February 8.

Chadron State— Allison Richards 16, Megan Counts 11, Kyra Tanabe 9, Kylie Krise 6, Ashayla Powers 6, Camren Morris 5, Bati Assefa 3, Olivia Waufle 2, Kadyn Comer 2. Totals: 19-53 FG, 7-17 3PT, 15-19 FT. 60 points, 43 rebounds, 8 assists, 13 turnovers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738331215375.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Paxton Ritchie&nbsp; CSC Sports Information DirectorCHADRON, Neb. – Allison Richards scored a game-high 16 points, Megan Counts logged her first career double-double and the Chadron State women's basketball team earned a statement win over rival Black Hills State by a 60-50 margin Thursday evening at the Chicoine Center.The win snaps a 13-game losing streak for the women's program against the Yellow Jackets, as CSC's last win over the Spearfish school prior to Thursday was back on February 24, 2017. Chadron State improved its record to 4-14 overall and 3-9 in the RMAC. Black Hills State dropped to 11-7 overall and 7-4 in the RMAC. The Yellow Jackets began 6-0 in conference play but have lost three straight and four of their last five.Richards, who scored the second-most points in her Chadron State career Thursday, shot 6-for-8 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range in 29 minutes off the bench. Counts added an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double for the Eagles, setting a career-high in rebounds in the process. Chadron State's offense was the story in the first quarter, with the Eagles coming out of the gate hot and shooting 72 percent (8-11) in the opening period featuring a three from Kyra Tanabe and two threes from Richards to lead 21-12 after 10 minutes. The Eagle defense dominated the second quarter, holding the Yellow Jackets without a field goal as the visitors were 0-14 from the field and scored five points in the second frame, all from the free throw line. Chadron State led 27-17 at halftime. Chadron State withstood a BHSU run in the third period. A 10-0 Yellow Jackets run turned a 12-point Eagle lead into a one-basket lead at 33-31, and Black Hills took the lead for the first time in the second half with a Morgan Hammerbeck three that made it 38-36, BHSU. The Eagles held their nerve, with Richards answering immediately with a three at the other end to put Chadron State back up by one when the third quarter ended. After the Yellow Jackets scored a three-point play to open the fourth quarter, Counts answered with a three-ball to hand the lead right back to CSC. Counts took over, scoring six of eight CSC points as the home team built a 52-46 lead. The Yellow Jackets hung tough, with free throws keeping it a four-point game at 54-50 with 1:38 left, but the Eagles iced it at the line and Black Hills didn't score again.In a statistical quirk, three of the four quarters featured one team outscoring the other 21-12, with the Eagles having the advantage in the first and fourth quarters and Black Hills outscoring CSC by that margin in the third.Chadron State shot 35.8 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from three and 78.9 percent from the line. The Eagles held Black Hills to a season-low 24.1 percent from the field and 17.6 percent from deep. The two teams were tied in points in the paint with 20 apiece, but the Eagles outscored BHSU 33-0 in bench points, led by 16 from Richards and nine from Tanabe. Behind Counts' 10 boards, Bati Assefa and Kylie Krise grabbed six apiece for CSC. The Eagles are off the rest of the week and are home again next week, facing Colorado Christian on Thursday, February 6 and CSU Pueblo on Saturday, February 8.Chadron State— Allison Richards 16, Megan Counts 11, Kyra Tanabe 9, Kylie Krise 6, Ashayla Powers 6, Camren Morris 5, Bati Assefa 3, Olivia Waufle 2, Kadyn Comer 2. Totals: 19-53 FG, 7-17 3PT, 15-19 FT. 60 points, 43 rebounds, 8 assists, 13 turnovers.

It's Over! CSC women snap 13-game losing streak to Black Hills State with 60-50 win

Story by NU Athletic Communication

LINCOLN, Neb. – One of Nebraska’s own is coming home to lead the Nebraska volleyball program. Dani Busboom Kelly was named the fourth head coach in program history on Wednesday by Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen.

Busboom Kelly will succeed her former coach and mentor, John Cook, who announced his retirement on Wednesday after 25 seasons as Nebraska’s head volleyball coach.

A Husker national champion player and assistant coach, Busboom Kelly has spent the last eight years building Louisville into a national power. The Cardinals have reached two NCAA Championship matches, three NCAA Semifinals, five regional finals and have won four ACC titles.

Busboom Kelly has compiled a 203-44 (.822) record in her eight seasons at Louisville, including a 120-15 (.889) mark over the last four years, which is the second-best winning percentage in the country during that span. This past season, the Cardinals reached the NCAA Championship match for the second time in the last three seasons.

“We are excited to welcome Dani and her family back to Lincoln to continue our tradition of excellence in our volleyball program,” Dannen said. “She has demonstrated outstanding leadership at the highest levels of the sport and I am confident that our program will remain among the nation’s elite for years to come. This is a special place that needs an exceptional coach, and we have her. Welcome to Dani and her family!”

Busboom Kelly was the starting libero on Nebraska’s 2006 national championship team, and she was an assistant coach when the Huskers won the 2015 national championship in Omaha. She took the helm at Louisville late in 2016 after being named AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year in her final season as a Husker assistant, and she has guided the Cardinals to heights the program has never experienced.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A Cortland, Neb., native, Busboom Kelly has agreed to a six-year contract to return home to lead her alma mater. She will be formally introduced as the Huskers’ head coach on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The welcome event will be open to the public, with an introductory press conference to follow.

“The opportunity to come home to Nebraska is more than a dream come true,” Busboom Kelly said. “I want to thank Troy Dannen, Dr. Jeffrey Gold, and Kristen Brown for their trust in me to continue the legacy of Nebraska volleyball. A huge thank you to John Cook. I would not be here without his mentorship and support. I’ve gotten chills listening to the roars in the Coliseum and now Devaney since I was nine years old. Nebraska is the greatest place in the world to play volleyball and I am honored to be a part of it once again! My family and I can’t wait to get to work and bring more championships home. Go Big Red!”

In her first season at Louisville in 2017, Busboom Kelly took over a program coming off a 12-18 season and led UofL to a 24-7 record, an ACC title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Picked eighth in the ACC preseason poll, she coached two players to major conference postseason awards, ACC Setter of the Year (Wilma Rivera) and ACC Defensive Player of the Year (Molly Sauer). For her efforts, she was named the AVCA East Region Coach of the Year for the first of four times at Louisville. Following her first season, Busboom Kelly was named the head coach of the U.S. Collegiate National Team Europe Tour, leading them to the gold medal in the European Global Challenge.

The Cardinals continued to improve each season, reaching the NCAA Tournament Second Round in 2018 and the program’s first-ever NCAA Regional Final in 2019. During the shortened 2020-21 season, Busboom Kelly’s Cardinals went 15-3 and won the ACC Championship, and she was named ACC Coach of the Year.

Louisville broke through in a big way in 2021, winning 32 straight matches to begin the season before finishing the year in the NCAA Semifinals for the first time in program history. Busboom Kelly was again named ACC Coach of the Year as well as AVCA National Coach of the Year, as the Cardinals achieved their first No. 1 ranking in program history. She became the first woman in NCAA history to coach an undefeated regular season, and two Louisville players (Tori Dilfer and Anna Stevenson) earned the program’s first-ever AVCA All-America First Team honors.

The Cardinals finished 31-3 in 2022 and reached the NCAA Final for the first time in school history, falling to top-seeded Texas. Busboom Kelly was the ACC Coach of the Year for the third year in a row, as the Cardinals won their third straight ACC title. Claire Chaussee was voted ACC Player of the Year, and Amaya Tillman won the NCAA Elite 90 Award for having the best cumulative GPA at the NCAA Championship.

After going 27-5 in 2023 with another regional final appearance and another ACC Player of the Year honor (Anna DeBeer), the Cardinals began the 2024 season with pressure to get back to the NCAA Semifinals, which were being played at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. Not only did the Cardinals qualify for the NCAA Semifinals in their own city, they also impressively turned aside top-seeded Pittsburgh, 3-1, despite losing their top hitter DeBeer for the tournament early in set four.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prior to her time at Louisville, Busboom Kelly played a vital role on the Husker coaching staff, assisting with Nebraska's setters, liberos, outside hitters and recruiting. Regarded as one of the best recruiters in the nation, Busboom Kelly helped Nebraska's resurgence to the forefront of college volleyball, as the Huskers captured the 2015 NCAA Championship at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, the same place Busboom Kelly won the national title as a player for the Huskers in 2006.

Behind Busboom Kelly’s recruiting efforts, the Huskers' 2013 signing class was ranked No. 1 in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com, and the 2015 class was also a top-five class. From that group Mikaela Foecke went on to become the third freshman to be named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Championship.

Busboom Kelly helped the Huskers to a 134-30 record and NCAA Regional Final appearances in all five seasons. Before joining the Husker staff in 2012, she was an assistant coach at Tennessee from 2009-10, and an assistant coach at Louisville in 2011.

As a captain at Nebraska, Busboom moved from setter to libero in 2006 to help Nebraska’s defense and finished her career as one of only two players to rank among NU’s all-time leaders in both digs (1,281) and assists (2,873). She was a four-year starter for Cook, guiding NU to a 124-10 record, three Big 12 titles, two NCAA Final appearances and a national title in 2006.

Busboom was considered the Big 12’s best libero in 2006, as she helped NU limit opponents to a Big 12-low .144 hitting percentage. She set Nebraska’s single-season digs record (580) in her first year as a libero. She notched her best defensive performance in the NCAA Semifinals against UCLA, totaling a career-high 29 digs, which ranks as the second-best postseason performance in school history.

In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Busboom excelled off the court for the Huskers. She was a 2006 second-team Academic All-District VII selection, while earning six Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll accolades and becoming a three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 honoree. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Nebraska in 2007.

Following her graduation, Busboom spent time with the U.S. Women’s National Training Team before working as a sales representative for an Omaha insurance company. She also worked as a sideline reporter for radio broadcasts of Nebraska volleyball matches on the Husker Sports Network and was an assistant coach with USA Volleyball’s Select A2 Program.

Dani and her husband, former Nebraska football player Lane Kelly, were married in the summer of 2010 and have a son, Boone.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationLINCOLN, Neb. – One of Nebraska’s own is coming home to lead the Nebraska volleyball program. Dani Busboom Kelly was named the fourth head coach in program history on Wednesday by Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen.Busboom Kelly will succeed her former coach and mentor, John Cook, who announced his retirement on Wednesday after 25 seasons as Nebraska’s head volleyball coach.A Husker national champion player and assistant coach, Busboom Kelly has spent the last eight years building Louisville into a national power. The Cardinals have reached two NCAA Championship matches, three NCAA Semifinals, five regional finals and have won four ACC titles.Busboom Kelly has compiled a 203-44 (.822) record in her eight seasons at Louisville, including a 120-15 (.889) mark over the last four years, which is the second-best winning percentage in the country during that span. This past season, the Cardinals reached the NCAA Championship match for the second time in the last three seasons.“We are excited to welcome Dani and her family back to Lincoln to continue our tradition of excellence in our volleyball program,” Dannen said. “She has demonstrated outstanding leadership at the highest levels of the sport and I am confident that our program will remain among the nation’s elite for years to come. This is a special place that needs an exceptional coach, and we have her. Welcome to Dani and her family!”Busboom Kelly was the starting libero on Nebraska’s 2006 national championship team, and she was an assistant coach when the Huskers won the 2015 national championship in Omaha. She took the helm at Louisville late in 2016 after being named AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year in her final season as a Husker assistant, and she has guided the Cardinals to heights the program has never experienced.&nbsp;&nbsp;A Cortland, Neb., native, Busboom Kelly has agreed to a six-year contract to return home to lead her alma mater. She will be formally introduced as the Huskers’ head coach on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The welcome event will be open to the public, with an introductory press conference to follow.“The opportunity to come home to Nebraska is more than a dream come true,” Busboom Kelly said. “I want to thank Troy Dannen, Dr. Jeffrey Gold, and Kristen Brown for their trust in me to continue the legacy of Nebraska volleyball. A huge thank you to John Cook. I would not be here without his mentorship and support. I’ve gotten chills listening to the roars in the Coliseum and now Devaney since I was nine years old. Nebraska is the greatest place in the world to play volleyball and I am honored to be a part of it once again! My family and I can’t wait to get to work and bring more championships home. Go Big Red!”In her first season at Louisville in 2017, Busboom Kelly took over a program coming off a 12-18 season and led UofL to a 24-7 record, an ACC title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Picked eighth in the ACC preseason poll, she coached two players to major conference postseason awards, ACC Setter of the Year (Wilma Rivera) and ACC Defensive Player of the Year (Molly Sauer). For her efforts, she was named the AVCA East Region Coach of the Year for the first of four times at Louisville. Following her first season, Busboom Kelly was named the head coach of the U.S. Collegiate National Team Europe Tour, leading them to the gold medal in the European Global Challenge.The Cardinals continued to improve each season, reaching the NCAA Tournament Second Round in 2018 and the program’s first-ever NCAA Regional Final in 2019. During the shortened 2020-21 season, Busboom Kelly’s Cardinals went 15-3 and won the ACC Championship, and she was named ACC Coach of the Year.Louisville broke through in a big way in 2021, winning 32 straight matches to begin the season before finishing the year in the NCAA Semifinals for the first time in program history. Busboom Kelly was again named ACC Coach of the Year as well as AVCA National Coach of the Year, as the Cardinals achieved their first No. 1 ranking in program history. She became the first woman in NCAA history to coach an undefeated regular season, and two Louisville players (Tori Dilfer and Anna Stevenson) earned the program’s first-ever AVCA All-America First Team honors.The Cardinals finished 31-3 in 2022 and reached the NCAA Final for the first time in school history, falling to top-seeded Texas. Busboom Kelly was the ACC Coach of the Year for the third year in a row, as the Cardinals won their third straight ACC title. Claire Chaussee was voted ACC Player of the Year, and Amaya Tillman won the NCAA Elite 90 Award for having the best cumulative GPA at the NCAA Championship.After going 27-5 in 2023 with another regional final appearance and another ACC Player of the Year honor (Anna DeBeer), the Cardinals began the 2024 season with pressure to get back to the NCAA Semifinals, which were being played at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. Not only did the Cardinals qualify for the NCAA Semifinals in their own city, they also impressively turned aside top-seeded Pittsburgh, 3-1, despite losing their top hitter DeBeer for the tournament early in set four.&nbsp;&nbsp;Prior to her time at Louisville, Busboom Kelly played a vital role on the Husker coaching staff, assisting with Nebraska's setters, liberos, outside hitters and recruiting. Regarded as one of the best recruiters in the nation, Busboom Kelly helped Nebraska's resurgence to the forefront of college volleyball, as the Huskers captured the 2015 NCAA Championship at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, the same place Busboom Kelly won the national title as a player for the Huskers in 2006.Behind Busboom Kelly’s recruiting efforts, the Huskers' 2013 signing class was ranked No. 1 in the nation by PrepVolleyball.com, and the 2015 class was also a top-five class. From that group Mikaela Foecke went on to become the third freshman to be named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Championship.Busboom Kelly helped the Huskers to a 134-30 record and NCAA Regional Final appearances in all five seasons. Before joining the Husker staff in 2012, she was an assistant coach at Tennessee from 2009-10, and an assistant coach at Louisville in 2011.As a captain at Nebraska, Busboom moved from setter to libero in 2006 to help Nebraska’s defense and finished her career as one of only two players to rank among NU’s all-time leaders in both digs (1,281) and assists (2,873). She was a four-year starter for Cook, guiding NU to a 124-10 record, three Big 12 titles, two NCAA Final appearances and a national title in 2006.Busboom was considered the Big 12’s best libero in 2006, as she helped NU limit opponents to a Big 12-low .144 hitting percentage. She set Nebraska’s single-season digs record (580) in her first year as a libero. She notched her best defensive performance in the NCAA Semifinals against UCLA, totaling a career-high 29 digs, which ranks as the second-best postseason performance in school history.In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Busboom excelled off the court for the Huskers. She was a 2006 second-team Academic All-District VII selection, while earning six Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll accolades and becoming a three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 honoree. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Nebraska in 2007.Following her graduation, Busboom spent time with the U.S. Women’s National Training Team before working as a sales representative for an Omaha insurance company. She also worked as a sideline reporter for radio broadcasts of Nebraska volleyball matches on the Husker Sports Network and was an assistant coach with USA Volleyball’s Select A2 Program.Dani and her husband, former Nebraska football player Lane Kelly, were married in the summer of 2010 and have a son, Boone.

Dani Busboom Kelly named Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach

LINCOLN, Neb. - Four-time national champion Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach John Cook, who has won more matches than any Division I volleyball coach this century, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

“I’ve been here for 25 years. That’s a long time to do something. It’s been a great run,” Cook said. “I want to thank my family for their support, and I want to thank Bill Byrne and Terry Pettit for giving me the opportunity to be the Nebraska volleyball coach. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great coaches and staff over the years, and I’m forever grateful for how hard they worked and for how much they gave to Nebraska volleyball.

For me personally, the greatest accomplishment in coaching is seeing former players go into coaching or other careers and taking the lessons they’ve learned from being a Nebraska volleyball player and applying it to their everyday lives. There is no greater reward in coaching than that. Lastly and most importantly, I want to thank the fans for always supporting Nebraska volleyball. I’ve always said to ‘Dream Big’, and we’ve dreamed bigger than any volleyball program in the history of the world.”

Cook spent 32 years as a college head coach - seven at Wisconsin and 25 at Nebraska. Consistent excellence was a hallmark of Cook’s Nebraska teams. Since taking over the program in 2000, Cook guided the Huskers to four national championships, 12 NCAA Semifinals appearances, nine Big 12 titles and five Big Ten titles. He achieved a career record of 883-176 (.834), the fifth-best winning percentage all-time for a Division I volleyball coach. Cook's record of 722-103 at Nebraska is the best winning percentage (.875) for any DI program over the last 25 years.

“John Cook leaves a legacy of excellence that places him alongside a very small group of coaches who can be considered the greatest in college athletics history, regardless of sport,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “John took over one of the nation’s best programs a quarter century ago and elevated it to another level. The national championships, Final Four appearances, conference championships, All-Americans and Olympians speak for themselves, but John’s impact goes beyond the on-court accolades. Behind his vision, Nebraska volleyball has become arguably the most successful women’s program in the country which has helped the sport of volleyball reach a popularity level it has never seen before.”

With Cook at the helm, Nebraska produced numerous individual honors, including five Olympians, a Honda-Broderick Cup winner, three AVCA Division I National Players of the Year, 72 AVCA All-Americans, three Academic All-Americans of the Year, 25 Academic All-Americans and 10 conference players of the year. Nebraska volleyball student-athletes combined for 88 all-conference awards and 155 academic all-conference honors in Cook's program.

Cook lived out his mantra at Nebraska: Dream Big. When he took over the reins of the Nebraska volleyball program in 2000, Cook was replacing one of the sport’s legendary coaches in Terry Pettit, who won 694 matches and guided the Huskers to 18 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and six NCAA Semifinals. Cook, who left an emerging power in Wisconsin to guide the tradition-rich Husker program, had his own vision for Nebraska volleyball. He saw a program that had even more potential to grow.

His goals included consistently selling out home matches at the NU Coliseum, expanding the media exposure for his program and most importantly, continuing the tradition of athletic and academic excellence started by Pettit nearly a quarter of a century earlier. His vision catapulted the program to a new phase in 2013, as the Devaney Center underwent a renovation and became the new home for Nebraska volleyball. Moving to the Devaney Center increased the capacity crowd for Nebraska volleyball matches from 4,125 at the Coliseum to more than 8,300 plus standing room only.

Cook played an instrumental role in helping to expand the program’s visibility throughout the state and the Midwest. Nebraska played a regular-season match in North Platte in 2004, and the team played spring exhibition matches in Kearney, Scottsbluff, Ogallala, Wayne, Grand Island, Norfolk and Central City during Cook’s tenure.

In 2023, Cook took a chance on having his Huskers play a volleyball match outdoors in a football stadium, which was an overwhelming success story as 92,003 people packed Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day in Nebraska on Aug. 30. The event gained worldwide attention as the crowd set a record for the largest to attend a women’s sporting event anywhere in the world. It further cemented Cook's program as the leader in growing the sport. Eleven of the top 12 crowds in NCAA women's volleyball history have been matches featuring Nebraska, all in Cook's tenure.

The vision for Cook was for the Huskers to remain at the forefront of college volleyball to enhance the sport at both the local and national levels. His program did just that, reaching the NCAA Semifinals seven times in the last 10 years, including NCAA Championships in 2015 and 2017. The fan support continues to be unrivaled in the sport, as the Huskers have sold out 337 consecutive regular-season matches since 2001, the longest sellout streak in NCAA women’s athletics history. Since the move to the Devaney Center in 2013, the Huskers have led the nation in attendance every season.

Cook was a three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, earning the prestigious honor in 2000, 2005 and 2023. He is one of only three coaches all-time (Russ Rose and Mary Wise) to be a three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year. Cook was also an eight-time conference coach of the year, including his selection as Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1997 (at Wisconsin), 2016, 2017 and 2023. He was honored in 2008 by USA Volleyball, receiving its All-Time Great Coach Award. In 2017, Cook was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame, joining Pettit as former Husker head coaches in the hall.

“It is a reflection of Nebraska volleyball and the program, and not about one person or one player,” Cook said when accepting the AVCA Coach of the Year Award in 2005. “We’re trying to be a leader in the sport. We’re trying to take risks and dream big, and fortunately I’m surrounded by a lot of people who have that vision."

Cook and his wife, Wendy, are the parents of two children, Lauren and Taylor. Cook has one granddaughter, Madden.

Note to Media: Coach Cook will be available to the media on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in the Hawks Championship Center media room. Media may access the media room beginning at 9:15 a.m. and may work in the room following the completion of the press conference. The press conference will be streamed live on Huskers.com and video will be sent to the media shortly after the completion of the press conference.

Notable Nebraska Seasons Under Head Coach John Cook

• Cook immediately started to create his own legacy after taking over for Pettit in 2000. In his first season at the helm, Cook was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year after guiding the Huskers to a 34-0 record and the 2000 NCAA Championship. The Huskers, who became just the second team in NCAA history to cap an undefeated season with a national title, were ranked No. 1 in the AVCA/USA Today Top 25 poll for 14 straight weeks. Greichaly Cepero earned AVCA National Player of the Year honors.

• In 2006, Cook’s dream was realized, as Husker Nation had an opportunity to see Nebraska raise the bar in college volleyball. From record-setting, sold-out crowds at the Qwest Center Omaha, to a team that maximized its potential in winning the school’s third national title, the Huskers enjoyed a remarkable season. The Huskers entered the 2006 campaign with many questions, as they were forced to replace three All-Americans, including AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling. With four first-year starters on the court, including freshmen at setter and middle blocker, and sky-high expectations with the NCAA Championship in Omaha for the first time, 2006 shaped up to be Cook’s toughest coaching job to date. Nebraska took on all challenges head-on, going 33-1 and becoming only the third team in NCAA history to be ranked No. 1 the entire season. The Huskers went on the road and overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Minnesota to reach the national semifinals, marking the first time that Nebraska had won a regional outside the state. That victory set the stage for a watershed moment in college volleyball. Behind sellout crowds of more than 17,000, the Huskers captured the school’s third national title with victories over No. 4 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford. Four players earned AVCA All-America honors, including Sarah Pavan, who became NU’s first Honda-Broderick Cup winner.

• Two years later in 2008, the NCAA Championship returned to Omaha with another Husker team taking center stage. A then-all-time NCAA attendance record of 17,430 traveled through a winter storm to witness one of the greatest matches in Nebraska’s illustrious history. After dropping the first two sets to No. 1 Penn State, Nebraska fought back, winning the next two sets to hand the Nittany Lions their only set losses of the 2008 season. Although the Huskers were unable to complete the comeback, the performance symbolized a never-say-quit attitude that fueled the team’s success. Despite losing a pair of performers to season-ending injuries, the Huskers went 31-3 and won their fifth consecutive conference title.

• For the third time, the final four returned to Omaha in 2015. And once again, the Huskers made good on their goal to get to Omaha. After home losses to Minnesota and Wisconsin in October, the Huskers dialed in and did not lose a match again in 2015. In fact, only one of the Huskers’ final 16 wins went five sets, and Nebraska did not need five sets to win any NCAA Tournament match for the first time during a championship run. After opening-round wins against Harvard and Wichita State, Nebraska avenged its 2014 regional final loss to BYU by sweeping the Cougars in the Lexington (Kentucky) Regional. The Huskers then knocked off top-ranked Washington, 3-1, in the regional final to reach their destination: Omaha. But the job wasn’t done, as the Huskers turned their goal toward winning the national title for the first time since 2006. Nebraska blew past Kansas, 3-1, in the NCAA Semifinal to set up a winner-take-all match against Texas. The inspired Huskers played their best match of the season to sweep the Longhorns. The attendance for both NU matches (17,551 against Kansas and 17,651 against Texas) set then-NCAA all-time records.

• In 2016, the Huskers won the Big Ten title for the first time since 2011 and finished with a 31-3 record for the program’s best winning percentage (.912) since 2008. Nebraska advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the second straight season. Cook was rewarded for his team’s season, as he was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year and the AVCA North Region Coach of the Year. Nebraska’s four AVCA All-Americans were their most since 2007.

• In 2017, Cook’s Huskers put together one of the most remarkable seasons in school history. Despite losing three AVCA All-Americans to graduation, both assistant coaches to Division I head coaching jobs, and entering the season with eight first-year players in the program, the Huskers defied all odds to win the program’s fifth national title. Nebraska dropped its first two matches of the season but went 32-2 the rest of the way, including a 19-match win streak to end the season. The Huskers avenged one of their early season losses with a 3-1 victory over Florida in the title match in Kansas City in front of a then-NCAA Tournament record crowd of 18,516. The national title capped off a dream season for Cook that also included a Big Ten Championship, a Big Ten Coach of the Year accolade and induction into the AVCA Hall of Fame. Cook joined Russ Rose as the only coaches to win four national titles since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1998. He also became the fourth coach in NCAA history to win four national titles and the third to win four national championships at one school.

• Following up on their 2017 NCAA title, the Huskers weren’t expected to come close to repeating as national champions in 2018 with eight new players - five of them freshmen - and a new assistant coach and a freshman starting at setter. After hitting a rough patch in October that had the Huskers at 16-6 overall and 7-5 in the Big Ten, the Huskers improved more than any other team in his tenure at Nebraska, according to Cook. NU won 13 straight matches to make it to the national championship match for the third time in four years. The seventh-seeded Huskers went down to the wire in five sets with No. 1 Stanford before falling just a few points shy of back-to-back national titles. But for the remarkable season and a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Semifinals - a first in program history - Cook was named the National Coach of the Year by VolleyballMag.com.

• In 2023, Cook coached a team with no seniors to the NCAA Final and a 33-2 final record. The Huskers won the Big Ten Championship, and Cook was named AVCA National Coach of the Year and Big Ten Coach of the Year. With four freshmen in the lineup, the Huskers won their first 27 matches of the season and held the No. 1 ranking from Oct. 23 through the end of the regular season. Cook did more for the growth of the sport of volleyball in 2023 than possibly any other year in his career. Cook took on the challenge of having his Huskers play a volleyball match outdoors in a football stadium, which was an overwhelming success story as 92,003 packed Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day in Nebraska on Aug. 30. The event gained worldwide attention as the crowd set a record for the largest to attend a women’s sporting event anywhere in the world.

• The Huskers repeated as Big Ten champions in 2024, finishing 33-3 overall and 19-1 in Big Ten play. The Huskers reached the NCAA Semifinals for the seventh time in 10 years. NU's 33 wins tied for the most victories by a Husker team since the 2000 national championship team went 34-0, and the Huskers tied the school record with eight victories against top-10 teams.

LINCOLN, Neb. - Four-time national champion Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach John Cook, who has won more matches than any Division I volleyball coach this century, announced his retirement on Wednesday.“I’ve been here for 25 years. That’s a long time to do something. It’s been a great run,” Cook said. “I want to thank my family for their support, and I want to thank Bill Byrne and Terry Pettit for giving me the opportunity to be the Nebraska volleyball coach. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some great coaches and staff over the years, and I’m forever grateful for how hard they worked and for how much they gave to Nebraska volleyball.For me personally, the greatest accomplishment in coaching is seeing former players go into coaching or other careers and taking the lessons they’ve learned from being a Nebraska volleyball player and applying it to their everyday lives. There is no greater reward in coaching than that. Lastly and most importantly, I want to thank the fans for always supporting Nebraska volleyball. I’ve always said to ‘Dream Big’, and we’ve dreamed bigger than any volleyball program in the history of the world.”Cook spent 32 years as a college head coach - seven at Wisconsin and 25 at Nebraska. Consistent excellence was a hallmark of Cook’s Nebraska teams. Since taking over the program in 2000, Cook guided the Huskers to four national championships, 12 NCAA Semifinals appearances, nine Big 12 titles and five Big Ten titles. He achieved a career record of 883-176 (.834), the fifth-best winning percentage all-time for a Division I volleyball coach. Cook's record of 722-103 at Nebraska is the best winning percentage (.875) for any DI program over the last 25 years.“John Cook leaves a legacy of excellence that places him alongside a very small group of coaches who can be considered the greatest in college athletics history, regardless of sport,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “John took over one of the nation’s best programs a quarter century ago and elevated it to another level. The national championships, Final Four appearances, conference championships, All-Americans and Olympians speak for themselves, but John’s impact goes beyond the on-court accolades. Behind his vision, Nebraska volleyball has become arguably the most successful women’s program in the country which has helped the sport of volleyball reach a popularity level it has never seen before.”With Cook at the helm, Nebraska produced numerous individual honors, including five Olympians, a Honda-Broderick Cup winner, three AVCA Division I National Players of the Year, 72 AVCA All-Americans, three Academic All-Americans of the Year, 25 Academic All-Americans and 10 conference players of the year. Nebraska volleyball student-athletes combined for 88 all-conference awards and 155 academic all-conference honors in Cook's program.Cook lived out his mantra at Nebraska: Dream Big. When he took over the reins of the Nebraska volleyball program in 2000, Cook was replacing one of the sport’s legendary coaches in Terry Pettit, who won 694 matches and guided the Huskers to 18 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and six NCAA Semifinals. Cook, who left an emerging power in Wisconsin to guide the tradition-rich Husker program, had his own vision for Nebraska volleyball. He saw a program that had even more potential to grow.His goals included consistently selling out home matches at the NU Coliseum, expanding the media exposure for his program and most importantly, continuing the tradition of athletic and academic excellence started by Pettit nearly a quarter of a century earlier. His vision catapulted the program to a new phase in 2013, as the Devaney Center underwent a renovation and became the new home for Nebraska volleyball. Moving to the Devaney Center increased the capacity crowd for Nebraska volleyball matches from 4,125 at the Coliseum to more than 8,300 plus standing room only.Cook played an instrumental role in helping to expand the program’s visibility throughout the state and the Midwest. Nebraska played a regular-season match in North Platte in 2004, and the team played spring exhibition matches in Kearney, Scottsbluff, Ogallala, Wayne, Grand Island, Norfolk and Central City during Cook’s tenure.In 2023, Cook took a chance on having his Huskers play a volleyball match outdoors in a football stadium, which was an overwhelming success story as 92,003 people packed Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day in Nebraska on Aug. 30. The event gained worldwide attention as the crowd set a record for the largest to attend a women’s sporting event anywhere in the world. It further cemented Cook's program as the leader in growing the sport. Eleven of the top 12 crowds in NCAA women's volleyball history have been matches featuring Nebraska, all in Cook's tenure.The vision for Cook was for the Huskers to remain at the forefront of college volleyball to enhance the sport at both the local and national levels. His program did just that, reaching the NCAA Semifinals seven times in the last 10 years, including NCAA Championships in 2015 and 2017. The fan support continues to be unrivaled in the sport, as the Huskers have sold out 337 consecutive regular-season matches since 2001, the longest sellout streak in NCAA women’s athletics history. Since the move to the Devaney Center in 2013, the Huskers have led the nation in attendance every season.Cook was a three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, earning the prestigious honor in 2000, 2005 and 2023. He is one of only three coaches all-time (Russ Rose and Mary Wise) to be a three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year. Cook was also an eight-time conference coach of the year, including his selection as Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1997 (at Wisconsin), 2016, 2017 and 2023. He was honored in 2008 by USA Volleyball, receiving its All-Time Great Coach Award. In 2017, Cook was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame, joining Pettit as former Husker head coaches in the hall.“It is a reflection of Nebraska volleyball and the program, and not about one person or one player,” Cook said when accepting the AVCA Coach of the Year Award in 2005. “We’re trying to be a leader in the sport. We’re trying to take risks and dream big, and fortunately I’m surrounded by a lot of people who have that vision."Cook and his wife, Wendy, are the parents of two children, Lauren and Taylor. Cook has one granddaughter, Madden.Note to Media: Coach Cook will be available to the media on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in the Hawks Championship Center media room. Media may access the media room beginning at 9:15 a.m. and may work in the room following the completion of the press conference. The press conference will be streamed live on Huskers.com and video will be sent to the media shortly after the completion of the press conference.Notable Nebraska Seasons Under Head Coach John Cook• Cook immediately started to create his own legacy after taking over for Pettit in 2000. In his first season at the helm, Cook was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year after guiding the Huskers to a 34-0 record and the 2000 NCAA Championship. The Huskers, who became just the second team in NCAA history to cap an undefeated season with a national title, were ranked No. 1 in the AVCA/USA Today Top 25 poll for 14 straight weeks. Greichaly Cepero earned AVCA National Player of the Year honors.• In 2006, Cook’s dream was realized, as Husker Nation had an opportunity to see Nebraska raise the bar in college volleyball. From record-setting, sold-out crowds at the Qwest Center Omaha, to a team that maximized its potential in winning the school’s third national title, the Huskers enjoyed a remarkable season. The Huskers entered the 2006 campaign with many questions, as they were forced to replace three All-Americans, including AVCA National Player of the Year Christina Houghtelling. With four first-year starters on the court, including freshmen at setter and middle blocker, and sky-high expectations with the NCAA Championship in Omaha for the first time, 2006 shaped up to be Cook’s toughest coaching job to date. Nebraska took on all challenges head-on, going 33-1 and becoming only the third team in NCAA history to be ranked No. 1 the entire season. The Huskers went on the road and overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat Minnesota to reach the national semifinals, marking the first time that Nebraska had won a regional outside the state. That victory set the stage for a watershed moment in college volleyball. Behind sellout crowds of more than 17,000, the Huskers captured the school’s third national title with victories over No. 4 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford. Four players earned AVCA All-America honors, including Sarah Pavan, who became NU’s first Honda-Broderick Cup winner.• Two years later in 2008, the NCAA Championship returned to Omaha with another Husker team taking center stage. A then-all-time NCAA attendance record of 17,430 traveled through a winter storm to witness one of the greatest matches in Nebraska’s illustrious history. After dropping the first two sets to No. 1 Penn State, Nebraska fought back, winning the next two sets to hand the Nittany Lions their only set losses of the 2008 season. Although the Huskers were unable to complete the comeback, the performance symbolized a never-say-quit attitude that fueled the team’s success. Despite losing a pair of performers to season-ending injuries, the Huskers went 31-3 and won their fifth consecutive conference title.• For the third time, the final four returned to Omaha in 2015. And once again, the Huskers made good on their goal to get to Omaha. After home losses to Minnesota and Wisconsin in October, the Huskers dialed in and did not lose a match again in 2015. In fact, only one of the Huskers’ final 16 wins went five sets, and Nebraska did not need five sets to win any NCAA Tournament match for the first time during a championship run. After opening-round wins against Harvard and Wichita State, Nebraska avenged its 2014 regional final loss to BYU by sweeping the Cougars in the Lexington (Kentucky) Regional. The Huskers then knocked off top-ranked Washington, 3-1, in the regional final to reach their destination: Omaha. But the job wasn’t done, as the Huskers turned their goal toward winning the national title for the first time since 2006. Nebraska blew past Kansas, 3-1, in the NCAA Semifinal to set up a winner-take-all match against Texas. The inspired Huskers played their best match of the season to sweep the Longhorns. The attendance for both NU matches (17,551 against Kansas and 17,651 against Texas) set then-NCAA all-time records.• In 2016, the Huskers won the Big Ten title for the first time since 2011 and finished with a 31-3 record for the program’s best winning percentage (.912) since 2008. Nebraska advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the second straight season. Cook was rewarded for his team’s season, as he was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year and the AVCA North Region Coach of the Year. Nebraska’s four AVCA All-Americans were their most since 2007.• In 2017, Cook’s Huskers put together one of the most remarkable seasons in school history. Despite losing three AVCA All-Americans to graduation, both assistant coaches to Division I head coaching jobs, and entering the season with eight first-year players in the program, the Huskers defied all odds to win the program’s fifth national title. Nebraska dropped its first two matches of the season but went 32-2 the rest of the way, including a 19-match win streak to end the season. The Huskers avenged one of their early season losses with a 3-1 victory over Florida in the title match in Kansas City in front of a then-NCAA Tournament record crowd of 18,516. The national title capped off a dream season for Cook that also included a Big Ten Championship, a Big Ten Coach of the Year accolade and induction into the AVCA Hall of Fame. Cook joined Russ Rose as the only coaches to win four national titles since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1998. He also became the fourth coach in NCAA history to win four national titles and the third to win four national championships at one school.• Following up on their 2017 NCAA title, the Huskers weren’t expected to come close to repeating as national champions in 2018 with eight new players - five of them freshmen - and a new assistant coach and a freshman starting at setter. After hitting a rough patch in October that had the Huskers at 16-6 overall and 7-5 in the Big Ten, the Huskers improved more than any other team in his tenure at Nebraska, according to Cook. NU won 13 straight matches to make it to the national championship match for the third time in four years. The seventh-seeded Huskers went down to the wire in five sets with No. 1 Stanford before falling just a few points shy of back-to-back national titles. But for the remarkable season and a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Semifinals - a first in program history - Cook was named the National Coach of the Year by VolleyballMag.com.• In 2023, Cook coached a team with no seniors to the NCAA Final and a 33-2 final record. The Huskers won the Big Ten Championship, and Cook was named AVCA National Coach of the Year and Big Ten Coach of the Year. With four freshmen in the lineup, the Huskers won their first 27 matches of the season and held the No. 1 ranking from Oct. 23 through the end of the regular season. Cook did more for the growth of the sport of volleyball in 2023 than possibly any other year in his career. Cook took on the challenge of having his Huskers play a volleyball match outdoors in a football stadium, which was an overwhelming success story as 92,003 packed Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day in Nebraska on Aug. 30. The event gained worldwide attention as the crowd set a record for the largest to attend a women’s sporting event anywhere in the world.• The Huskers repeated as Big Ten champions in 2024, finishing 33-3 overall and 19-1 in Big Ten play. The Huskers reached the NCAA Semifinals for the seventh time in 10 years. NU's 33 wins tied for the most victories by a Husker team since the 2000 national championship team went 34-0, and the Huskers tied the school record with eight victories against top-10 teams.

Breaking News: John Cook Announces Retirement After 25 Seasons at Nebraska

🏀 High School Basketball Scoreboard - January 28

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629461621684.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>🏀 High School Basketball Scoreboard - January 28BoysLingle Ft. Laramie, WY 63, Morrill 35Cody-Kilgore 56, Hemingford 53Prairie, CO 56, Potter-Dix 40GirlsLeyton 70, Banner County 10Ainsworth 48, Hyannis 25Lingle Ft. Laramie, WY 58, Morrill 37Prairie, CO 59, Potter-Dix 25

By: Paxton Ritchie CSC Sports Information Director

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Down by 12 with seven-and-a-half minutes to play, Chadron State women's basketball mounted a valiant comeback to take the lead for an instant, but South Dakota Mines answered and clinched a 65-64 home victory over the Eagles Tuesday evening in Rapid City. 

Chadron State's Kyra Tanabe, who led the Eagles with 16 points, converted a layup with 13 seconds to go to put Chadron State up 64-63 for its first lead of the game since 1-0. But the Hardrockers' Savea Mansfield, who led all scorers with 21, scored at the other end to put the home team back up by one and Tanabe's layup attempt as time expired missed. 

The Eagles drop to 3-14 overall and 2-9 in the RMAC with the narrow defeat. With the win, South Dakota Mines moves to 5-13 and 5-6 in conference play. The Eagles and Hardrockers have now split the regular season series, with each team winning at home.

Ashayla Powers finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals while Kylie Krise added 10 points, including a 6-for-6 night from the free throw line, to give CSC three players in double figures. 

The Eagles shot 37.5 percent from the field and 25 percent (5-20) from three. They remained strong free throw shooters, making 17 of 21 attempts from the stripe. 

South Dakota Mines had a better shooting night, finishing 47 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range. Chadron State edged out the Hardrockers in rebounds (33-32) and turnovers (14 to SDM's 15). 

The Hardrockers closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 20-12 lead, led by eight points at halftime (33-25), and were up by 13 at the end of the third quarter (52-39). The Eagles owned the fourth quarter, however, outscoring the Hardrockers 25-13 in the final period to come all the way back from that deficit. 

It happened with Tanabe getting hot, as the redshirt junior scored 14 points in the final frame. After an old-fashioned three-point play by Camren Morris where the junior hit a layup plus a free throw, Tanabe buried back-to-back three-point shots, a sudden 9-0 run that pulled the Eagles within three at 56-53. 

Two Powers free throws made the run 11-0 and got the Eagles within one, and the teams traded baskets after that, with the Hardrockers going up by three on three successive trips down the floor. Each time, the Eagles answered, and Powers was fouled on a putback and hit the free throw to tie the score at 62-62 with 1:49 left. 

The Hardrockers were fouled next possession and went 1-for-2 from the line to take a one-point lead. The two teams traded stops before Tanabe's driving layup gave the Eagles their first lead in 39 minutes and the Hardrockers responded with the game-winning bucket. 

Chadron State returns home to the Chicoine Center, taking on Black Hills State at 5 p.m. on Thursday evening. The Yellow Jackets are 11-6 overall and 7-3 in the RMAC.

Chadron State— Kyra Tanabe 16, Ashayla Powers 14, Kylie Krise 10, Allison Richards 9, Camren Morris 6, Megan Counts 5, Bati Assefa 2, McKenzi Petersen 2. Totals: 21-56 FG, 5-20 3PT, 17-21 FT. 64 points, 33 rebounds, 8 assists, 14 turnovers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738160039830.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Paxton Ritchie CSC Sports Information DirectorRAPID CITY, S.D. – Down by 12 with seven-and-a-half minutes to play, Chadron State women's basketball mounted a valiant comeback to take the lead for an instant, but South Dakota Mines answered and clinched a 65-64 home victory over the Eagles Tuesday evening in Rapid City. Chadron State's Kyra Tanabe, who led the Eagles with 16 points, converted a layup with 13 seconds to go to put Chadron State up 64-63 for its first lead of the game since 1-0. But the Hardrockers' Savea Mansfield, who led all scorers with 21, scored at the other end to put the home team back up by one and Tanabe's layup attempt as time expired missed. The Eagles drop to 3-14 overall and 2-9 in the RMAC with the narrow defeat. With the win, South Dakota Mines moves to 5-13 and 5-6 in conference play. The Eagles and Hardrockers have now split the regular season series, with each team winning at home.Ashayla Powers finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and two steals while Kylie Krise added 10 points, including a 6-for-6 night from the free throw line, to give CSC three players in double figures. The Eagles shot 37.5 percent from the field and 25 percent (5-20) from three. They remained strong free throw shooters, making 17 of 21 attempts from the stripe. South Dakota Mines had a better shooting night, finishing 47 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range. Chadron State edged out the Hardrockers in rebounds (33-32) and turnovers (14 to SDM's 15). The Hardrockers closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 20-12 lead, led by eight points at halftime (33-25), and were up by 13 at the end of the third quarter (52-39). The Eagles owned the fourth quarter, however, outscoring the Hardrockers 25-13 in the final period to come all the way back from that deficit. It happened with Tanabe getting hot, as the redshirt junior scored 14 points in the final frame. After an old-fashioned three-point play by Camren Morris where the junior hit a layup plus a free throw, Tanabe buried back-to-back three-point shots, a sudden 9-0 run that pulled the Eagles within three at 56-53. Two Powers free throws made the run 11-0 and got the Eagles within one, and the teams traded baskets after that, with the Hardrockers going up by three on three successive trips down the floor. Each time, the Eagles answered, and Powers was fouled on a putback and hit the free throw to tie the score at 62-62 with 1:49 left. The Hardrockers were fouled next possession and went 1-for-2 from the line to take a one-point lead. The two teams traded stops before Tanabe's driving layup gave the Eagles their first lead in 39 minutes and the Hardrockers responded with the game-winning bucket. Chadron State returns home to the Chicoine Center, taking on Black Hills State at 5 p.m. on Thursday evening. The Yellow Jackets are 11-6 overall and 7-3 in the RMAC.Chadron State— Kyra Tanabe 16, Ashayla Powers 14, Kylie Krise 10, Allison Richards 9, Camren Morris 6, Megan Counts 5, Bati Assefa 2, McKenzi Petersen 2. Totals: 21-56 FG, 5-20 3PT, 17-21 FT. 64 points, 33 rebounds, 8 assists, 14 turnovers.

WBB: CSC rally falls seconds short after fourth quarter blitz

By: Con Marshall CSC Sports Information

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Chadron State College men's basketball team suffered a setback Tuesday night when South Dakota Mines defeated the Eagles 53-47 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game played in Rapid City.

The game against the Hardrockers featured 10 ties and 10 lead changes. Neither team ever led by more than four points until three seconds remaining in the game, when the Hardrockers made two free throws to extend the lead to six with the Eagles intentionally fouling to stop the clock.

Center Darrius Miles led CSC with 15 points while Zy Wright finished with 10 points and had a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double.  None of the other Eagles scored more than five points.

The Eagles are now 9-10 overall and 5-6 in the RMAC with nine conference games still on the schedule. The win was fourth of the season and the third in six days for South Dakota Mines, who is now 4-15 overall and 4-7 in the RMAC. 

Chadron State finished below their season averages on many of their offensive numbers. They shot just 33.3 percent from the field, some 13 percent below their season figure; were only 4-of-18 from 3-point range for 22 percent, compared to 34.8 percent for the season; and made just 9-of-16 free throws for 56.3 percent, after entering the game with a conference-best 77.6 percent mark from the line. Most of all, their 47 total points scored Tuesday are 29 points below their 76 points per game average for the season. 

South Dakota Mines freshman Mac Terry, who was the game's leading scorer with 17 points, turned the tide by hitting two three-pointers in a row to put his team ahead 44-40 with five minutes remaining. Chadron State's Trey Ballard nailed a three on CSC's next possession to put the Eagles down by one. 

After another minute had elapsed, CSC's Zy Wright made a free throw, but missed the second shot to keep the score tied. Senior guard Dalton Peterson then gave the Eagles a lift by hitting a shot from behind the arc with 2:05 remaining to put the visitors ahead 47-44.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, that was the last time they scored.  None of their final three field goal tries connected and they also missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity down the stretch.

Meanwhile, Terry drove for a layup at the 1:39 mark and then sank his fifth 3-pointer with 35 seconds left to put the Hardrockers ahead for good at 49-47. Four free throws by the home team iced the game and added to the Hardrockers' victory margin. 

Besides Terry's 17 points, another Mines freshman, Tre Dowdell, scored 15 and both senior Keagen Smith and sophomore Abel Hutchinson added eight. The Hardrockers were 19-of-52 from the field for 36.5% and made 9-of-27 of their 3-point shots.

Chadron State returns home Thursday night to take on another rival in Black Hills State, with tip-off slated for 7 p.m. in the Chicoine Center.

Chadron State—Darrius Miles 15, Zy Wright 10, Trey Ballard 5, Julio Phipps 4, Jalen Thomas 4, Zach Smith 4, Dalton Peterson 3, John Jenkins 2. Totals: 17-51 FG (4-18 3PT) 9-16 FT. 47 points, 34 rebounds, 6 assists, 11 turnovers.

South Dakota Mines—Mac Terry 17, Tre Dowdell 15, Keagen Smith 8, Abel Hutchinson 8, Guillem Garcia 5. Totals: 19-52 FG (9-27 3PT) 6-6 FT. 53 points, 30 rebounds, 11 assists, 9 turnovers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738159866391.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationRAPID CITY, S.D. – The Chadron State College men's basketball team suffered a setback Tuesday night when South Dakota Mines defeated the Eagles 53-47 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game played in Rapid City.The game against the Hardrockers featured 10 ties and 10 lead changes. Neither team ever led by more than four points until three seconds remaining in the game, when the Hardrockers made two free throws to extend the lead to six with the Eagles intentionally fouling to stop the clock.Center Darrius Miles led CSC with 15 points while Zy Wright finished with 10 points and had a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. None of the other Eagles scored more than five points.The Eagles are now 9-10 overall and 5-6 in the RMAC with nine conference games still on the schedule. The win was fourth of the season and the third in six days for South Dakota Mines, who is now 4-15 overall and 4-7 in the RMAC. Chadron State finished below their season averages on many of their offensive numbers. They shot just 33.3 percent from the field, some 13 percent below their season figure; were only 4-of-18 from 3-point range for 22 percent, compared to 34.8 percent for the season; and made just 9-of-16 free throws for 56.3 percent, after entering the game with a conference-best 77.6 percent mark from the line. Most of all, their 47 total points scored Tuesday are 29 points below their 76 points per game average for the season. South Dakota Mines freshman Mac Terry, who was the game's leading scorer with 17 points, turned the tide by hitting two three-pointers in a row to put his team ahead 44-40 with five minutes remaining. Chadron State's Trey Ballard nailed a three on CSC's next possession to put the Eagles down by one. After another minute had elapsed, CSC's Zy Wright made a free throw, but missed the second shot to keep the score tied. Senior guard Dalton Peterson then gave the Eagles a lift by hitting a shot from behind the arc with 2:05 remaining to put the visitors ahead 47-44.Unfortunately for the Eagles, that was the last time they scored. None of their final three field goal tries connected and they also missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw opportunity down the stretch.Meanwhile, Terry drove for a layup at the 1:39 mark and then sank his fifth 3-pointer with 35 seconds left to put the Hardrockers ahead for good at 49-47. Four free throws by the home team iced the game and added to the Hardrockers' victory margin. Besides Terry's 17 points, another Mines freshman, Tre Dowdell, scored 15 and both senior Keagen Smith and sophomore Abel Hutchinson added eight. The Hardrockers were 19-of-52 from the field for 36.5% and made 9-of-27 of their 3-point shots.Chadron State returns home Thursday night to take on another rival in Black Hills State, with tip-off slated for 7 p.m. in the Chicoine Center.Chadron State—Darrius Miles 15, Zy Wright 10, Trey Ballard 5, Julio Phipps 4, Jalen Thomas 4, Zach Smith 4, Dalton Peterson 3, John Jenkins 2. Totals: 17-51 FG (4-18 3PT) 9-16 FT. 47 points, 34 rebounds, 6 assists, 11 turnovers.South Dakota Mines—Mac Terry 17, Tre Dowdell 15, Keagen Smith 8, Abel Hutchinson 8, Guillem Garcia 5. Totals: 19-52 FG (9-27 3PT) 6-6 FT. 53 points, 30 rebounds, 11 assists, 9 turnovers.

Points hard to come by for Eagles in upset loss to Hardrockers Tuesday

KEARNEY – Clayton Moore’s teammates call him a “country boy.”

His older sister Samantha Moore often hears a similar term – “ranch tough.”

They’re both references to the siblings’ blue-collar upbringing and the work ethic, determination and discipline they display as University of Nebraska at Kearney basketball players.

“Where we grew up, there’s not much to do but work,” said Clayton, a redshirt freshman at UNK. “And competitiveness kind of comes along with that. Growing up, all you could really do for fun was compete with each other. It was either that or go outside and work. And competing with each other was more enjoyable than throwing hay bales around or fixing windmills.”

Raised on a ranch in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, the Moores have never known a life that didn’t revolve around hard work, humility and sports.

Their parents, Rusty and Jennifer, instilled those values.

They were both standout athletes at Nebraska Wesleyan University, where Jennifer was a volleyball player and five-time All-American in track and field. Rusty also competed in track, earning All-American honors and winning two national championships in the 4×400 relay.

He coached basketball at Mullen High School for 14 years, leading the boys team to its first-ever state title in 2017. Rusty passed away in February 2020 following a two-year battle with brain cancer.

Jennifer taught and coached at Mullen and McPherson County high schools before moving to Alma, where she’s the head volleyball coach and an assistant track coach.

To nobody’s surprise, their children followed in those footsteps.

If they weren’t assisting with chores, the Moore kids were likely challenging each other in some sort of activity.

As youngsters, they played basketball in the house, using tape stuck to the basement wall as a hoop. Later on, those games moved to the driveway, where Clayton and Samantha battled their older brother Lance.

“You can kind of imagine how that went,” Clayton said with a smirk. “Sometimes it got a little rough. I mean, there were no referees out there.”

“I think that’s really where our competitiveness started to grow,” he added.

Although Clayton and Samantha both admit they could have been nicer to each other growing up, that passion and intensity helped fuel their success.

“Over the last couple years, from high school to college, I feel like we’ve grown our friendship,” said Samantha, a senior at UNK. “We’re still competitive, but I feel like we’ve gotten closer.”

Now, if you ask the siblings who the better athlete is, neither will claim that distinction.

Instead, they talk about each other’s accomplishments.

Samantha was a three-sport star at Mullen High School, scoring 1,550 career points in basketball and helping the Broncos finish third in the 2021 Class D2 state tournament. She also led the volleyball team in kills and blocks as a senior and qualified for the Class D state track and field championships in three events, including a runner-up finish in the 100-meter hurdles.

Clayton was equally successful. He averaged 18.1 points and 10.5 rebounds as a senior, earning Class D2 First-Team All-State honors in 2023. Also a three-sport standout, he played quarterback and defensive back for the football team and was a state champion in the 300-meter hurdles and state runner-up in the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump and 4×400 relay.

When the time came to select a college, Samantha was the first family member to break the Wesleyan connection.

“I can be the guilty one,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll take the blame for that.”

Samantha was recruited by former UNK coach Carrie Eighmey, who now leads the women’s basketball program at the University of South Dakota.

“Right when I stepped on campus, I knew this was my place,” Samantha said.

The 6-foot guard/forward battled injuries early in her UNK career and played behind some experienced starters. She appeared in eight games as a freshman and 26 as a sophomore. The Lopers reached the NCAA Division II national tournament both seasons.

Eighmey and her staff left the program in spring 2023, but Samantha remained committed to UNK.

“At the end of the day, I wanted to play somewhere where I felt like I was in a sisterhood and a family,” she explained. “I loved my teammates so much that I didn’t want to leave.”

Drew Johnson, who was hired to replace Eighmey, gives Samantha a lot of credit for embracing the new coaching staff with open arms and creating a positive culture that continues to define the team. He calls her a hardworking, high-octane player.

“Sam is someone who brings a lot of energy to the team, whether she’s on or off the court,” Johnson said. “When she’s playing her best basketball, she’s really energetic and engaged, having fun and cracking jokes. That energy really resonates with our team. It’s a lot of fun to be able to coach her because of that.”

After an injury forced her to miss the early part of the season, Samantha came back strong for the Lopers as a junior. She played in 21 games and started 16 of them, averaging 6.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest.

Those numbers are even better this season. Samantha has started all 18 games for the Lopers, who are 15-3 overall and 8-1 in the MIAA. She averages 10 points and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game while shooting 37% from 3-point range. Her 60 assists and 10 blocks both rank second on the team.

Samantha recorded what was likely the first triple-double in program history on Dec. 16, when she scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in a 95-26 victory over York University.

“She’s been really dynamic for us,” Johnson said. “She shoots the 3 at a high percentage. She’s able to post up smaller guards. And she’s a great defender.

“It doesn’t get a lot better in this world than Sam Moore, and I’m thankful to have gotten a chance to coach her.”

Clayton joined his older sister at UNK in fall 2023.

He liked the location and smaller, close-knit community – “I’m not a big-city guy,” he firmly declared – as well as the opportunity play against top-notch teams.

“As athletes, you want to compete at the highest level you possibly can,” Clayton said. “We were given the chance to compete here at UNK, a Division II university in one of the best conferences in the country.”

Like his sister, Clayton stuck with his commitment after a coaching change. That was good news for first-year head coach Marty Levinson, who was hired by his alma mater in April 2024.

He describes Clayton as hardworking, humble, attentive and selfless – “pretty much all the qualities you would want in a teammate.”

“Even though he’s so young and he doesn’t have a ton of on-court playing experience at the college level, he’s already been a leader for us because of those characteristics,” Levinson said.

Following a redshirt season, Clayton is now an important contributor for Levinson and the Loper men, who are 6-11 overall and 4-5 in the conference. He’s played in all 17 games, starting six of them. The 6-foot-4 guard/forward averages 20 minutes, 5.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest.

Calling him a “pusher” who’s always looking to learn and grow, Levinson expects Clayton’s role to continue to expand.

“He’s going to be a difference maker by the time he’s a junior or senior, even by next year,” the UNK coach said. “He’s been a blessing to have, not just on the floor but because of who he is every day.

“Clayton is much more than just a basketball player. He’s an amazing human being. That doesn’t always show up in the box score, but he’s a big part of our recent success.”

Now that they’re 20 and 22 years old, Clayton and Samantha can fully appreciate their relationship and the benefits of having a sibling to lean on.

They live in the same apartment complex, just south of the Health and Sports Center, and often get together to watch sports or play video games.

“Who wouldn’t want to attend the same school as their sibling, hang out and play the same sport?” Samantha said. “It’s so awesome. When we travel on the road, I get to watch my brother play right after us and he gets to watch me play. I’m beyond grateful. It’s such a blessing.”

“I can’t imagine it any other way now,” Clayton added.

Both recognized on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, Samantha is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unk.edu/academics/ted/elementary-education.php">studying elementary education</a>&nbsp;and Clayton is an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unk.edu/academics/agribusiness/index.php">agribusiness major</a>. She wants to teach in a small town in Nebraska and he plans to return to the family ranch near Tryon.

Those rural roots run too deep to change.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738095362821.jpeg" alt="Mullen natives Samantha and Clayton Moore (UNK Communications)" />
 <figcaption>Mullen natives Samantha and Clayton Moore (UNK Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TYLER ELLYSONUNK CommunicationsKEARNEY – Clayton Moore’s teammates call him a “country boy.”His older sister Samantha Moore often hears a similar term – “ranch tough.”They’re both references to the siblings’ blue-collar upbringing and the work ethic, determination and discipline they display as University of Nebraska at Kearney basketball players.“Where we grew up, there’s not much to do but work,” said Clayton, a redshirt freshman at UNK. “And competitiveness kind of comes along with that. Growing up, all you could really do for fun was compete with each other. It was either that or go outside and work. And competing with each other was more enjoyable than throwing hay bales around or fixing windmills.”Raised on a ranch in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills, the Moores have never known a life that didn’t revolve around hard work, humility and sports.Their parents, Rusty and Jennifer, instilled those values.They were both standout athletes at Nebraska Wesleyan University, where Jennifer was a volleyball player and five-time All-American in track and field. Rusty also competed in track, earning All-American honors and winning two national championships in the 4×400 relay.He coached basketball at Mullen High School for 14 years, leading the boys team to its first-ever state title in 2017. Rusty passed away in February 2020 following a two-year battle with brain cancer.Jennifer taught and coached at Mullen and McPherson County high schools before moving to Alma, where she’s the head volleyball coach and an assistant track coach.To nobody’s surprise, their children followed in those footsteps.<h2>SIBLING RIVALRY</h2>If they weren’t assisting with chores, the Moore kids were likely challenging each other in some sort of activity.As youngsters, they played basketball in the house, using tape stuck to the basement wall as a hoop. Later on, those games moved to the driveway, where Clayton and Samantha battled their older brother Lance.“You can kind of imagine how that went,” Clayton said with a smirk. “Sometimes it got a little rough. I mean, there were no referees out there.”“I think that’s really where our competitiveness started to grow,” he added.Although Clayton and Samantha both admit they could have been nicer to each other growing up, that passion and intensity helped fuel their success.“Over the last couple years, from high school to college, I feel like we’ve grown our friendship,” said Samantha, a senior at UNK. “We’re still competitive, but I feel like we’ve gotten closer.”Now, if you ask the siblings who the better athlete is, neither will claim that distinction.Instead, they talk about each other’s accomplishments.Samantha was a three-sport star at Mullen High School, scoring 1,550 career points in basketball and helping the Broncos finish third in the 2021 Class D2 state tournament. She also led the volleyball team in kills and blocks as a senior and qualified for the Class D state track and field championships in three events, including a runner-up finish in the 100-meter hurdles.Clayton was equally successful. He averaged 18.1 points and 10.5 rebounds as a senior, earning Class D2 First-Team All-State honors in 2023. Also a three-sport standout, he played quarterback and defensive back for the football team and was a state champion in the 300-meter hurdles and state runner-up in the 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump and 4×400 relay.<h2>VERSATILE VETERAN</h2>When the time came to select a college, Samantha was the first family member to break the Wesleyan connection.“I can be the guilty one,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll take the blame for that.”Samantha was recruited by former UNK coach Carrie Eighmey, who now leads the women’s basketball program at the University of South Dakota.“Right when I stepped on campus, I knew this was my place,” Samantha said.The 6-foot guard/forward battled injuries early in her UNK career and played behind some experienced starters. She appeared in eight games as a freshman and 26 as a sophomore. The Lopers reached the NCAA Division II national tournament both seasons.Eighmey and her staff left the program in spring 2023, but Samantha remained committed to UNK.“At the end of the day, I wanted to play somewhere where I felt like I was in a sisterhood and a family,” she explained. “I loved my teammates so much that I didn’t want to leave.”Drew Johnson, who was hired to replace Eighmey, gives Samantha a lot of credit for embracing the new coaching staff with open arms and creating a positive culture that continues to define the team. He calls her a hardworking, high-octane player.“Sam is someone who brings a lot of energy to the team, whether she’s on or off the court,” Johnson said. “When she’s playing her best basketball, she’s really energetic and engaged, having fun and cracking jokes. That energy really resonates with our team. It’s a lot of fun to be able to coach her because of that.”She’s also very versatile.After an injury forced her to miss the early part of the season, Samantha came back strong for the Lopers as a junior. She played in 21 games and started 16 of them, averaging 6.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest.Those numbers are even better this season. Samantha has started all 18 games for the Lopers, who are 15-3 overall and 8-1 in the MIAA. She averages 10 points and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game while shooting 37% from 3-point range. Her 60 assists and 10 blocks both rank second on the team.Samantha recorded what was likely the first triple-double in program history on Dec. 16, when she scored 16 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in a 95-26 victory over York University.“She’s been really dynamic for us,” Johnson said. “She shoots the 3 at a high percentage. She’s able to post up smaller guards. And she’s a great defender.“It doesn’t get a lot better in this world than Sam Moore, and I’m thankful to have gotten a chance to coach her.”<h2>YOUNG LEADER</h2>Clayton joined his older sister at UNK in fall 2023.He liked the location and smaller, close-knit community – “I’m not a big-city guy,” he firmly declared – as well as the opportunity play against top-notch teams.“As athletes, you want to compete at the highest level you possibly can,” Clayton said. “We were given the chance to compete here at UNK, a Division II university in one of the best conferences in the country.”Like his sister, Clayton stuck with his commitment after a coaching change. That was good news for first-year head coach Marty Levinson, who was hired by his alma mater in April 2024.He describes Clayton as hardworking, humble, attentive and selfless – “pretty much all the qualities you would want in a teammate.”“Even though he’s so young and he doesn’t have a ton of on-court playing experience at the college level, he’s already been a leader for us because of those characteristics,” Levinson said.Following a redshirt season, Clayton is now an important contributor for Levinson and the Loper men, who are 6-11 overall and 4-5 in the conference. He’s played in all 17 games, starting six of them. The 6-foot-4 guard/forward averages 20 minutes, 5.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest.Calling him a “pusher” who’s always looking to learn and grow, Levinson expects Clayton’s role to continue to expand.“He’s going to be a difference maker by the time he’s a junior or senior, even by next year,” the UNK coach said. “He’s been a blessing to have, not just on the floor but because of who he is every day.“Clayton is much more than just a basketball player. He’s an amazing human being. That doesn’t always show up in the box score, but he’s a big part of our recent success.”<h2>STRONG BONDS</h2>Now that they’re 20 and 22 years old, Clayton and Samantha can fully appreciate their relationship and the benefits of having a sibling to lean on.They live in the same apartment complex, just south of the Health and Sports Center, and often get together to watch sports or play video games.“Who wouldn’t want to attend the same school as their sibling, hang out and play the same sport?” Samantha said. “It’s so awesome. When we travel on the road, I get to watch my brother play right after us and he gets to watch me play. I’m beyond grateful. It’s such a blessing.”“I can’t imagine it any other way now,” Clayton added.Both recognized on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, Samantha is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unk.edu/academics/ted/elementary-education.php">studying elementary education</a>&nbsp;and Clayton is an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unk.edu/academics/agribusiness/index.php">agribusiness major</a>. She wants to teach in a small town in Nebraska and he plans to return to the family ranch near Tryon.Those rural roots run too deep to change.

Mullen siblings bring competitive nature, ‘ranch toughness’ to UNK basketball

Michael Baker - Alliance Athletic/Activities Director

T 1-21 girls basketball defeats Gordon Rushville 43-36

T 1-21 boys basketball defeats Gordon Rushville 79-31

Th 1-23 boys&nbsp;wrestling&nbsp;defeats Gordon Rushville in a dual 59-19

Sat 1-25 results from girls wrestling at Chadron tournament

girls team results&nbsp;- 7th out of 20 teams

Braylin Gibson, Graci Beals, and Dawsyn Higgins - 5th

Coy Childers, Andrew Benzel, and Trini Trejo - 1st

Jackson Bailey earned his 100th career win last week

M 1-27 reserve basketball at home vs Sidney - girls 4:00, boys 5:30

T 1-28 girls and boys varsity wrestling at home vs Sidney - 6:00

T 1-28 reserve basketball at Gering - girls&nbsp;4:00, boys 5:30 (rescheduled from Sat 1-25)

T 1-28 middle school boys basketball vs Mitchell - 7th home, 8th away - 4:00

W 1-29 FBLA at Chadron State best of the west - 9:00 am

Th 1-30 Western Conference basketball tournament:

#8 Alliance Vs #1 Sidney @ WNCC. Tipoff @ 4:00pm

#3 Alliance Vs #6 Mitchell @ Gering High School. Tipoff scheduled for 5:30pm

Th 1-30 middle school boys basketball vs Chadron - 7th home, 8th away - 4:00

F 1-31 Western Conference basketball tournament - opponent, time and location&nbsp;to be determined

F 1-31 boys wrestling at McCook duals tournament - 2:00 central time

F 1-31 middle school girls wrestling at Mitchell tournament - 1:00

Sat 2-1 Western Conference basketball tournament - opponent, time and location&nbsp;to be determined

Sat 2-1 girls wrestling at Amherst tournament - 9:30 central time

Sat 2-1 speech team at Chadron Invite - 8:00 am

Sat 2-1&nbsp; middle school boys basketball vs Scottsbluff - 7th away, 8th home - 9:00 am&nbsp;&nbsp;

Michael Baker - Alliance Athletic/Activities DirectorHIGHLIGHTS LAST WEEKT 1-21 girls basketball defeats Gordon Rushville 43-36T 1-21 boys basketball defeats Gordon Rushville 79-31Th 1-23 boys&nbsp;wrestling&nbsp;defeats Gordon Rushville in a dual 59-19Sat 1-25 results from girls wrestling at Chadron tournamentgirls team results&nbsp;- 7th out of 20 teamsSurenity&nbsp;Lewis - 1stAvia&nbsp;Raymer - 2ndDaycin Gibson - 4thBraylin Gibson, Graci Beals, and Dawsyn Higgins - 5thboys team results - 3rd placeCoy Childers, Andrew Benzel, and Trini Trejo - 1stHunter Bridges and Wyatt Stabnow - 4thJackson Bailey - 5thJett Childers - 6thColton Johnson - 1st JV divisionAiden Johnson - 3rd JV divisionJackson Bailey earned his 100th career win last weekACTIVITIES THIS WEEKM 1-27 reserve basketball at home vs Sidney - girls 4:00, boys 5:30T 1-28 girls and boys varsity wrestling at home vs Sidney - 6:00T 1-28 reserve basketball at Gering - girls&nbsp;4:00, boys 5:30 (rescheduled from Sat 1-25)T 1-28 middle school boys basketball vs Mitchell - 7th home, 8th away - 4:00W 1-29 FBLA at Chadron State best of the west - 9:00 amTh 1-30 Western Conference basketball tournament:Girls #8 Alliance Vs #1 Sidney @ WNCC. Tipoff @ 4:00pmBoys#3 Alliance Vs #6 Mitchell @ Gering High School. Tipoff scheduled for 5:30pmTh 1-30 middle school boys basketball vs Chadron - 7th home, 8th away - 4:00F 1-31 Western Conference basketball tournament - opponent, time and location&nbsp;to be determinedF 1-31 boys wrestling at McCook duals tournament - 2:00 central timeF 1-31 middle school girls wrestling at Mitchell tournament - 1:00Sat 2-1 Western Conference basketball tournament - opponent, time and location&nbsp;to be determinedSat 2-1 girls wrestling at Amherst tournament - 9:30 central timeSat 2-1 speech team at Chadron Invite - 8:00 amSat 2-1&nbsp; middle school boys basketball vs Scottsbluff - 7th away, 8th home - 9:00 am&nbsp;&nbsp;

Alliance High School Activities Calendar: Week of January 27th

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737982222250.png" alt="Western Conference Boys Bracket" />
 <figcaption>Western Conference Boys Bracket</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737982263625.png" alt="Western Conference Girls" />
 <figcaption>Western Conference Girls</figcaption>
 </figure>

Western Conference High School Basketball bracket

🏀 High School Basketball Scoreboard - January 25

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1641743273540.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>🏀 High School Basketball Scoreboard - January 25BoysBayard 60, Minatare 21Bridgeport 58, Kimball 48Chadron 63, Gordon-Rushville 14Hemingford 65, Crawford 44Leyton 54, Creek Valley 45Garden County 62, South Platte 45Cody-Kilgore 46, Hyannis 38Morrill 53, Hay Springs 51Potter-Dix 64, Banner County 19Scottsbluff 74, Gering 38Edgemont, SD 48, Sioux County 46GirlsHill City, SD 39, Alliance 21Gering 74, Scottsbluff 48Chadron 45, Gordon-Rushville 44Banner County 37, Creek Valley 28Garden County 39, Bayard 34Bridgeport 62, Chase County 36Hay Springs 39, Crawford 26Cody-Kilgore 39, Hemingford 27Morrill 43, Edgemont, SD 35North Platte St. Pat's 45, Kimball 33Potter-Dix 41, Minatare 25South Platte 56, Leyton 47

🏀 High School Basketball Scoreboard - January 25

CHADRON, Neb. – Colorado Mesa showcased the form that saw the Mavericks projected to win the RMAC in this year's preseason poll, defeating Chadron State women's basketball 79-49 Saturday afternoon at the Chicoine Center. 

Megan Counts scored 12 points and Allison Richards added 11 for the Eagles, with Counts, Richards and Liberty Line hitting two three-pointers apiece for Chadron State. 

The loss drops the CSC women to 3-13 overall and 2-8 in RMAC play. Colorado Mesa remains tied for the RMAC lead at 13-4 overall, 8-2 in conference.

Olivia Reed Thyne led the way for CMU, scoring 30 points on 12 of 18 shooting and adding six rebounds and two steals. Reed Thyne, the reigning RMAC Player of the Year, is the daughter of former CSC men's basketball coach Houston Reed and played two seasons at Chadron High School.

The Mavericks took control early and never looked back. CMU raced out to a 13-0 lead, outscored the Eagles 24-8 in the first quarter and led 41-16 at halftime. Chadron State did outscore the Mavericks 18-17 in the third quarter, but CMU further extended their lead in the final period. 

Colorado Mesa shot an even 50 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three (7-19) and 70 percent from the line (14-20). The Mavericks, and in particular Reed, went to work inside and outscored CSC in the paint 42-14 and outrebounded the Eagles 38-27.

Chadron State was 32.6 percent from the field (15-46), 27.3 percent from three (6-22) and 76.5 percent from the line (13-17).

Counts had one of her better games of the year, playing a season-high 27 minutes and finishing with her second-highest point total this season. Counts hit three-pointers for each of Chadron State's first two made field goals of the game and tallied eight of her 12 in the first half. 

Counts and Bati Assefa each finished with six rebounds and two steals, sharing the team lead in those categories. 

Chadron State has a quick turnaround, playing South Dakota Mines next Tuesday in Rapid City before hosting Black Hills State on Thursday in the Chicoine Center at 5 p.m.

Chadron State— Megan Counts 12, Allison Richards 11, Liberty Line 8, Bati Assefa 6, Kylie Krise 5, Ashayla Powers 2, McKenzi Petersen 2, Malorie Byrne 2, Olivia Waufle 1. Totals: 15-46 FG, 6-22 3PT, 13-17 FT. 49 points, 27 rebounds, 9 assists, 19 turnovers.

Colorado Mesa— Olivia Reed Thyne 30, Brooklyn Palmer 14, Mykaela Moore 10, Macy Larsen 9, Riley Hayes 6, Kylie Kravig 4, Lauryn Deede 3, Claire Heitschmidt 1, Serena Ileleji 1, Kailey Page 1. Totals: 29-58 FG, 7-19 3PT, 14-20 FT. 79 points,38 rebounds, 18 assists, 14 turnovers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737908801442.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Paxton Ritchie CSC Sports Information DirectorCHADRON, Neb. – Colorado Mesa showcased the form that saw the Mavericks projected to win the RMAC in this year's preseason poll, defeating Chadron State women's basketball 79-49 Saturday afternoon at the Chicoine Center. Megan Counts scored 12 points and Allison Richards added 11 for the Eagles, with Counts, Richards and Liberty Line hitting two three-pointers apiece for Chadron State. The loss drops the CSC women to 3-13 overall and 2-8 in RMAC play. Colorado Mesa remains tied for the RMAC lead at 13-4 overall, 8-2 in conference.Olivia Reed Thyne led the way for CMU, scoring 30 points on 12 of 18 shooting and adding six rebounds and two steals. Reed Thyne, the reigning RMAC Player of the Year, is the daughter of former CSC men's basketball coach Houston Reed and played two seasons at Chadron High School.The Mavericks took control early and never looked back. CMU raced out to a 13-0 lead, outscored the Eagles 24-8 in the first quarter and led 41-16 at halftime. Chadron State did outscore the Mavericks 18-17 in the third quarter, but CMU further extended their lead in the final period. Colorado Mesa shot an even 50 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from three (7-19) and 70 percent from the line (14-20). The Mavericks, and in particular Reed, went to work inside and outscored CSC in the paint 42-14 and outrebounded the Eagles 38-27.Chadron State was 32.6 percent from the field (15-46), 27.3 percent from three (6-22) and 76.5 percent from the line (13-17).Counts had one of her better games of the year, playing a season-high 27 minutes and finishing with her second-highest point total this season. Counts hit three-pointers for each of Chadron State's first two made field goals of the game and tallied eight of her 12 in the first half. Counts and Bati Assefa each finished with six rebounds and two steals, sharing the team lead in those categories. Chadron State has a quick turnaround, playing South Dakota Mines next Tuesday in Rapid City before hosting Black Hills State on Thursday in the Chicoine Center at 5 p.m.Chadron State— Megan Counts 12, Allison Richards 11, Liberty Line 8, Bati Assefa 6, Kylie Krise 5, Ashayla Powers 2, McKenzi Petersen 2, Malorie Byrne 2, Olivia Waufle 1. Totals: 15-46 FG, 6-22 3PT, 13-17 FT. 49 points, 27 rebounds, 9 assists, 19 turnovers.Colorado Mesa— Olivia Reed Thyne 30, Brooklyn Palmer 14, Mykaela Moore 10, Macy Larsen 9, Riley Hayes 6, Kylie Kravig 4, Lauryn Deede 3, Claire Heitschmidt 1, Serena Ileleji 1, Kailey Page 1. Totals: 29-58 FG, 7-19 3PT, 14-20 FT. 79 points,38 rebounds, 18 assists, 14 turnovers.

Former Chadron HS star dominates in Mesa's blowout win over Chadron State

CHADRON, Neb. – Three Eagles scored in double figures as Chadron State men's basketball survived a late rally to defeat Colorado Mesa 69-67 Saturday evening in Chadron, snapping a 13-game losing streak against the Mavericks. 

The win enables CSC to climb back to .500 as the Eagles are 9-9 overall and 5-5 in the RMAC. Colorado Mesa is also 5-5 in RMAC play and 11-7 overall. The Eagles and Mavericks, along with UCCS and CSU Pueblo, are currently in a four-way tie for sixth in the league standings. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737908671618.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Paxton Ritchie CSC Sports Information DirectorCHADRON, Neb. – Three Eagles scored in double figures as Chadron State men's basketball survived a late rally to defeat Colorado Mesa 69-67 Saturday evening in Chadron, snapping a 13-game losing streak against the Mavericks. The win enables CSC to climb back to .500 as the Eagles are 9-9 overall and 5-5 in the RMAC. Colorado Mesa is also 5-5 in RMAC play and 11-7 overall. The Eagles and Mavericks, along with UCCS and CSU Pueblo, are currently in a four-way tie for sixth in the league standings. Trey Ballard scored 15 points in 30 minutes off the bench to lead the Eagles, who have won two straight and three of their last four. Zy Wright had a well-rounded game with 14 points, nine rebounds and three steals and Julio Phipps added 13 points and five boards.Jalen Thomas was sneakily just shy of a triple-double, finishing with eight points, eight rebounds and nine assists. The Eagles shot 46.7 percent from the floor, 28.6 percent from three and 63.6 percent (7-11) from the line. The Mavericks made 43.8 percent of their overall shots, but CSC forced the visitors into a cold shooting night behind the arc as the Mavericks made just 4 of 26 three-point attempts (15.4 percent). The win is the first by Chadron State over Colorado Mesa since December 5, 2014. The Eagles have had some near misses against CMU at the Chicoine Center in recent years, as each of the previous two meetings in Chadron between the two schools had gone to overtime. The Eagles made just enough plays down the stretch to avoid the same fate this time. Chadron State took an early 11-6 lead, but the Mavericks answered with a 12-0 run to lead 18-11. The Eagles found a run of their own, with jumpers from Jalen Thomas and Julio Phipps, a Thomas steal that led to a Phipps fastbreak dunk and a pull-up Zy Wright three-pointer turning the tide for the hosts, 20-18. From there, Chadron State seemingly had a one-to-two-possession lead for nearly the rest of the game. Colorado Mesa never took the lead, but the Eagles didn't have more than a seven-point advantage in the first half and went to the locker room up by two at 35-33. Chadron State's largest lead of the entire night came with just under two minutes to go as a Wright three followed by layups from Ballard and Thomas turned a 59-57 lead into a nine-point cushion at 66-57 with 1:45 to play. The Mavericks, however, were not done. Colorado Mesa had entered the game winning three consecutive games all by two points or less, and they had designs on another narrow victory. A steal and quick layup on a CSC inbounds pass made it 66-60, and after a couple Ballard free throws, the Mavericks got two baskets sandwiched around a five-second violation by CSC to cut the lead to four. After the Eagles missed the front end of a one-and-one, CMU's Ty Allred hit a three to trim the Eagles lead to one at 68-67 with two seconds left. Phipps was fouled and went to the line, and the New Yorker made the first free throw and missed the second. Lacking a timeout, CMU had to heave the ball the full length of the court at the buzzer and missed, preserving the two-point win. Chadron State will need to maintain its momentum against a pair of regional rivals. The Eagles hit the road this Tuesday to face South Dakota Mines before returning to Chadron Thursday to face Black Hills State at 7 p.m. in the Chicoine Center.Chadron State— Trey Ballard 15, Zy Wright 14, Julio Phipps 13, Dalton Peterson 9, Jalen Thomas 8, Darrius Miles 6, Zach Smith 2, John Jenkins 2. Totals: 28-60 FG, 6-21 3PT, 7-11 FT. 69 points, 37 rebounds, 16 assists, 13 turnovers.Colorado Mesa— Ty Allred 18, Yaak Yaak 17, Will Mortimore 9, Christopher Speller 7, Mason Honeyman 5, Jaylen Pitman 4, Harvey White 4, Austin Thyne 3. Totals: 28-64 FG, 4-26 3PT, 7-10 FT. 67 points, 36 rebounds, 13 assists, 9 turnovers.