By: Paxton Ritchie
CSC Sports Information Director
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Chadron State men's basketball has been picked to finish 14th in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, based on a vote of the league's head coaches. The No. 14 position matches CSC's finish in last year's conference standings.
Black Hills State, the reigning RMAC champions fresh off advancing to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament, were the runaway pick to win the league again in 2026-27. The Yellow Jackets received 12 of 15 first-place votes and finished with 192 points in the poll.
Behind BHSU, CSU Pueblo and Colorado School of Mines were picked second and third, tallying one first-place vote each. The ThunderWolves received nine second-place votes, most of any team, and finished with 178 points while the Orediggers garnered a league-high seven third-place votes plus three second-place votes and finished with 153 points.
Fort Lewis, MSU Denver and Colorado Mesa were next, with CMU grabbing the final first-place vote. Fort Lewis got two second-place votes, while MSU Denver had two third-place votes. Colorado Christian and UCCS tied for seventh and eighth with 111 to grab the final two preseason RMAC placings.
After the top eight, the poll is rounded out by Adams State, New Mexico Highlands, South Dakota Mines, Westminster and Western Colorado ahead of CSC. Regis is picked 15th and last.
In addition, the RMAC released its Preseason All-Conference team, made of the top 10 returning players from last season's All-Conference voting. Black Hills State leads with three selections to that team, while CSU Pueblo, Colorado School of Mines and South Dakota Mines have two apiece.
There is some precedent for Chadron State to surprise under Chris Francis, who begins his third season leading the Eagle men's basketball program. During Francis's first season in charge, the Eagles were picked 15th in preseason, but made the RMAC conference tournament.
The Eagles will have a new look as players who return to Chadron State only combined to start five games for Chadron State last year. Key reserves coming back include Jackson Schauer (.342 3PT) and Collin Nick (.458 FG).
West Point, Nebraska's Konnor Kralik, who started the first two games of the season as a true freshman before missing the rest of the season due to injury, as well as Patric Prince and Caleb Hannah, who missed 2025-26 with offseason injury concerns, are expected back and healthy to contribute to this year's roster.
Beyond the returners, there are 10 new additions to the CSC roster, including two with Division I experience in Patrick Punch (Mississippi Valley State) and Kelton Johnson (University of Louisana Monroe), a Lone Star Conference transfer in Zyon Little (Angelo State and Texas A&M Kingsville) and a Great Northwest Athletic Conference transfer in Ronyo Obou (Saint Martin's).
Chadron State opens its 2026-27 schedule with a road game at Northern State on November 9. Their first home game is against Nebraska-Kearney on November 18 while their RMAC opener is on December 3 against Colorado Mesa at home.