Chadron State Volleyball Set to Face No. 20 Colorado School of Mines

Chadron State Volleyball Set to Face No. 20 Colorado School of Mines

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Chadron State Volleyball Closes Out Regular Season Against Ranked Colorado School of Mines

Chadron State College athletics reports that the Eagles are gearing up for the final match of their regular season this Friday, traveling to Golden to face the No. 20-ranked Colorado School of Mines. The squad enters the contest holding a 10-15 overall record and a 3-10 standing in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, having already battled through a conference-leading 55 sets across league play.

The road trip follows a grueling home stretch at the Chicoine Center where the Eagles celebrated Senior Night. Chadroneagles.com notes that the team honored eight graduating seniors: Kiera Alfred, Gibson Beckler, Katie Bell, Cydnie Eskew, Kally Kirkwood, Avery Lacy, Josie Loosvelt, and Naomi Starr. That emotional send-off came right on the heels of a historic five-set victory over Regis, which snapped a 20-year losing streak against a program that had claimed the previous 27 meetings.

Yet the margins in the RMAC remain unforgiving. Just days after upending Regis, Chadron State dropped a tight five-set decision to Colorado Mesa by the minimum two-point margin in the final frame, adding to a mounting tally of close losses. The Eagles have now played eight five-set matches this season, carrying a 2-6 record in those extended contests compared to exactly four five-setters across each of the entire 2024 and 2025 campaigns.

Chadron State Leads Conference in Total Digs

Despite the tough win-loss column in conference play, Chadron State anchors its identity in relentless back-row defense and net play. The Eagles lead the entire RMAC in total digs with 1,654 and digs per set at 16.88, a statistic made more impressive by their heavy workload of conference sets. Avery Lacy paces the back row individually, ranking eighth in the league with 4.32 digs per set while pushing past 1,000 career digs alongside teammate Jillian Donovan, who cleared the 1,000-assist milestone as a sophomore.

At the net, junior transfer Sarah Meservey has altered opposing offenses all autumn. Standing 6-foot-2, the Central Wyoming College transfer leads the RMAC with 131 total blocks, placing her sixth in NCAA Division II. As a team, Chadron State ranks 15th nationally in total blocks with 224, standing firmly as the third-best blocking unit in the conference.

Facing a National Contender in Golden

Friday’s opponent arrives with entirely different stakes. Colorado School of Mines enters the matchup riding a 14-match win streak, boasting a 21-3 overall record and a 10-2 conference mark that keeps them squarely in the hunt for an RMAC regular-season title. Head coach Jamie Magalei’s squad sits at No. 20 in the national AVCA poll, anchored by Jenna McLaughlin, who ranks second in Division II with 1.45 blocks per set and leads the RMAC with a .387 hitting percentage.

For Chadron State, the Friday finale offers a final chance to play spoiler. While MSU Denver holds a one-game lead at the top of the conference standings, a slip-up combined with a late upset by the Eagles could dramatically shift the RMAC championship picture as the postseason looms.

More on Volleyball: Carroll College Volleyball Defeats Montana Tech in Five Sets · Cal Poly Humboldt Volleyball Swept by Cal Poly Pomona in Road Match · Harding Volleyball Beats Arkansas Tech 3-2 to Secure No. 2 GAC Seed

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