By: Paxton Ritchie
CSC Sports Information Director
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Chadron State volleyball is projected for a 13th-place finish in the RMAC, matching its finish in last season's standings, according to the RMAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll released Tuesday by the league office alongside the Preseason All-RMAC team.
The preseason order is voted on by the league's 15 head coaches, who rank the other 14 programs without voting for their own team. The Preseason All-RMAC team is comprised of the top 14 returning players based on voting totals from last season's all-conference awards.
MSU Denver are the runaway favorites to win the league this season, receiving 13 of a possible 14 first-place votes and finishing with 194 points. The Roadrunners have won the past four regular-season RMAC championships and are currently on a streak of 24 consecutive seasons making the NCAA Tournament. Chadron State was one of only four RMAC teams to take a set off MSU Denver during conference play last season, when the Roadrunners won in four sets in the Chicoine Center last September 21.
Colorado Mesa is second in the poll, earning the final two first-place votes, 11 second-place votes and one third-place vote to finish with 183 points. Colorado Christian, who advanced to the finals of the RMAC Tournament last season, comes in third in the preseason poll with 162 points.
South Dakota Mines, last season's surprise with a third-place regular-season finish, are picked fourth in 2025 with 154 points. The rest of the top 10 features CSU Pueblo, Regis, Westminster, UCCS and Adams State and Colorado School of Mines in a tie for ninth.
Spots 11-13 are incredibly close, with 11th-place Fort Lewis receiving 59 points in the poll, 12th-place Western Colorado receiving 57 and the 13th-place Eagles receiving 55. The poll is rounded out by New Mexico Highlands and Black Hills State.
Led by seventh-year head coach Jennifer Stadler, Chadron State will need to replace both student-athletes that earned All-RMAC recognition last season (libero Alondra Hernandez and middle Aiyana Fujiyama) but still return a solid core of contributors.
The Eagles return each of their top three kill leaders from a season ago in junior Kally Kirkwood (191 kills), senior Alejandra Briseno (181) and sophomore Mataya Ward (156). Former All-RMAC selection and senior Bella Adams will provide leadership and returns after posting 135 kills and 61 blocks in 2024. Junior Avery Lacy, who ranked second on the team behind league leader Hernandez in digs last season with 221, is poised to take over the libero role.
The Eagles will also feature talented newcomers including Shelbi Hazlitt, a transfer from Nebraska-Kearney and Coe College whose father, mother and aunt are all former CSC athletes. Chadron State will also welcome two juco transfers in outside hitter Gibson Beckler (Missouri State-West Plains) and middle hitter Chloe Grady (Western Nebraska CC), plus a freshman class of four that includes Lincoln, Nebraska athletes Jillian Donovan and Shelby Harding.
Chadron State volleyball's 2025 season opens within the friendly confines of the Chicoine Center when CSC hosts the six-team Eagle Classic from September 4-6. RMAC play begins September 19-20, with the Eagles on the road at Colorado Christian and CSU Pueblo, before CSC's RMAC home opener on Friday, September 26 against Fort Lewis. The Eagles will face Western Colorado the following evening, Saturday, September 27, as part of a homecoming doubleheader with CSC football.