Story by NU Athletic Communication

OMAHA, Neb. - The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team went on the road and picked up a 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 24-26, 15-9) victory at No. 18 Creighton on Tuesday night at CHI Health Center Omaha.&nbsp;

The official attendance for the match at CHI Health Center Omaha was 17,675, an NCAA record for an indoor regular-season match.&nbsp;

The Huskers improved to 9-0 on the season heading into their final non-conference match against Arizona on Saturday. Creighton dropped to 5-5, though all five losses are to ranked teams.&nbsp;

Harper Murray had 17 kills and 10 digs, while Virginia Adriano sparked the Big Red with 13 kills on .320 hitting with a pair of aces. Andi Jackson chipped in 13 kills on .400 hitting with four blocks. Taylor Landfair added 12 kills, and Rebekah Allick had seven kills.

Bergen Reilly recorded 43 assists and 19 digs. Reilly moved to No. 6 in school history in career assists in the rally scoring era, passing Rachel Holloway. Olivia Mauch had a career-high 16 digs.&nbsp;

Nebraska hit .250, while Creighton hit .173. Ava Martin led the Jays with 16 kills.&nbsp;

Set 1: Nebraska's first lead came at 8-7 after back-to-back kills by Murray and Jackson. Kills by Landfair, Jackson and Reilly helped the Huskers to a 15-12 lead at the media timeout. Murray tipped a kill from the back row after the break, and the Huskers went up 17-12. Allick added a kill, and Murray and Jackson teamed up for a stuff block to make it 21-15. Murray and Jackson tacked on consecutive kills, and a Landfair kill and Jackson ace ended the set, 25-17.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Set 2: Creighton jumped out to a 3-0 lead, and while the Huskers tied it 3-3, the Bluejays controlled the early portion of the set. CU led 10-7 when Landfair and Allick struck back-to-back kills to cut it to 10-9. But CU answered with a 4-1 run and led 15-11 at the media timeout. The Jays pushed the lead to 17-12 and then 19-13 as the Huskers used their second timeout. Landfair and Murray scored three straight points to cut it to 20-17 and force a Creighton timeout. A service error and attacking error by Creighton let NU within two, and Murray roofed a Bluejay attack to cut the deficit to one, 22-21, as Creighton used its final timeout. But a service error by the Huskers and an ace by the Jays earned them set point, 24-21, and Creighton won 25-21.&nbsp;

Set 3: Adriano and Jackson each had a pair of kills to put NU up 5-3. Allick and Murray recorded kills to make it 10-7. Back-to-back kills by Adriano set off a 9-1 Husker run that made it 19-9. Adriano added another kill before two in a row by Murray, and an ace by Adriano had the Huskers up 19-9. Jackson sent one to the floor for a 20-11 lead, and a block by Allick and Landfair had NU ahead 22-12. Creighton scored four in a row, three via NU hitting errors, to pull within 22-16. A service error ended the CU run, and Adriano's sixth and seventh kills of the set earned the 25-18 win.&nbsp;

Set 4: The Huskers separated from a tightly contested beginning to go up 15-11 after a 4-0 run, keyed by Murray and Landfair kills. The Bluejays answered with a 5-1 run to tie it 16-16, and they claimed an 18-17 lead after a Husker hitting error. The teams traded sideouts for the next five rallies to a 20-20 tie after a block by Murray and Jackson, and Creighton hit wide for a 21-20 Husker advantage. The Bluejays then went under the net to make it 22-20 NU. Creighton answered with three straight points go up 23-22. The teams traded service errors to give CU set point at 24-23, but Reilly and Jackson blocked an attack to even the score. Nebraska attacked wide for another Creighton set point, and Martin terminated for the 26-24 win.&nbsp;

Set 5: Creighton started the set with back-to-back aces. Adriano tallied two kills to get the Huskers even at 3-3. CU led 4-3 when Murray posted back-to-back kills and Creighton hit long for a 6-4 Husker advantage. After a Creighton timeout, Jackson hammered a kill to make it 7-4. Allick found the floor for a 9-5 lead. The Jays got within two, but a hitting error made it 11-8 Big Red, and a tough serve by Teraya Sigler led to Murray's 17th kill for a 12-8 lead. Reilly set Allick for a 13-8 advantage, and Creighton hit long for match point. The Huskers finished off a 15-9 win on an Allick kill. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Up Next: The Huskers host Arizona on Saturday at 8 p.m. at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.&nbsp;

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationOMAHA, Neb. - The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team went on the road and picked up a 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 24-26, 15-9) victory at No. 18 Creighton on Tuesday night at CHI Health Center Omaha.&nbsp;The official attendance for the match at CHI Health Center Omaha was 17,675, an NCAA record for an indoor regular-season match.&nbsp;The Huskers improved to 9-0 on the season heading into their final non-conference match against Arizona on Saturday. Creighton dropped to 5-5, though all five losses are to ranked teams.&nbsp;Harper Murray had 17 kills and 10 digs, while Virginia Adriano sparked the Big Red with 13 kills on .320 hitting with a pair of aces. Andi Jackson chipped in 13 kills on .400 hitting with four blocks. Taylor Landfair added 12 kills, and Rebekah Allick had seven kills.Bergen Reilly recorded 43 assists and 19 digs. Reilly moved to No. 6 in school history in career assists in the rally scoring era, passing Rachel Holloway. Olivia Mauch had a career-high 16 digs.&nbsp;Nebraska hit .250, while Creighton hit .173. Ava Martin led the Jays with 16 kills.&nbsp;Set 1: Nebraska's first lead came at 8-7 after back-to-back kills by Murray and Jackson. Kills by Landfair, Jackson and Reilly helped the Huskers to a 15-12 lead at the media timeout. Murray tipped a kill from the back row after the break, and the Huskers went up 17-12. Allick added a kill, and Murray and Jackson teamed up for a stuff block to make it 21-15. Murray and Jackson tacked on consecutive kills, and a Landfair kill and Jackson ace ended the set, 25-17.&nbsp; &nbsp;Set 2: Creighton jumped out to a 3-0 lead, and while the Huskers tied it 3-3, the Bluejays controlled the early portion of the set. CU led 10-7 when Landfair and Allick struck back-to-back kills to cut it to 10-9. But CU answered with a 4-1 run and led 15-11 at the media timeout. The Jays pushed the lead to 17-12 and then 19-13 as the Huskers used their second timeout. Landfair and Murray scored three straight points to cut it to 20-17 and force a Creighton timeout. A service error and attacking error by Creighton let NU within two, and Murray roofed a Bluejay attack to cut the deficit to one, 22-21, as Creighton used its final timeout. But a service error by the Huskers and an ace by the Jays earned them set point, 24-21, and Creighton won 25-21.&nbsp;Set 3: Adriano and Jackson each had a pair of kills to put NU up 5-3. Allick and Murray recorded kills to make it 10-7. Back-to-back kills by Adriano set off a 9-1 Husker run that made it 19-9. Adriano added another kill before two in a row by Murray, and an ace by Adriano had the Huskers up 19-9. Jackson sent one to the floor for a 20-11 lead, and a block by Allick and Landfair had NU ahead 22-12. Creighton scored four in a row, three via NU hitting errors, to pull within 22-16. A service error ended the CU run, and Adriano's sixth and seventh kills of the set earned the 25-18 win.&nbsp;Set 4: The Huskers separated from a tightly contested beginning to go up 15-11 after a 4-0 run, keyed by Murray and Landfair kills. The Bluejays answered with a 5-1 run to tie it 16-16, and they claimed an 18-17 lead after a Husker hitting error. The teams traded sideouts for the next five rallies to a 20-20 tie after a block by Murray and Jackson, and Creighton hit wide for a 21-20 Husker advantage. The Bluejays then went under the net to make it 22-20 NU. Creighton answered with three straight points go up 23-22. The teams traded service errors to give CU set point at 24-23, but Reilly and Jackson blocked an attack to even the score. Nebraska attacked wide for another Creighton set point, and Martin terminated for the 26-24 win.&nbsp;Set 5: Creighton started the set with back-to-back aces. Adriano tallied two kills to get the Huskers even at 3-3. CU led 4-3 when Murray posted back-to-back kills and Creighton hit long for a 6-4 Husker advantage. After a Creighton timeout, Jackson hammered a kill to make it 7-4. Allick found the floor for a 9-5 lead. The Jays got within two, but a hitting error made it 11-8 Big Red, and a tough serve by Teraya Sigler led to Murray's 17th kill for a 12-8 lead. Reilly set Allick for a 13-8 advantage, and Creighton hit long for match point. The Huskers finished off a 15-9 win on an Allick kill. &nbsp;&nbsp;Up Next: The Huskers host Arizona on Saturday at 8 p.m. at John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.&nbsp;

Huskers hold off No. 18 Creighton in Five Sets

Story by NPCC Athletic Communication

North Platte, Neb. – North Platte Community College volleyball opened Region IX play against No. 5 Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night. The Knights fell in straight sets, 25-14, 25-16, 25-21 to the visiting Plainswomen.

Freshman Makenna Stephenson closed out the night with seven kills on 20 swings. Sophomore Nya Lual recorded six kills, while libero Zoe Maher led the defense with eight digs.

"I saw some glimpses of what we can do, but we need to be more consistent,” said head coach Alexa McCall. "We made some adjustments during the match, but we need to make them quicker.”

The Plainswomen came out firing and surged out to a 13-5 lead in the opening set. The Knights responded with a 3-0 run, but Northeastern held firm limiting NPCC to just 14 points to take a one set lead.

In the second set, the teams traded points early before North Platte took a brief 9-7 lead following a Northeastern attacking error. The Plainswomen quickly answered with a 5-0 run and never looked back, pulling away late to go up two sets.

The third set featured a tight battle, with the teams tied at 11-11. A solo block by Kiera Heaven Loe sparked a decisive run that sealed the sweep for the Plainswomen.

North Platte (6-10) will host Western Nebraska Community College on Friday at 6 p.m. at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium in North Platte.

Story by NPCC Athletic CommunicationNorth Platte, Neb. – North Platte Community College volleyball opened Region IX play against No. 5 Northeastern Junior College on Tuesday night. The Knights fell in straight sets, 25-14, 25-16, 25-21 to the visiting Plainswomen.Freshman Makenna Stephenson closed out the night with seven kills on 20 swings. Sophomore Nya Lual recorded six kills, while libero Zoe Maher led the defense with eight digs."I saw some glimpses of what we can do, but we need to be more consistent,” said head coach Alexa McCall. "We made some adjustments during the match, but we need to make them quicker.”The Plainswomen came out firing and surged out to a 13-5 lead in the opening set. The Knights responded with a 3-0 run, but Northeastern held firm limiting NPCC to just 14 points to take a one set lead.In the second set, the teams traded points early before North Platte took a brief 9-7 lead following a Northeastern attacking error. The Plainswomen quickly answered with a 5-0 run and never looked back, pulling away late to go up two sets.The third set featured a tight battle, with the teams tied at 11-11. A solo block by Kiera Heaven Loe sparked a decisive run that sealed the sweep for the Plainswomen.North Platte (6-10) will host Western Nebraska Community College on Friday at 6 p.m. at the McDonald-Belton Gymnasium in North Platte.

Knights fall to Plainswomen at home

Brady def. South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 25-18, 25-18 (2-0)

Broken Bow def. Wood River 25-18, 25-9 (2-0)

Cozad def. Alma 25-18, 24-26, 25-21 (2-1)

Gothenburg def. North Platte St. Patrick's 25-11, 25-11, 25-19 (3-0)

Grand Island Central Catholic def. Broken Bow 25-21, 16-25, 25-22 (2-1)

Maywood-Hayes Center def. Hershey 22-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-20 (3-1)

Mullen def. Sutherland 25-21, 25-20 (2-0)

North Platte def. Lexington 25-20, 25-16, 25-13 (3-0)

Overton def. Maxwell 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 25-23 (3-1)

Paxton def. Perkins County 25-27, 25-23, 27-25 (2-1)

Paxton def. South Platte 25-9, 25-18 (2-0)

Perkins County def. South Platte 25-22, 25-7 (2-0)

Sandhills/Thedford def. Medicine Valley 25-15, 25-20, 25-14 (3-0)

South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) def. Bertrand 25-19, 25-20 (2-0)

Southwest def. Wauneta-Palisade 25-17, 25-21, 25-16 (3-0)

Sutherland def. Wallace 25-19, 25-19 (2-0)

<h2>Softball</h2> Centura 9 vs Southern Valley/Alma 1Chase County 0 @ Gering 17Gothenburg 1 @ Polk County 11Gothenburg 0 @ Kearney Catholic 10<h2>Volleyball</h2>Brady def. Bertrand 25-23, 25-19 (2-0)Brady def. South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) 25-18, 25-18 (2-0)Broken Bow def. Wood River 25-18, 25-9 (2-0)Cozad def. Alma 25-18, 24-26, 25-21 (2-1)Cozad def. Arapahoe 25-14, 25-21 (2-0)Gothenburg def. North Platte St. Patrick's 25-11, 25-11, 25-19 (3-0)Grand Island Central Catholic def. Broken Bow 25-21, 16-25, 25-22 (2-1)Maywood-Hayes Center def. Hershey 22-25, 25-16, 25-23, 25-20 (3-1)Mullen def. Sutherland 25-21, 25-20 (2-0)Mullen def. Wallace 25-17, 25-10 (2-0)North Platte def. Lexington 25-20, 25-16, 25-13 (3-0)Overton def. Maxwell 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 25-23 (3-1)Paxton def. Perkins County 25-27, 25-23, 27-25 (2-1)Paxton def. South Platte 25-9, 25-18 (2-0)Perkins County def. South Platte 25-22, 25-7 (2-0)Sandhills/Thedford def. Medicine Valley 25-15, 25-20, 25-14 (3-0)South Loup (Callaway/Arnold) def. Bertrand 25-19, 25-20 (2-0)Southwest def. Wauneta-Palisade 25-17, 25-21, 25-16 (3-0)Sutherland def. Wallace 25-19, 25-19 (2-0)<h2>Girls Golf</h2>Hastings Invitational1. Kearney - 3392. North Platte - 3483.Adams Central - 3854. Hastings - 3904. York - 3905. Kearney Catholic - 4676. Sandy Creek - 501<h2>North Platte Individual Results&nbsp;</h2>Allie 81 3rd 
Neeva 86 6th PR 
Janee 90 10th 
Presley 91 13th PR 
Taylor 101

Area High School Sports scores from 9-16

CSC football coach Jay Long and Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins break down the win over Black Hills State, controversial onside kick call, offense explosion in the 1st half, announce this week's Hammer Award and peek ahead to Saturday in Golden.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666116284028.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>CSC football coach Jay Long and Voice of the Eagles Dave Collins break down the win over Black Hills State, controversial onside kick call, offense explosion in the 1st half, announce this week's Hammer Award and peek ahead to Saturday in Golden.<div><iframe title="Jay Long Show - 9/16/25" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=wv3jh-196891e-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1b1b1b&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=c73a3a" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🔊 PODCAST: Jay Long Show - 9/16/25

🏐KNIGHTS GAMEDAY🏐Northeastern Junior CollegeVs.North Platte Community College⌚️:6:00 PM📻: 98.1 FM / 1410 AMhttps://npccknights.com/watch_live

(Volleyball) Northeastern Junior College Vs. North Platte Community College

Medicine Valley def. Creek Valley 25-20, 25-8, 25-14 (3-0)

<h2>Softball</h2>Hershey 7 @ Holyoke, CO 6Hershey 18 @ Holyoke, CO 1Northwest 19 @ North Platte 3<h2>Volleyball</h2>Medicine Valley def. Creek Valley 25-20, 25-8, 25-14 (3-0)

Area High School Sports scores from 9-15

The No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team faces No. 18 Creighton on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at CHI Health Center Omaha.

• Tuesday’s match will air on FS1 and FoxSports.com.

• Huskers Radio Network with John Baylor and Lauren (Cook) West will broadcast all the action on their volleyball affiliate stations, on Huskers.com and on the Huskers App.

• Nebraska is off to an 8-0 start for only the third time in the last 13 years.

• The Huskers’ match against No. 18 Creighton on Tuesday will be the fifth match among NU’s first nine against a ranked team. The Huskers haven’t played that many ranked opponents within the first nine matches since 2007.

• The Huskers rank first in the nation in opponent hitting percentage at .100. NU led the nation in opponent hitting percentage in 2022 and 2023 and was sixth in 2024.

• NU’s offense ranks 10th with a .309 hitting percentage.

• Nebraska is 22-0 this season in sets when reaching the red zone (20 points) first. NU is 2-4 in sets when the opponent reaches the red zone first.

• Over the last five seasons (2021-25), Dani Busboom Kelly has a 126-15 record for an .895 win percentage, which is the best by any Division I head coach in that span.

• Junior outside hitter Harper Murray leads the team with 3.71 kills per set and is hitting .303. Murray averages 2.46 digs per set and has a team-high seven aces.

• Senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick is off to a strong start in her final year as a Husker with 2.65 kills per set on .441 hitting with a team-high 1.43 blocks per set. Allick was named AVCA National Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in the opening week of the season after averaging 2.86 kills and 1.71 blocks per set with a .406 hitting percentage. She was also named MVP of the win over Stanford.

• Junior setter Bergen Reilly paces the Husker attack with 9.35 assists per set, and she also contributes 3.09 digs per set. Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Week for the 10th time in her career after the AVCA First Serve. The Huskers hit .385 against Stanford, their best hitting percentage against a ranked team since 2016.

• Reilly will move to No. 6 in school history in career assists in the rally scoring era with 23 more assists, which will pass Rachel Holloway (2,861).

• Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson is averaging 2.28 kills per set on .303 hitting with 1.16 blocks per set.&nbsp;&nbsp;

• Laney Choboy (3.15 digs per set) and Olivia Mauch (2.39 digs per set) lead the Husker back row.&nbsp;&nbsp;

• The Huskers played three AVCA top 10 teams among their first four matches and went 3-0. The only other time Nebraska played three top 10 teams in the first four matches was 1995. NU went 2-1 against those teams - No. 6 Penn State (won), No. 1 Stanford (lost), No. 4 Pacific (won).

• With its first win of the season on Aug. 22 against Pitt, Nebraska became the first NCAA Division I women’s volleyball program to reach 1,500 all-time wins.

• Creighton enters Tuesday’s match with a 5-4 record. The Bluejays lost to No. 4 Louisville at home on Friday, snapping a 32-match home win streak. Creighton responded with sweeps over Rice and Northern Iowa on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

• Ava Martin leads the Jays with 3.91 kills per set and adds 1.79 digs per set. Kiara Reinhardt contributes 2.48 kills per set.

• Nebraska is 23-0 all-time against Creighton, though two of the matches came in 1980 before the Bluejays dropped their volleyball program for 13 years. Since Creighton’s program returned in 1994, the Huskers are 21-0.

• The teams went five sets last year with Nebraska prevailing 3-2 at the Devaney Center.

• Junior outside hitter Harper Murray was an AVCA Second Team All-American last year, leading the Huskers in kills with 3.40 per set and a team-high 39 service aces. Murray is a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and two-time AVCA All-American.

• Junior setter Bergen Reilly is the first player in Big Ten history to win Big Ten Setter of the Year as both a freshman and sophomore, and she is coming off her second straight AVCA All-America Second Team honor. Reilly averaged 11.08 assists per set in 2024 while leading the Huskers to a .284 hitting percentage, their best since 2016.

• Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson had a breakout year in 2024, earning AVCA All-America First Team and All-Big Ten First Team. Jackson averaged 2.62 kills per set with a .439 hitting percentage, which ranked sixth in the nation. She also put up 1.18 blocks per set.

• Senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick recorded 1.82 kills per set in 2024 with a career-best .357 hitting percentage. She had a team-high 1.43 blocks per set, which ranked third among Big Ten players and 14th nationally. Allick ranks sixth in school history with 415 career blocks entering the 2025 season.

• Senior outside hitter Taylor Landfair returns after starting 20 matches in 2024, averaging 2.49 kills per set.

• Maisie Boesiger, Laney Choboy and Olivia Mauch all return in the back row for the Big Red. Mauch, a sophomore, had 196 digs and 21 aces in her first year as a Husker last season. Choboy, a junior, had 185 digs and 36 set assists. Boesiger, entering her senior season, played in nine matches as a serving sub in 2024.

• Skyler Pierce will look to make an impact at outside hitter after redshirting in her first year at NU. Pierce had an accomplished prep career at Olathe Northwest in Kansas and was the MVP of the Under Armour All-America Game in 2024.

• Eight of the 17 players on the 2025 roster are newcomers.

• Senior opposite hitter Allie Sczech is the lone transfer the Huskers brought in for 2025. Sczech was a two-time All-Big 12 Second Team performer at Baylor, averaging 2.44 kills per set with a .273 hitting percentage in 2024. Sczech posted a career-high 21 kills and hit .463 in Baylor’s NCAA Tournament second round defeat to Dayton last year. She totaled 754 kills in three seasons at Baylor.

• In addition to Sczech, seven freshmen have joined the fold. Campbell Flynn (6-3, Setter), Ryan Hunter (6-2, Opposite Hitter), Keri Leimbach (5-4, Libero) and Teraya Sigler (6-3, Outside Hitter) all enrolled at Nebraska in January. Virginia Adriano (6-5, Opposite Hitter), Kenna Cogill (6-4, Middle Blocker) and Manaia Ogbechie (6-3, Middle Blocker) joined the Huskers in June.

BUSBOOM KELLY DEBUTS AS NEW HEAD COACH&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

• Nebraska native Dani Busboom Kelly was named the fourth head coach in program history on Jan. 29, 2025 by Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen. Busboom Kelly succeeds her former coach and mentor, John Cook, who announced his retirement following the 2024 season after 25 seasons as Nebraska’s head volleyball coach.

• A Husker national champion player and assistant coach, Busboom Kelly spent eight years (2017-24) building Louisville into a national power. The Cardinals reached two NCAA Championship matches, three NCAA Semifinals, five regional finals and won four ACC titles.

• Busboom Kelly compiled a 203-44 (.822) record in her eight seasons at Louisville, including a 120-15 (.889) mark from 2021-24, which was the second-best winning percentage in the country during that span. In 2024, the Cardinals reached the NCAA Championship match for the second time in three seasons.

• 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 guided the Cardinals to heights the program had never experienced.&nbsp;

• Nebraska has won 49 home matches in a row dating back to Dec. 1, 2022, which is the longest active streak in the nation.

• The Huskers’ home win streak is its longest since moving into the Devaney Center in 2013.

• Nebraska’s longest all-time home win streak was 88 matches from 2004-09.

• The Huskers went 22-0 at home in 2024, a school record for home wins in a season.

• Nebraska has won 26 consecutive NCAA Tournament matches played in the Devaney Center, a school record.

REGENTS APPROVE NAMING OF JOHN COOK ARENA

• The home of Nebraska Volleyball will now officially bear the name of one of the legendary coaches in the history of the sport, as the University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved the naming of John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

• Cook retired in January following a remarkable 25-year run as the Huskers’ head coach. He guided the Huskers to four national championships, 12 NCAA Semifinal appearances and 14 conference championships. Cook achieved a career record of 883-176 (.834), the fifth-best winning percentage all-time for a Division I volleyball coach. His record of 722-103 at Nebraska was the best winning percentage (.875) for any DI program from 2000-24.

• In addition to the naming of John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the project also includes a bronze statue honoring Cook on the north side of the Devaney Sports Center. Nationally recognized sculpture artist and Nebraska native George Lundeen has been commissioned to produce the life-size tribute to Cook and his career.

• The court inside John Cook Arena will continue to hold the name of Terry Pettit Court to recognize Cook’s predecessor and fellow Hall of Famer. Additionally, the full athletics complex will continue to be named the Bob Devaney Sports Center in honor of Nebraska Hall of Fame football coach and long-time athletic director Bob Devaney.

• The new John Cook Arena signage and the bronze statue will be dedicated on Thursday, Sept. 18.

• Nebraska volleyball airs on television 24 times this season. The Huskers have 19 national TV appearances on Big Ten Network, FOX, FS1, NBC, ABC and ESPN.&nbsp;

• Additionally, Nebraska Public Media was granted the rights to televise the Red-White Scrimmage (Aug. 9), the Alumni Match (Aug. 16), and three regular-season home matches: Grand Canyon (Sept. 13), Maryland (Sept. 27) and Northwestern (Oct. 24).

• All matches that are televised on Nebraska Public Media are also streamed on B1G+. All home matches and Big Ten road matches not selected for TV are streamed on B1G+.

• NU’s match at Lipscomb is available on ESPN+.

• Four student-athletes from the Nebraska volleyball team were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team after a vote by the league’s 18 head coaches.&nbsp;

• Juniors Andi Jackson, Harper Murray and Bergen Reilly were three of just five unanimous selections to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. They were joined on the 20-player team by senior Rebekah Allick.

• The coaches picked Nebraska as the top team in the preseason poll. The Huskers won their fifth Big Ten title in 2024 with a 19-1 conference record to share the crown with Penn State. Nebraska finished the season at 33-3 and reached the NCAA Semifinals. Penn State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and UCLA rounded out the top five.

• Jackson, a junior middle blocker, had a breakout year in 2024, earning AVCA All-America First Team and unanimous All-Big Ten First Team honors. Jackson averaged 2.62 kills per set with a .439 hitting percentage, which ranked sixth in the nation and fourth in school history. She also put up 1.18 blocks per set.

• Murray, a junior outside hitter, was an AVCA Second Team All-American last year after earning third-team honors as a freshman. Murray led the Huskers in 2024 with 3.40 kills per set and a team-high 39 service aces. She is a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection. Murray was selected to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team last season and was the NCAA Lincoln Regional Most Outstanding Player.

• Reilly, a junior setter, is the first player in Big Ten history to win Big Ten Setter of the Year as both a freshman and sophomore, and she is coming off her second straight AVCA All-America Second Team honor. Reilly averaged 11.08 assists per set in 2024 while leading the Huskers to a .284 hitting percentage, their best since 2016.&nbsp;

• Allick, a senior middle blocker, recorded 1.82 kills per set in 2024 with a career-best .357 hitting percentage. She had a team-high 1.43 blocks per set, which ranked third among Big Ten players and 14th nationally. Allick ranks sixth in school history with 415 career blocks entering the 2025 season. She was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection in 2022 and 2023.

JACKSON, MURRAY, REILLY ON AVCA WATCH LIST

• Andi Jackson, Harper Murray and Bergen Reilly were named to the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List in July. The three Husker juniors are among 30 players who are part of the Player of the Year Watch List.

• The Player of the Year Watch List was compiled by the AVCA Division I Women’s Volleyball Awards Committee. They will also be the group working on the additional phases of the Player of the Year process. Midseason additions to the list will come in October, and the semifinalists will be named in November. Finalists will be announced on Dec. 15, and the Player of the Year Award will be presented in Kansas City at the AVCA Awards Banquet on Friday, Dec. 19.

• Freshman Campbell Flynn was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year on Jan. 10.

• Flynn, a 6-3 setter from Oakland, Mich., was a two-time Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year. She recorded 730 assists and 180 digs in her senior season for Mercy High School, leading the Marlins to a 31-3 record and the Division I regional semifinals in 2024. Flynn also compiled 131 kills, 52 blocks and 36 service aces while posting a .394 hitting percentage at net.

• Flynn was a member of the U.S. U21 Women’s National Team that won the gold medal at the NORCECA Championships in 2024 and was ranked as the nation’s No. 4 overall recruit and top setter recruit in the Class of 2025 by PrepDig.com. Flynn concluded her prep volleyball career, which included a state championship in 2023, with 1,973 assists and 737 kills. She also competed in the Under Armour All-America Game. Off the court, Flynn maintained a 3.94 GPA in the classroom.

• Flynn is the sixth Husker all-time to be named the Gatorade National Player of the Year. The others are Harper Murray (2022-23), Ally Batenhorst (2020-21), Lexi Sun (2016-17), Mikaela Foecke (2014-15) and Gina Mancuso (2008-09).

FLYNN, SIGLER EARN GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• In addition to being named Gatorade National Player of the Year, Campbell Flynn was named the Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year for the second straight year, while fellow Husker newcomer Teraya Sigler was named the Gatorade Arizona Volleyball Player of the Year for the second straight time.

• Sigler, a 6-2 outside hitter from Scottsdale, Ariz., led Horizon High School to a 25-5 record and a fourth straight Conference 5A state championship in 2024. Sigler amassed 619 kills and 354 digs, including 33 kills and 20 digs in the state championship match. She also had 65 service aces and 28 blocks while posting a .398 hitting percentage.

• Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025 by PrepDig.com, Sigler was a member of the U.S. U21 Women’s National Team that won the gold medal at the NORCECA Championships in 2024. She concluded her prep volleyball career with 1,951 kills and 1,128 digs and competed in the Under Armour All-America Game.

• Nebraska finished the 2024 season 33-3 overall and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the second year in a row and seventh time in the last 10 years.

• Nebraska won its 36th all-time conference title and fifth Big Ten title with a 19-1 record in Big Ten play last season. The Huskers went back-to-back as Big Ten champions for the second time, also accomplishing that feat in 2016 and 2017.

• The Huskers’ 29 regular-season wins last year tied the 1983 school record for most wins in a regular season in the NCAA era.

• The Huskers’ 33 wins last season were tied for the most victories by a Husker team since the 2000 national championship team went 34-0.

• The Huskers ranked 11th nationally with a team hitting percentage of .284 in 2024.

• The Huskers ranked sixth nationally and first in the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage at .143 last season. NU led the nation in opponent hitting percentage in 2022 and 2023.

Story by NU Athletic CommunicationThe No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team faces No. 18 Creighton on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at CHI Health Center Omaha.• Tuesday’s match will air on FS1 and FoxSports.com.• Huskers Radio Network with John Baylor and Lauren (Cook) West will broadcast all the action on their volleyball affiliate stations, on Huskers.com and on the Huskers App.ABOUT THE HUSKERS• Nebraska is off to an 8-0 start for only the third time in the last 13 years.• The Huskers’ match against No. 18 Creighton on Tuesday will be the fifth match among NU’s first nine against a ranked team. The Huskers haven’t played that many ranked opponents within the first nine matches since 2007.• The Huskers rank first in the nation in opponent hitting percentage at .100. NU led the nation in opponent hitting percentage in 2022 and 2023 and was sixth in 2024.• NU’s offense ranks 10th with a .309 hitting percentage.• Nebraska is 22-0 this season in sets when reaching the red zone (20 points) first. NU is 2-4 in sets when the opponent reaches the red zone first.• Over the last five seasons (2021-25), Dani Busboom Kelly has a 126-15 record for an .895 win percentage, which is the best by any Division I head coach in that span.• Junior outside hitter Harper Murray leads the team with 3.71 kills per set and is hitting .303. Murray averages 2.46 digs per set and has a team-high seven aces.• Senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick is off to a strong start in her final year as a Husker with 2.65 kills per set on .441 hitting with a team-high 1.43 blocks per set. Allick was named AVCA National Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in the opening week of the season after averaging 2.86 kills and 1.71 blocks per set with a .406 hitting percentage. She was also named MVP of the win over Stanford.• Junior setter Bergen Reilly paces the Husker attack with 9.35 assists per set, and she also contributes 3.09 digs per set. Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Week for the 10th time in her career after the AVCA First Serve. The Huskers hit .385 against Stanford, their best hitting percentage against a ranked team since 2016.• Reilly will move to No. 6 in school history in career assists in the rally scoring era with 23 more assists, which will pass Rachel Holloway (2,861).• Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson is averaging 2.28 kills per set on .303 hitting with 1.16 blocks per set.&nbsp;&nbsp;• Laney Choboy (3.15 digs per set) and Olivia Mauch (2.39 digs per set) lead the Husker back row.&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Huskers played three AVCA top 10 teams among their first four matches and went 3-0. The only other time Nebraska played three top 10 teams in the first four matches was 1995. NU went 2-1 against those teams - No. 6 Penn State (won), No. 1 Stanford (lost), No. 4 Pacific (won).• With its first win of the season on Aug. 22 against Pitt, Nebraska became the first NCAA Division I women’s volleyball program to reach 1,500 all-time wins.SCOUTING CREIGHTON• Creighton enters Tuesday’s match with a 5-4 record. The Bluejays lost to No. 4 Louisville at home on Friday, snapping a 32-match home win streak. Creighton responded with sweeps over Rice and Northern Iowa on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.• Ava Martin leads the Jays with 3.91 kills per set and adds 1.79 digs per set. Kiara Reinhardt contributes 2.48 kills per set.SERIES HISTORY• Nebraska is 23-0 all-time against Creighton, though two of the matches came in 1980 before the Bluejays dropped their volleyball program for 13 years. Since Creighton’s program returned in 1994, the Huskers are 21-0.• The teams went five sets last year with Nebraska prevailing 3-2 at the Devaney Center.RETURNEE RUNDOWN• Junior outside hitter Harper Murray was an AVCA Second Team All-American last year, leading the Huskers in kills with 3.40 per set and a team-high 39 service aces. Murray is a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection and two-time AVCA All-American.• Junior setter Bergen Reilly is the first player in Big Ten history to win Big Ten Setter of the Year as both a freshman and sophomore, and she is coming off her second straight AVCA All-America Second Team honor. Reilly averaged 11.08 assists per set in 2024 while leading the Huskers to a .284 hitting percentage, their best since 2016.• Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson had a breakout year in 2024, earning AVCA All-America First Team and All-Big Ten First Team. Jackson averaged 2.62 kills per set with a .439 hitting percentage, which ranked sixth in the nation. She also put up 1.18 blocks per set.• Senior middle blocker Rebekah Allick recorded 1.82 kills per set in 2024 with a career-best .357 hitting percentage. She had a team-high 1.43 blocks per set, which ranked third among Big Ten players and 14th nationally. Allick ranks sixth in school history with 415 career blocks entering the 2025 season.• Senior outside hitter Taylor Landfair returns after starting 20 matches in 2024, averaging 2.49 kills per set.• Maisie Boesiger, Laney Choboy and Olivia Mauch all return in the back row for the Big Red. Mauch, a sophomore, had 196 digs and 21 aces in her first year as a Husker last season. Choboy, a junior, had 185 digs and 36 set assists. Boesiger, entering her senior season, played in nine matches as a serving sub in 2024.• Skyler Pierce will look to make an impact at outside hitter after redshirting in her first year at NU. Pierce had an accomplished prep career at Olathe Northwest in Kansas and was the MVP of the Under Armour All-America Game in 2024.HUSKERS WELCOME EIGHT NEWCOMERS• Eight of the 17 players on the 2025 roster are newcomers.• Senior opposite hitter Allie Sczech is the lone transfer the Huskers brought in for 2025. Sczech was a two-time All-Big 12 Second Team performer at Baylor, averaging 2.44 kills per set with a .273 hitting percentage in 2024. Sczech posted a career-high 21 kills and hit .463 in Baylor’s NCAA Tournament second round defeat to Dayton last year. She totaled 754 kills in three seasons at Baylor.• In addition to Sczech, seven freshmen have joined the fold. Campbell Flynn (6-3, Setter), Ryan Hunter (6-2, Opposite Hitter), Keri Leimbach (5-4, Libero) and Teraya Sigler (6-3, Outside Hitter) all enrolled at Nebraska in January. Virginia Adriano (6-5, Opposite Hitter), Kenna Cogill (6-4, Middle Blocker) and Manaia Ogbechie (6-3, Middle Blocker) joined the Huskers in June.BUSBOOM KELLY DEBUTS AS NEW HEAD COACH&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Nebraska native Dani Busboom Kelly was named the fourth head coach in program history on Jan. 29, 2025 by Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen. Busboom Kelly succeeds her former coach and mentor, John Cook, who announced his retirement following the 2024 season after 25 seasons as Nebraska’s head volleyball coach.• A Husker national champion player and assistant coach, Busboom Kelly spent eight years (2017-24) building Louisville into a national power. The Cardinals reached two NCAA Championship matches, three NCAA Semifinals, five regional finals and won four ACC titles.• Busboom Kelly compiled a 203-44 (.822) record in her eight seasons at Louisville, including a 120-15 (.889) mark from 2021-24, which was the second-best winning percentage in the country during that span. In 2024, the Cardinals reached the NCAA Championship match for the second time in three seasons.• 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 guided the Cardinals to heights the program had never experienced.&nbsp;HOME SWEET HOME• Nebraska has won 49 home matches in a row dating back to Dec. 1, 2022, which is the longest active streak in the nation.• The Huskers’ home win streak is its longest since moving into the Devaney Center in 2013.• Nebraska’s longest all-time home win streak was 88 matches from 2004-09.• The Huskers went 22-0 at home in 2024, a school record for home wins in a season.• Nebraska has won 26 consecutive NCAA Tournament matches played in the Devaney Center, a school record.REGENTS APPROVE NAMING OF JOHN COOK ARENA• The home of Nebraska Volleyball will now officially bear the name of one of the legendary coaches in the history of the sport, as the University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved the naming of John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.• Cook retired in January following a remarkable 25-year run as the Huskers’ head coach. He guided the Huskers to four national championships, 12 NCAA Semifinal appearances and 14 conference championships. Cook achieved a career record of 883-176 (.834), the fifth-best winning percentage all-time for a Division I volleyball coach. His record of 722-103 at Nebraska was the best winning percentage (.875) for any DI program from 2000-24.• In addition to the naming of John Cook Arena at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the project also includes a bronze statue honoring Cook on the north side of the Devaney Sports Center. Nationally recognized sculpture artist and Nebraska native George Lundeen has been commissioned to produce the life-size tribute to Cook and his career.• The court inside John Cook Arena will continue to hold the name of Terry Pettit Court to recognize Cook’s predecessor and fellow Hall of Famer. Additionally, the full athletics complex will continue to be named the Bob Devaney Sports Center in honor of Nebraska Hall of Fame football coach and long-time athletic director Bob Devaney.• The new John Cook Arena signage and the bronze statue will be dedicated on Thursday, Sept. 18.HUSKERS SET FOR 24 TV BROADCASTS• Nebraska volleyball airs on television 24 times this season. The Huskers have 19 national TV appearances on Big Ten Network, FOX, FS1, NBC, ABC and ESPN.&nbsp;• Additionally, Nebraska Public Media was granted the rights to televise the Red-White Scrimmage (Aug. 9), the Alumni Match (Aug. 16), and three regular-season home matches: Grand Canyon (Sept. 13), Maryland (Sept. 27) and Northwestern (Oct. 24).• All matches that are televised on Nebraska Public Media are also streamed on B1G+. All home matches and Big Ten road matches not selected for TV are streamed on B1G+.• NU’s match at Lipscomb is available on ESPN+.FOUR HUSKERS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN• Four student-athletes from the Nebraska volleyball team were named to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team after a vote by the league’s 18 head coaches.&nbsp;• Juniors Andi Jackson, Harper Murray and Bergen Reilly were three of just five unanimous selections to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. They were joined on the 20-player team by senior Rebekah Allick.• The coaches picked Nebraska as the top team in the preseason poll. The Huskers won their fifth Big Ten title in 2024 with a 19-1 conference record to share the crown with Penn State. Nebraska finished the season at 33-3 and reached the NCAA Semifinals. Penn State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and UCLA rounded out the top five.• Jackson, a junior middle blocker, had a breakout year in 2024, earning AVCA All-America First Team and unanimous All-Big Ten First Team honors. Jackson averaged 2.62 kills per set with a .439 hitting percentage, which ranked sixth in the nation and fourth in school history. She also put up 1.18 blocks per set.• Murray, a junior outside hitter, was an AVCA Second Team All-American last year after earning third-team honors as a freshman. Murray led the Huskers in 2024 with 3.40 kills per set and a team-high 39 service aces. She is a two-time All-Big Ten First Team selection. Murray was selected to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team last season and was the NCAA Lincoln Regional Most Outstanding Player.• Reilly, a junior setter, is the first player in Big Ten history to win Big Ten Setter of the Year as both a freshman and sophomore, and she is coming off her second straight AVCA All-America Second Team honor. Reilly averaged 11.08 assists per set in 2024 while leading the Huskers to a .284 hitting percentage, their best since 2016.&nbsp;• Allick, a senior middle blocker, recorded 1.82 kills per set in 2024 with a career-best .357 hitting percentage. She had a team-high 1.43 blocks per set, which ranked third among Big Ten players and 14th nationally. Allick ranks sixth in school history with 415 career blocks entering the 2025 season. She was an All-Big Ten Second Team selection in 2022 and 2023.JACKSON, MURRAY, REILLY ON AVCA WATCH LIST• Andi Jackson, Harper Murray and Bergen Reilly were named to the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List in July. The three Husker juniors are among 30 players who are part of the Player of the Year Watch List.• The Player of the Year Watch List was compiled by the AVCA Division I Women’s Volleyball Awards Committee. They will also be the group working on the additional phases of the Player of the Year process. Midseason additions to the list will come in October, and the semifinalists will be named in November. Finalists will be announced on Dec. 15, and the Player of the Year Award will be presented in Kansas City at the AVCA Awards Banquet on Friday, Dec. 19.FLYNN NAMED GATORADE NATIONAL POTY• Freshman Campbell Flynn was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year on Jan. 10.• Flynn, a 6-3 setter from Oakland, Mich., was a two-time Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year. She recorded 730 assists and 180 digs in her senior season for Mercy High School, leading the Marlins to a 31-3 record and the Division I regional semifinals in 2024. Flynn also compiled 131 kills, 52 blocks and 36 service aces while posting a .394 hitting percentage at net.• Flynn was a member of the U.S. U21 Women’s National Team that won the gold medal at the NORCECA Championships in 2024 and was ranked as the nation’s No. 4 overall recruit and top setter recruit in the Class of 2025 by PrepDig.com. Flynn concluded her prep volleyball career, which included a state championship in 2023, with 1,973 assists and 737 kills. She also competed in the Under Armour All-America Game. Off the court, Flynn maintained a 3.94 GPA in the classroom.• Flynn is the sixth Husker all-time to be named the Gatorade National Player of the Year. The others are Harper Murray (2022-23), Ally Batenhorst (2020-21), Lexi Sun (2016-17), Mikaela Foecke (2014-15) and Gina Mancuso (2008-09).FLYNN, SIGLER EARN GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR• In addition to being named Gatorade National Player of the Year, Campbell Flynn was named the Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year for the second straight year, while fellow Husker newcomer Teraya Sigler was named the Gatorade Arizona Volleyball Player of the Year for the second straight time.• Sigler, a 6-2 outside hitter from Scottsdale, Ariz., led Horizon High School to a 25-5 record and a fourth straight Conference 5A state championship in 2024. Sigler amassed 619 kills and 354 digs, including 33 kills and 20 digs in the state championship match. She also had 65 service aces and 28 blocks while posting a .398 hitting percentage.• Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025 by PrepDig.com, Sigler was a member of the U.S. U21 Women’s National Team that won the gold medal at the NORCECA Championships in 2024. She concluded her prep volleyball career with 1,951 kills and 1,128 digs and competed in the Under Armour All-America Game.2024 SEASON IN REVIEW• Nebraska finished the 2024 season 33-3 overall and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals for the second year in a row and seventh time in the last 10 years.• Nebraska won its 36th all-time conference title and fifth Big Ten title with a 19-1 record in Big Ten play last season. The Huskers went back-to-back as Big Ten champions for the second time, also accomplishing that feat in 2016 and 2017.• The Huskers’ 29 regular-season wins last year tied the 1983 school record for most wins in a regular season in the NCAA era.• The Huskers’ 33 wins last season were tied for the most victories by a Husker team since the 2000 national championship team went 34-0.• The Huskers ranked 11th nationally with a team hitting percentage of .284 in 2024.• The Huskers ranked sixth nationally and first in the Big Ten in opponent hitting percentage at .143 last season. NU led the nation in opponent hitting percentage in 2022 and 2023.

Husker Volleyball preview at #18 Creighton

By: Con Marshall CSC Sports Information

CHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State College football team built a 21-point halftime lead and executed enough down the stretch to hold off rivals Black Hills State 31-28 and win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener Saturday night at Elliott Field in Chadron.

The Eagles scored on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead, added two more touchdowns in the second quarter to lead 28-7 at halftime, but had to fight for dear life in the second half to remain ahead of the Yellow Jackets, sealing victory after recovering an onside kick with just under two minutes to play.

The victory snapped the Eagles' three-losing streak in the rivalry that dates back to 1912. Each team entered the game with 0-2 records after playing rugged non-conference opponents. 

Chadron State Coach Jay Long called the win "awesome" for his team, but also commended the Yellow Jackets for their exceptional effort in the second half when they threatened to deal the Eagles a heart-breaker.

The Eagles built early momentum, going 82 yards in seven plays and 98 yards in eight plays on their first two drives of the game. After CSC received the kickoff, quarterback DJ Ralph completed four passes for 63 yards and threw a fade to wide receiver Tommy Thomas in the end zone for a three-yard TD.

Soon afterwards, Black Hills punted and forced the Eagles to take possession at their own two.  They got out of the hole on the second play from scrimmage when redshirt freshman running back Quincey Ryker broke loose on a 56-yard romp. CSC had a couple more good-sized gains before Ralph ran the final nine yards to the end zone to make it 14-0 with 3:52 left in the opening quarter. 

Early in the second frame, Black Hills went 79 yards in 10 plays to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Luke Duby completed three passes for 38 yards and chipped in a 15-yard run, but the Yellow Jackets mixed in plenty of Wildcat snaps to running back Danny Davis, who scored the touchdown on a direct snap from center and went the last 15 yards to cut the Eagles' lead in half.

After a Ryker 42-yard run on the Eagles' ensuing possession was erased by a penalty, CSC had to punt the ball away. Black Hills took over on its own 30, but on the first play, Duby's short pass was intercepted by CSC linebacker Logan O'Brien, who was blitzing on the play, caught the ball at full stride and took it to the end zone for his team's third touchdown. It was the first turnover forced this season by the Chadron State defense and the first defensive TD, one year after they ranked fifth in all of Division II with five. 

Chadron State scored again with just 11 seconds left before halftime when Ralph threw a two-yard pass to tight end Preston Pearson in the corner of the end zone after the CSC quarterback had hit Devon Sundgren with a 27-yard strike down the middle of the field. That drive was a 70-yarder in 10 plays.

The Eagles had a 28-7 lead and 244 yards of total offense at halftime. They added just 50 yards and three points in the second half while Black Hills rolled up 254 yards and 21 points in the game's final 30 minutes.

The Jackets got their second TD midway in the third quarter when alternate quarterback Kade Weber ran the final eight yards to cap a 50-yard drive. They also scored on the first play of the fourth frame by capping an 11-play, 98-yard drive when Duby connected with his favorite target, TJ Chukwurah, on a 43-yard strike to make the score 28-21. 

In between those BHSU touchdowns, Ralph exited the game while on a rushing play, and the graduate student from San Diego did not return to action. Alternate quarterback Aidan Thompson took over and directed a 10-play, 53-yard march that took nearly six minutes off the clock and led to Wilson Yee's 29-yard field goal with nine minutes left to play. Those three points ended up being the margin of victory.  

The Yellow Jackets got two more possessions after CSC went ahead 31-21. The first drive covered 72 yards and reached the Eagles' 11-yard line, but was stopped there on fourth down with five minutes left to play.

A couple minutes later, the South Dakota team cashed in on its second late opportunity. A 53-yard pass from Duby to Chukwurah, the RMAC's leading passing duo entering the game, was the major reason, with CSC safety Tucker Peterson finally stopping the Jackets' star at the CSC three. Two plays later, the Jackets scored on a three-yard Duby to Davis toss that made the score 31-28 with 1:54 seconds left to play and the Yellow Jackets out of timeouts.

Chadron State thought they had sealed the game when BHSU's first onside kick did not go the required 10 yards and was jumped on by linebacker Liam Blaser, but the officials said that one of them had blown an inadvertent whistle during the play and allowed the Yellow Jackets to re-kick. This time, the squib traveled 17 yards, with wide receiver Tommy Thomas corralling it and enabling the Eagles to kneel out the clock for a hard-fought win.

Black Hills finished with 380 total net yards and the Eagles with 294. The visitors also ran 77 plays and had possession of the ball 37 minutes and 13 seconds while the hosts had 56 plays and owned the ball just 22:47.

Twenty-six penalties were called, 14 of them against the Yellow Jackets for 140 yards and 12 against the Eagles for 141 yards.

Ralph had completed 16 of 25 passes for 152 yards before he left the game. Preston Pearson was CSC's top receiver with five catches for 70 yards. Ryker had nine rushes for 60 yards.

CSC safety Sutton Pohlman was the game's leading tackler with 10, followed by Logan O'Brien with eight stops to go with his dramatic interception that he turned into a touchdown.  

For Black Hills, Duby completed 24 of 33 passes for 229 yards with Chukwurah catching seven of them for 147 yards. Davis was the Black Hils' leading rusher with 11 carries for 72 yards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757896202554.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationCHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State College football team built a 21-point halftime lead and executed enough down the stretch to hold off rivals Black Hills State 31-28 and win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener Saturday night at Elliott Field in Chadron.The Eagles scored on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead, added two more touchdowns in the second quarter to lead 28-7 at halftime, but had to fight for dear life in the second half to remain ahead of the Yellow Jackets, sealing victory after recovering an onside kick with just under two minutes to play.The victory snapped the Eagles' three-losing streak in the rivalry that dates back to 1912. Each team entered the game with 0-2 records after playing rugged non-conference opponents. Chadron State Coach Jay Long called the win "awesome" for his team, but also commended the Yellow Jackets for their exceptional effort in the second half when they threatened to deal the Eagles a heart-breaker.The Eagles built early momentum, going 82 yards in seven plays and 98 yards in eight plays on their first two drives of the game. After CSC received the kickoff, quarterback DJ Ralph completed four passes for 63 yards and threw a fade to wide receiver Tommy Thomas in the end zone for a three-yard TD.Soon afterwards, Black Hills punted and forced the Eagles to take possession at their own two. They got out of the hole on the second play from scrimmage when redshirt freshman running back Quincey Ryker broke loose on a 56-yard romp. CSC had a couple more good-sized gains before Ralph ran the final nine yards to the end zone to make it 14-0 with 3:52 left in the opening quarter. Early in the second frame, Black Hills went 79 yards in 10 plays to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Luke Duby completed three passes for 38 yards and chipped in a 15-yard run, but the Yellow Jackets mixed in plenty of Wildcat snaps to running back Danny Davis, who scored the touchdown on a direct snap from center and went the last 15 yards to cut the Eagles' lead in half.After a Ryker 42-yard run on the Eagles' ensuing possession was erased by a penalty, CSC had to punt the ball away. Black Hills took over on its own 30, but on the first play, Duby's short pass was intercepted by CSC linebacker Logan O'Brien, who was blitzing on the play, caught the ball at full stride and took it to the end zone for his team's third touchdown. It was the first turnover forced this season by the Chadron State defense and the first defensive TD, one year after they ranked fifth in all of Division II with five. Chadron State scored again with just 11 seconds left before halftime when Ralph threw a two-yard pass to tight end Preston Pearson in the corner of the end zone after the CSC quarterback had hit Devon Sundgren with a 27-yard strike down the middle of the field. That drive was a 70-yarder in 10 plays.The Eagles had a 28-7 lead and 244 yards of total offense at halftime. They added just 50 yards and three points in the second half while Black Hills rolled up 254 yards and 21 points in the game's final 30 minutes.The Jackets got their second TD midway in the third quarter when alternate quarterback Kade Weber ran the final eight yards to cap a 50-yard drive. They also scored on the first play of the fourth frame by capping an 11-play, 98-yard drive when Duby connected with his favorite target, TJ Chukwurah, on a 43-yard strike to make the score 28-21. In between those BHSU touchdowns, Ralph exited the game while on a rushing play, and the graduate student from San Diego did not return to action. Alternate quarterback Aidan Thompson took over and directed a 10-play, 53-yard march that took nearly six minutes off the clock and led to Wilson Yee's 29-yard field goal with nine minutes left to play. Those three points ended up being the margin of victory. The Yellow Jackets got two more possessions after CSC went ahead 31-21. The first drive covered 72 yards and reached the Eagles' 11-yard line, but was stopped there on fourth down with five minutes left to play.A couple minutes later, the South Dakota team cashed in on its second late opportunity. A 53-yard pass from Duby to Chukwurah, the RMAC's leading passing duo entering the game, was the major reason, with CSC safety Tucker Peterson finally stopping the Jackets' star at the CSC three. Two plays later, the Jackets scored on a three-yard Duby to Davis toss that made the score 31-28 with 1:54 seconds left to play and the Yellow Jackets out of timeouts.Chadron State thought they had sealed the game when BHSU's first onside kick did not go the required 10 yards and was jumped on by linebacker Liam Blaser, but the officials said that one of them had blown an inadvertent whistle during the play and allowed the Yellow Jackets to re-kick. This time, the squib traveled 17 yards, with wide receiver Tommy Thomas corralling it and enabling the Eagles to kneel out the clock for a hard-fought win.Black Hills finished with 380 total net yards and the Eagles with 294. The visitors also ran 77 plays and had possession of the ball 37 minutes and 13 seconds while the hosts had 56 plays and owned the ball just 22:47.Twenty-six penalties were called, 14 of them against the Yellow Jackets for 140 yards and 12 against the Eagles for 141 yards.Ralph had completed 16 of 25 passes for 152 yards before he left the game. Preston Pearson was CSC's top receiver with five catches for 70 yards. Ryker had nine rushes for 60 yards.CSC safety Sutton Pohlman was the game's leading tackler with 10, followed by Logan O'Brien with eight stops to go with his dramatic interception that he turned into a touchdown. For Black Hills, Duby completed 24 of 33 passes for 229 yards with Chukwurah catching seven of them for 147 yards. Davis was the Black Hils' leading rusher with 11 carries for 72 yards.

CSC holds off Black Hills State to open RMAC play with Battle for the Buckle victory

North Platte St. Patrick's 51 vs Kimball 8

Bertrand 78 vs. Brady 24Bridgeport 55 vs. Sandhills Valley 14Broken Bow 28 vs St. Paul 7Chase County 49 @ Gordon-Rushville 30Cozad 17 @ Ogallala 12Gothenburg 15 vs Adams Central 9Norfolk 41 @ North Platte 13North Platte St. Patrick's 51 vs Kimball 8Paxton 56 vs Minatare 6Perkins County 26 vs South Loup 22South Platte 32 vs. Wallace 66Southwest 42 @ Arthur County 18

Area Football Scores from 9-12

MANKATO, Minn. – Chadron State volleyball earned two wins in style Friday at the Maverick Invite, hosted by Minnesota State, as the Eagles swept Upper Iowa 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 before another three-set win over Minnesota-Crookston by nearly identical scores of 25-20, 25-21, 25-22. 

The two wins raise Chadron State's record to 3-4 on the season. The 2025 Eagles are already halfway to matching last season's win total before first serve of the RMAC conference season. 

Mataya Ward had two games with double-digit kills while Kally Kirkwood posted a team-high 15 in the Crookston win. Avery Lacy continued her season-long streak of double-digit digs in every contest while Gibson Beckler had a Chadron State career-high of 21 digs in CSC's second match of the day.

Against Upper Iowa, the Eagles fell behind 3-0 and remained in the set until a kill from Ward tied the score 17-17. Chadron State took the lead with a four-point run featuring two kills from Adams, one from Kirkwood and one from Ward. The Peacocks tried to catch up but fell short when the set ended 25-22 with a kill from Hazlitt. 

The Eagles carried their momentum through the second set, opening up a four-point lead to start the period. Chadron State kept a narrow lead through the set until the Peacocks tied the score 16-16. The two schools continued to stay within two points of each other before the Eagles took the last three points of the set with two kills from Ward and one from Gibson Beckler, ending the set 25-21. 

Chadron State quickly took the lead in the third set and leaned on Mataya Ward, who racked up six kills in the third frame alone. Upper Iowa made their last attempt to stay in the match with a three point run that cut the Eagle lead to 23-22, but Ward's sixth kill and an attack error sealed the sweep.

Ward led the team with 17 kills against the Peacocks, followed by Kally Kirkwood and Bella Adams with eight. Shelby Harding and Ward also led the team with two aces each. Shelbi Hazlitt led the team with four blocks, followed by Ward and Adams with three. 

The Eagles then faced Minnesota-Crookston, a team entering at 5-0 with four wins from a classic in New Hampshire and an earlier win against the same Upper Iowa side. Minnesota-Crookston, whose nickname is the Golden Eagles, took an early 5-2 lead in the first set before a 6-2 CSC run with two kills from Bella Adams, two from Kirkwood and two attack errors put the Eagles in front. The Eagles took control of the set with a decisive 4-0 run holding a 21-20 lead, with Shelbi Hazlitt and Ward hammering home kills before an Avery Lacy ace and a Ward/Adams combo black helped CSC seal its fourth set win in a row. 

The other two sets were similarly hard-fought, but the Eagles executed down the stretch to win both sets and emerge unscathed. The Eagles swung the second set with a 6-0 run to turn a 15-9 deficit into a tie game, featuring back-to-back aces from Gibson Beckler. Another 4-0 run gave the Eagles a 22-18 lead and a kill by Ward finished it off. 

The third and final set featured a 10-1 CSC scoring run that allowed the Eagles to open a 14-5 lead as Ward, Adams and Beckler all had multiple kills. Although the Golden Eagles whittled down the lead and fought all the way back to tie the score 22-22, a service error handed the side out back to CSC and a Minnesota-Crookston attack error and Kirkwood kill closed out the match. 

Against Minnesota-Crookston, Kirkwood led with 15 kills while Ward had 10. Bella Adams smashed home nine kills with just one hitting error and a .421 hitting percentage. While Avery Lacy racked up 15 digs, Beckler emerged with 21 to become the first player other than Lacy to lead the team in a single game. 

The Eagles will play early at 9 a.m. MT against No. 22 Northern State, who previously swept CSC last weekend in Chadron.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757771493006.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: CSC Sports InformationMANKATO, Minn. – Chadron State volleyball earned two wins in style Friday at the Maverick Invite, hosted by Minnesota State, as the Eagles swept Upper Iowa 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 before another three-set win over Minnesota-Crookston by nearly identical scores of 25-20, 25-21, 25-22. The two wins raise Chadron State's record to 3-4 on the season. The 2025 Eagles are already halfway to matching last season's win total before first serve of the RMAC conference season. Mataya Ward had two games with double-digit kills while Kally Kirkwood posted a team-high 15 in the Crookston win. Avery Lacy continued her season-long streak of double-digit digs in every contest while Gibson Beckler had a Chadron State career-high of 21 digs in CSC's second match of the day.Against Upper Iowa, the Eagles fell behind 3-0 and remained in the set until a kill from Ward tied the score 17-17. Chadron State took the lead with a four-point run featuring two kills from Adams, one from Kirkwood and one from Ward. The Peacocks tried to catch up but fell short when the set ended 25-22 with a kill from Hazlitt. The Eagles carried their momentum through the second set, opening up a four-point lead to start the period. Chadron State kept a narrow lead through the set until the Peacocks tied the score 16-16. The two schools continued to stay within two points of each other before the Eagles took the last three points of the set with two kills from Ward and one from Gibson Beckler, ending the set 25-21. Chadron State quickly took the lead in the third set and leaned on Mataya Ward, who racked up six kills in the third frame alone. Upper Iowa made their last attempt to stay in the match with a three point run that cut the Eagle lead to 23-22, but Ward's sixth kill and an attack error sealed the sweep.Ward led the team with 17 kills against the Peacocks, followed by Kally Kirkwood and Bella Adams with eight. Shelby Harding and Ward also led the team with two aces each. Shelbi Hazlitt led the team with four blocks, followed by Ward and Adams with three. The Eagles then faced Minnesota-Crookston, a team entering at 5-0 with four wins from a classic in New Hampshire and an earlier win against the same Upper Iowa side. Minnesota-Crookston, whose nickname is the Golden Eagles, took an early 5-2 lead in the first set before a 6-2 CSC run with two kills from Bella Adams, two from Kirkwood and two attack errors put the Eagles in front. The Eagles took control of the set with a decisive 4-0 run holding a 21-20 lead, with Shelbi Hazlitt and Ward hammering home kills before an Avery Lacy ace and a Ward/Adams combo black helped CSC seal its fourth set win in a row. The other two sets were similarly hard-fought, but the Eagles executed down the stretch to win both sets and emerge unscathed. The Eagles swung the second set with a 6-0 run to turn a 15-9 deficit into a tie game, featuring back-to-back aces from Gibson Beckler. Another 4-0 run gave the Eagles a 22-18 lead and a kill by Ward finished it off. The third and final set featured a 10-1 CSC scoring run that allowed the Eagles to open a 14-5 lead as Ward, Adams and Beckler all had multiple kills. Although the Golden Eagles whittled down the lead and fought all the way back to tie the score 22-22, a service error handed the side out back to CSC and a Minnesota-Crookston attack error and Kirkwood kill closed out the match. Against Minnesota-Crookston, Kirkwood led with 15 kills while Ward had 10. Bella Adams smashed home nine kills with just one hitting error and a .421 hitting percentage. While Avery Lacy racked up 15 digs, Beckler emerged with 21 to become the first player other than Lacy to lead the team in a single game. The Eagles will play early at 9 a.m. MT against No. 22 Northern State, who previously swept CSC last weekend in Chadron.

🏐 Eagles sweep through Upper Iowa, Minnesota-Crookston Friday

🏈 Week 3 - Western Nebraska High School Football - Scoreboard

◼ Bridgeport at Sandhills Valley - 6:00 (MT) in Tryon, NE

◼ Chase County 49 @ Gordon-Rushville 30

◼ North Platte St. Patrick's 51 vs Kimball 8

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599863764079.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>🏈 Week 3 - Western Nebraska High School Football - ScoreboardThursday, September 11◼ Garden County 73 @ Medicine Valley 6Friday, September 12◼ Gering 28 @ Alliance 6&nbsp;◼ Chadron 32 @ Mitchell 26◼ Scottsbluff 56 vs Crete 0◼ Cozad 17 @ Ogallala 12◼ Sidney 40 @ Holdrege 7◼ Bridgeport at Sandhills Valley - 6:00 (MT) in Tryon, NE◼ Chase County 49 @ Gordon-Rushville 30◼ North Platte St. Patrick's 51 vs Kimball 8◼ Hemingford 64 vs Bayard 0◼ Hyannis 56 @ Morrill 0◼ Potter-Dix 63 @ Hay Springs 36◼ Leyton 85 vs Crawford 38◼ Paxton 56 vs Minatare 6◼ South Platte at Wallace - 7:00 MT

🏈 Week 3 - Western Nebraska High School Football - Scoreboard

Grand Island Central Catholic 42 vs Hershey 0

Dundy County Stratton 48 vs Sutherland 0Garden County 73 @ Medicine Valley 6Grand Island Central Catholic 42 vs Hershey 0Hitchcock County 68 vs Franklin 6

Area High School Football scores from 9-11

Two winless, but hungry, football teams will be colliding Saturday evening when the Chadron State Eagles host the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets at Elliott Field in Chadron. Kickoff will be at 6 o’clock. It will be the 81st time the teams from the institutions have met on the gridiron. 

                Both teams are 0-2, but have shown promise against tough opponents and each will be going all out  to launch its RMAC schedule with a victory.

                The Eagles have fallen 17-3 to Division I Northern Colorado and lost to Nebraska-Kearney 41-21 last Saturday night, but have out-gained their foes 639 to 597 yards.

                Meanwhile, Black Hills has given two tough teams all they wanted.  Sioux Falls edged the Yellow Jackets 27-21 in their opener, and national-ranked and perennial-power Grand Valley State of Michigan won by just 48-36 over the Jackets last Saturday in Grand Rapids.

                Grand Valley won its first game 45-9 while Sioux Falls defeated arch-rival Northern State 42-28 in its second game.

                What can fans expect Saturday night?  It may be an aerial circus.

                In its two games, Black Hills has rushed for just 79 yards, but quarterback Luke Duby has completed 62 of 87 passes (71.3%) for 607 yards.  Duby, a 6-3, 220-pound fifth-year senior, has a favorite target.

                He’s TJ Chukwurah, a 5-11, 190-pound junior, who has already caught 22 passes for 291 yards and six touchdowns.  Statistically, both Duby and Chukwurah are leading the RMAC by significant margins after all the teams have played two non-conference foes.

                Chukwurah has played against the Eagles in two previous games. In 2022, he caught one pass for 28 yards and the next year one for 16.  He did not play against the Eagles in last year’s game at Spearfish in late October, but has been a terror for the opponents so far in 2025.

                In the game at Grand Valley last Saturday, both teams went wild through the air and barely moved the ball on the ground.  Black Hills got just 21 yards rushing and the Michigan team only 44.

                However, the Yellow Jackets completed 38 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to Chukwurah, who caught a dozen tosses for 182 yards. Grand Valley completed 23 of 34 passes for 392 yards and four TDs. Eleven Lakers caught passes. Five of them had catches that were at least 29 yards long.

                Last year’s Chadron State-Black Hills State game also featured lots of passing, particularly by the Eagles. They definitely had difficulty rushing against the Yellow Jackets, earning just two net positive yards on the ground when sacks and losses are factored in. CSC’s two running backs combined to carry 20 times for just 33 yards.

                Thus, the Eagles were forced to throw the ball.  Quarterback DJ Ralph completed 33 of 47 passes for 408 yards.  It was 10th time a CSC quarterback had thrown for more than 400 yards, but it took a toll on Ralph.  He was sacked five times for 44 negative yards and it was the last game he played in 2024 before having surgery to repair his left shoulder.

                Ralph has returned as the Eagles’ primary quarterback and has thrown the ball well when he’s protected, but he has frequently been under siege.  So far, he has competed 32 of 57 tosses for 367 yards, but has been intercepted three times and has been sacked eight times, including five by Kearney, in the two contests. 

                Last year, the Eagles outgained the Jackets 410 to 279, but lost 21-18 when Black Hills running back Cameron Goods broke loose on a 45-yard jaunt and scored with 2:46 left to play. 

                Goods, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior, is still playing.  So far this season, he has carried 16 times for 46 yards.  Danny Davis, a 6-2, 215 junior, leads the team with 13 rushes for 62 yards.

                CSC’s top ball rushers so far have been junior transfer Daytuawn Pearson with 16 carries for 107 yards and redshirt freshman Quincey Ryker with 26 totes for 103 yards.              

                The Chadron State-Black Hills series dates back to 1912, the second year Chadron State was in operation.  Although the rivalry was interrupted by both World War I and II, the football teams generally met annually and sometimes twice a year in the 1920s until 1952. That’s when an 11-year lull began for reasons no one can explain since the institutions are just 150 miles apart and had similar enrollments.

                Beginning in 1964 and through 1995, the Eagles and the Yellow Jackets met on the gridiron every autumn.  In the early ‘90s, Chadron State joined the RMAC and soon was playing a full slate of conference games. So, beginning in 1996, the CSC-BHSU rivalry was suspended again until 2012 when the Yellow Jackets also became a conference member.

                CSC has won eight of the 12 games since then and holds a 60-18-2 margin in the all-time series. But the Yellow Jackets have won the last three games. Prior to last year’s donnybrook, when the Eagles missed two field goals and an extra point and also lined up for another field goal, but problems with the snap and hold kept the ball from being kicked,  Black Hills won 32-23 in 2022 and 55-19 in ’23 when the Jackets finished with 556 yards of offense and threw for five touchdowns. 

                As most fans know, Chadron State Head Coach Jay Long and Black Hills mentor Josh Breske are well acquainted. Beske was a four-year starter in the Yellow Jackets’ offensive line 2006 through 2009.  Long was the Jackets’ offensive line coach the first three years and the head coach when Breske was a senior and earned NAIA All-American honors.  Breske was the first All-American that Long coached.

                After three years as the Jackets’ head mentor, Long returned to his alma mater as Chadron State’s head coach in 2012.  That fall, Breske joined the Eagles’ coaching staff as a graduate assistant and earned his master’s degree from CSC in 2013.            

                Breske became Black Hills State’s head coach in December 2019.  Because of the COVID pandemic, the Yellow Jackets played just two games in the fall of 2000, neither of them against CSC as both that were scheduled ended up being canceled.   Black Hills had a 4-7 record in 2021, reversed that mark the next year and has finished 6-5 each of the last two seasons.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757612799453.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By: Con Marshall CSC Sports InformationTwo winless, but hungry, football teams will be colliding Saturday evening when the Chadron State Eagles host the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets at Elliott Field in Chadron. Kickoff will be at 6 o’clock. It will be the 81st time the teams from the institutions have met on the gridiron. Both teams are 0-2, but have shown promise against tough opponents and each will be going all out to launch its RMAC schedule with a victory. The Eagles have fallen 17-3 to Division I Northern Colorado and lost to Nebraska-Kearney 41-21 last Saturday night, but have out-gained their foes 639 to 597 yards. Meanwhile, Black Hills has given two tough teams all they wanted. Sioux Falls edged the Yellow Jackets 27-21 in their opener, and national-ranked and perennial-power Grand Valley State of Michigan won by just 48-36 over the Jackets last Saturday in Grand Rapids. Grand Valley won its first game 45-9 while Sioux Falls defeated arch-rival Northern State 42-28 in its second game. What can fans expect Saturday night? It may be an aerial circus. In its two games, Black Hills has rushed for just 79 yards, but quarterback Luke Duby has completed 62 of 87 passes (71.3%) for 607 yards. Duby, a 6-3, 220-pound fifth-year senior, has a favorite target. He’s TJ Chukwurah, a 5-11, 190-pound junior, who has already caught 22 passes for 291 yards and six touchdowns. Statistically, both Duby and Chukwurah are leading the RMAC by significant margins after all the teams have played two non-conference foes. Chukwurah has played against the Eagles in two previous games. In 2022, he caught one pass for 28 yards and the next year one for 16. He did not play against the Eagles in last year’s game at Spearfish in late October, but has been a terror for the opponents so far in 2025. In the game at Grand Valley last Saturday, both teams went wild through the air and barely moved the ball on the ground. Black Hills got just 21 yards rushing and the Michigan team only 44. However, the Yellow Jackets completed 38 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to Chukwurah, who caught a dozen tosses for 182 yards. Grand Valley completed 23 of 34 passes for 392 yards and four TDs. Eleven Lakers caught passes. Five of them had catches that were at least 29 yards long. Last year’s Chadron State-Black Hills State game also featured lots of passing, particularly by the Eagles. They definitely had difficulty rushing against the Yellow Jackets, earning just two net positive yards on the ground when sacks and losses are factored in. CSC’s two running backs combined to carry 20 times for just 33 yards. Thus, the Eagles were forced to throw the ball. Quarterback DJ Ralph completed 33 of 47 passes for 408 yards. It was 10th time a CSC quarterback had thrown for more than 400 yards, but it took a toll on Ralph. He was sacked five times for 44 negative yards and it was the last game he played in 2024 before having surgery to repair his left shoulder. Ralph has returned as the Eagles’ primary quarterback and has thrown the ball well when he’s protected, but he has frequently been under siege. So far, he has competed 32 of 57 tosses for 367 yards, but has been intercepted three times and has been sacked eight times, including five by Kearney, in the two contests. Last year, the Eagles outgained the Jackets 410 to 279, but lost 21-18 when Black Hills running back Cameron Goods broke loose on a 45-yard jaunt and scored with 2:46 left to play. Goods, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior, is still playing. So far this season, he has carried 16 times for 46 yards. Danny Davis, a 6-2, 215 junior, leads the team with 13 rushes for 62 yards. CSC’s top ball rushers so far have been junior transfer Daytuawn Pearson with 16 carries for 107 yards and redshirt freshman Quincey Ryker with 26 totes for 103 yards. The Chadron State-Black Hills series dates back to 1912, the second year Chadron State was in operation. Although the rivalry was interrupted by both World War I and II, the football teams generally met annually and sometimes twice a year in the 1920s until 1952. That’s when an 11-year lull began for reasons no one can explain since the institutions are just 150 miles apart and had similar enrollments. Beginning in 1964 and through 1995, the Eagles and the Yellow Jackets met on the gridiron every autumn. In the early ‘90s, Chadron State joined the RMAC and soon was playing a full slate of conference games. So, beginning in 1996, the CSC-BHSU rivalry was suspended again until 2012 when the Yellow Jackets also became a conference member. CSC has won eight of the 12 games since then and holds a 60-18-2 margin in the all-time series. But the Yellow Jackets have won the last three games. Prior to last year’s donnybrook, when the Eagles missed two field goals and an extra point and also lined up for another field goal, but problems with the snap and hold kept the ball from being kicked, Black Hills won 32-23 in 2022 and 55-19 in ’23 when the Jackets finished with 556 yards of offense and threw for five touchdowns. As most fans know, Chadron State Head Coach Jay Long and Black Hills mentor Josh Breske are well acquainted. Beske was a four-year starter in the Yellow Jackets’ offensive line 2006 through 2009. Long was the Jackets’ offensive line coach the first three years and the head coach when Breske was a senior and earned NAIA All-American honors. Breske was the first All-American that Long coached. After three years as the Jackets’ head mentor, Long returned to his alma mater as Chadron State’s head coach in 2012. That fall, Breske joined the Eagles’ coaching staff as a graduate assistant and earned his master’s degree from CSC in 2013. Breske became Black Hills State’s head coach in December 2019. Because of the COVID pandemic, the Yellow Jackets played just two games in the fall of 2000, neither of them against CSC as both that were scheduled ended up being canceled. Black Hills had a 4-7 record in 2021, reversed that mark the next year and has finished 6-5 each of the last two seasons.