Feb 29, 2016

MONDAY

FEB. 29, 2016 ISSUE NO. 8

PUBLISHING NOTICE

SPECIAL EDITION:

RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Eagle will not publish March 3 or March 10 for

midterm break. The Eagle will resume publishing March 17.

focused CSC men’s, women’s track & field teams take 2nd in RMAC Championships

Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky

Chadron State College hosted the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships at the NPAC Friday and Saturday.

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SPECIAL EDITION: RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Voice of Chadron State College since 1920

RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS COVERAGE STAFF EDITORIAL BOARD JORDYN HULINSKY.............................................Managing Editor JUSTINE STONE........................................................News Editor JANELLE KESTERSON...........................................Opinion Editor PRESTON GOEHRING...............................................Sports Editor SARAH TOWNSEND............................................Lifestyles Editor SARA TWEET.............................................................Photo Editor CLEO SCHEER.............................................Distribution Manager

REPORTERS EVAN L. BROOKS WILLIAM MCLAUGHLIN JUSTINE STONE

csceagle.com | The Eagle | FEB. 29, 2016

SUMMIT WINNER

PHOTOGRAPHERS EVAN L. BROOKS PRESTON GOEHRING JORDYN HULINSKY SHONTELL ROSEBERRY SARA TWEET

ADVISER MICHAEL D. KENNEDY........................................Faculty Adviser

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Photo by Preston Goehring

Alejandro Garcia, senior of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, runs during the 3k race, Saturday, at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships.

csceagle.com | The Eagle | FEB. 29, 2016

SPECIAL EDITION: RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

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RMAC selects CSC’s Alejandro Garcia as its 2016 Men’s Summit Award recipient Justine Stone News Editor Alejandro Garcia gives the credit for the start of his running career to his friends, family, and high school teachers. His freshman year of high school, he was playing basketball and was leading the sprints during practice. When he didn’t attend the first track practice that year, his friends expressed that they wanted him to join the team. He had a long talk with his dad about joining the team, and when a teacher encouraged him to join it pushed him to start running. He had never even run one mile until his coach signed him up. Now, Garcia’s long runs are nearly 20 miles.

“I enjoy running because, well, it’s not so much that it’s easy; it’s actually one of the things I struggle with a lot,” Garcia said. “Sometimes I even question why I do it, but I always find the reason—it has given me so much. Before running, I used to be very shy, very timid.

I didn’t really know how to make friends well and then running just opened up so many doors to be able to socialize with people and get to know people and it kind of just helped, also, give me that confidence to achieve greater things than I had before. It totally just changed my life around because before I never really put much effort into school and then I had to because I had to stay eligible to compete.”

Garcia was awarded the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Summit Award entering the 2016 Indoor RMAC Championships. The RMAC Summit Award is presented to the student-athlete, sophomore level or above, who has participated in his or her sport for at least two years, with the highest cumulative grade-point average, and he or she must be an active member on the team who is participating at the RMAC championships. Garcia is a senior at CSC from Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, majoring in K-12 physical health education with a 4.0 cumulative GPA. “I’m just giving it my best and working as hard as I can, both academically and athletically,” Garcia said.

He said that he feels that others also deserve this award, but it is a huge honor to receive it for the team and for the school. He wants others to see that he received it so that they can believe in themselves and feel confident that they can do well with what they set their mind to.

He spent two years attending school and running at Gillette College, Gillette, Wyoming, before former Head

Track and Field Coach Ryan Baily recruited him to run for CSC. “There was something about Chadron; I really felt like I had more room to grow here. I’m really glad I made the choice,” Garcia said about his visit to CSC when he was deciding to further his education. “A great team, great coach, and a lot of opportunities to keep excelling.”

He said his favorite event is the mile, it’s not too long but it’s also not a sprint. Although his heart is in the mile, he has excelled in many other races and says that he thinks he is a 10,000-meter runner. Garcia broke the CSC 3,000-meter record this indoor season and helped break the CSC distance medley relay record, running the mile leg of the relay.

Garcia has an other-based mindset; he is selfless and leaves everything on the track, every race, for his team and his supporters. His family, girlfriend, fans in both Chadron and Pine Bluffs, and especially his teammates motivate him to continue competing and he likes to do his best for all of them. He said he can let himself down, but he feels responsible to do his best to help his teammates the best that he can and he can’t let them down.

“There are just so many people who have helped me throughout the whole way and I really feel like every time I run out there, I am running for them. It’s just a great feeling because they’re always behind me and it’s just good to feel that their help has taken me somewhere,” Garcia said.

Garcia said his biggest inspiration is his No. 1 fan: his dad. His dad inspires him to continue running; he gives his dad all of his medals and recognition after competing. His dad pushes him to do his best and do more than he thinks he is capable of. He said he is glad that he can run and make his dad proud. Garcia said he couldn’t have a better role model than his dad.

Garcia plans to stay at Chadron for one more year, then he has one semester of student teaching. He hopes to become a high school coach and physical education/ health teacher because he wants others to realize that exercising can be fun and it is necessary for our futures.

He wants to work toward his master’s degree so he can coach at the collegiate level. He said he will continue to stay fit and run fun-runs after college, maybe for a club, but he isn’t sure what his future holds.

“Thanks to all of my friends, teammates, girlfriend, teachers that have supported me and helped mold me into the person I am today,” Garcia said. “Each and every one of them has had some sort of an impact that has led to this award being awarded to me.”

Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky

Alejandro Garcia, senior of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, grabs his shoes to warm up for the 3k race Saturday at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships at the NPAC.

Breaking records Alejandro Garcia breaks one CSC record and helps break another during the 2016 indoor season.

Garcia broke the 3,000 meter record with a time of 8:30.

The CSC distance medley relay broke the record with a converted time of 10:08. Garcia ran the one-mile leg in 4:14, converted.

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SPECIAL EDITION: RM

FEB. 29, 2016 | The Eagle | csceagle.com

CSC track and field teams fi Evan L. Brooks Reporter

Photo by Sara Tweet

Barrett Browne, senior of Sidney, plows into the sand during the long jump on Friday at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships at the NPAC.

Keri Ruff, junior of Eaton, Colorado, competes in the weight throw during the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championship Friday at the NPAC.

The Chadron State track and field team hosted the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. Both men and women finished second in overall team standings with scores of 145.5 and 124, respectively.

For the men, Damarcus Simpson, sophomore of Lafayette, Georgia, stood out, finishing top five in every event he competed in. Simpson finished fifth in triple jump, reaching 46 feet, 2 3/4 inches; second in the 60-meter dash and high jump, recording a time of 6.72 seconds and height of 6-7 1/2; and won long jump going 25-4.

Simpson’s long jump is a new facility record, surpassing the previous one of 24-8 1/4, set by former Eagle Jourdin Holden in 2007.

“I felt great competing in long jump and was happy to break the facility record,” Simpson said.

“It was a surreal feeling doing that well in high jump, and again, I felt great competing at a high level this weekend.”

Simpson was named Men’s Athlete of the Meet and Men’s Field Athlete of the Year in the RMAC. On the men’s side, the only other winner came as a group effort, as the Eagles took the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:19.51, which converts to 3:14.88 due to altitude and the size of CSC’s track. The team consisted of Lane Higgins, sophomore of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; Zerek Jones, senior of La Junta, Colorado; Austin Fajfer, redshirt freshman of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Martin Moriel, senior of Phoenix. The men’s 4x400 team currently sits No. 22 in D-II indoor rankings.

Angelique Urenda and Damarcus Simpson each placed 2nd in high jump. Urenda leaped 5-4 and Simpson leaped 6-7 1/2.

Photo by Shontell Roseberry

Jones faired well individually, placing third in the 800 with a time of 1:52.92, which converts to 150.15. He finished 71 tenths of a second behind first place finisher Colorado Mines’ Patrick Weaver, junior of Hugoton, Kansas. Jones shaved nearly a second off his school record of 1:53.73, which he set Jan. 29 at CSC’s Don Holst Twilight Open. He currently sits No. 10 in D-II indoors.

Other Eagles racked up points in field events for the men.

Dez Smith, junior of Bellflower, California, finished second in triple jump, leaping 47-3, a career best. In weight throw, the men claimed four of the top eight spots, scoring 21 points.

Cory Martens, redshirt freshman of Newton, Kansas; Blake Jacobs, redshirt freshman of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; and Jesse Bleidt, sophomore of Lewellen, swept second through fourth, respectively. David Aldridge, sophomore of Omaha, finished seventh.

Other medalists for the men included Scottsbluff natives sophomore Isaiah Castellaw and junior Matthew Klein. Castellaw finished second in long jump and third in high jump. Klein placed third in the 60 high hurdles.

Andre Woodson, junior of Sacramento, California, and Skylar Hoopes, senior of Lusk, Wyoming, finished third in the 200 and pole vault, respectively. Woodson also placed fourth in the 60, running 6.81.

On the women’s side, Stachia Reuwsaat, junior of Rapid City, South Dakota, placed top two in both of her events. Reuwsaat placed first in long jump with seemingly little effort, jumping 20-9 on her first attempt. It proved to be enough, as she scratched four of her next five attempts.

She finished second in the 60, running 7.60.

CSC men and women team’s both took 1st in the 4x400m relay.

MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

csceagle.com | The Eagle | FEB. 29, 2016

finish second

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The women dominated in high jump, claiming three of the top eight spots. Angelique Urenda, junior of Pueblo, Colorado, led the way, clearing 5-4 to win the event. Right behind her, Kenzie May, sophomore of Indianola, placed second with a first attempt jump at a height of 5-2. Shelby Bozner, senior of Rock Springs, Wyoming, tied for fifth also clearing 5-2 on her third attempt.

Urenda and Bozner both medaled in other events. Urenda placed second in pole vault, going 11-8.

Bozner was the first leg of the 4x400 relay team, which finished first with a time of 3:50.67, edging Adams State University by 36 tenths of a second. The time converts to 3:46.47. The other members of the relay consisted of Nikki Glasson, senior of Wheatland, Wyoming; Kelsy Wood, junior of Hemingford; and Tiffany Thomas, senior of Kingston, Jamaica. They currently sit No. 13 in D-II. Thomas and Wood also reached the podium in individual events. Thomas placed third in the 400, running 56.30. Her time converts down to 55.28, and she currently sits tied for No. 15 in D-II. Wood also took third in the 60 high hurdles, running 8.84. Chadron native Nicky Banzhaf, junior, placed third in the 5,000, running 17:59.64. Keri Ruff, junior of Eaton, Colorado, placed second in the weight throw at 53-11.

The Eagles concluded their indoor season breaking 10 school records, four by the women and six by the men. Four Eagles automatically qualified for indoor national championships, and 24 hit provisional marks. The NCAA D-II Indoor Track and Field Championships will be,March 11-12 in Pittsburgh, Kansas.

Damarcus Simpson and Stachia Reuwsaat both placed 1st in long jump. Simpson jumped 25-4 and Ruewsaat jumped 20-9.

Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky

Matt Klein, junior of Scottsbluff, lines up on his blocks for the 60-meter hurdles event Saturday during the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships at the NPAC.

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SPECIAL EDITION: RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

csceagle.com | The Eagle | FEB. 29, 2016

The runners of the 1-mile race take off from the start line Saturday at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships at the NPAC Saturday.

Photo by Jordyn Hulinsky

Athletes smash 6 RMAC, 10 bldg. records William McLaughlin Reporter The 2016 RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships resulted in a number of athletes breaking conference and facility records this weekend at the NPAC in Chadron. Six RMAC indoor records and 10 facility records were broken over the two-day span.

Two athletes stood out through the meet, finishing top five in every event they competed in. For the men, CSC long jumper Damarcus Simpson, sophomore of Lafayette, Georgia, was named the RMAC Men’s Ath-

lete of the Meet and Men’s Field Athlete of the Year. For the women, New Mexico Highlands University’s Salcia Slack, graduate student of Kingston, Jamaica, was also named Women’s Athlete of the Meet.

Both Simpson and Slack are automatic qualifiers in at least two events this indoor season.

Simpson competed in the 60-meter dash, high jump, triple jump, and long jump, finishing no lower than fifth. He placed fifth in triple jump, going 46 feet, 2 inches; second in the 60, running 6.72 seconds; second in high jump clearing 6-7 1/2; and first in long jump, leaping 25-4.

Slack’s performance was impressive as

well, with a win in the women’s indoor pentathlon with a score of 3,959 points. Her point total is an RMAC indoor record, breaking her previous record of 3,852, which she set in 2015. Slack also won and set another RMAC indoor record in triple jump, landing 42-7. She owned the previous record of 41-4, which she set in 2015. Slack took first in one other event, the 60 hurdles, running 8.54, a facility record.

On the men’s side, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, won its first conference title in school history notching 153.5 points, edging out CSC by eight points. The Eagles finished with 145.5, and Adams State University

finished third scoring 127 points.

Colorado Mines Head Track and Field Coach Matt Sparks was named Men’s Coach of the Year, and for the Orediggers, Triston Sisneros, freshman of Aurora, Colorado, was named the RMAC’s Men’s Freshman of the Year.

On the way to a conference title, the Orediggers dominated the men’s indoor heptathlon sweeping the top three spots. The Orediggers also saw success in the distance events, scoring points in the 800, 1,600, 3,000, 5,000, and distance medley relay.

Please see RMAC, page 7

csceagle.com | The Eagle | FEB. 29, 2016

Brian Baum, senior of Alliance, Ohio, runs the 3k race at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Saturday.

SPECIAL EDITION: RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS 7 from page 6 RMAC

Photo by Preston Goehring

In the 800, Patrick Weaver, junior of Hugoton, Kansas, of Colorado Mines, won the event, running 1:52.21. Western State Colorado University’s Robin Butler, senior of Fort Collins, Colorado, and CSC’s Zerek Jones, senior of La Junta, Colorado, ran 1:52.62 and 1:52.92, respectively.

On the field, the men’s high jump was entertaining for the audience. Andy Bowles, freshman of New Castle, Colorado, for Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, and CSC’s Simpson battled till the end for first.

Bowles took the event, clearing 6-8 3/4. The height difference between the two competitors stood out; Bowles stands nearly 6-5, whereas Simpson stands 5-6.

On the women’s side, New Mexico Highlands took home the team title for the second straight year, scoring 132 points to hold off CSC who scored 124 points. Adams State rounded out the top three scoring 99 points.

NMHU’s Slack was impressive the whole weekend, but she had help from fellow teammate Shanna Thomas, senior of Clarendon, Jamaica, who won the 200 running 25.65. Thomas also won the 60 with a time of 7.54, a facility record. Slack was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Meet. Highlands Head Track and Field Coach Bob DeVries was named the RMAC’s Women’s Coach of the Year.

Also on the women’s side, the 4x400 relay finish came down to the wire between Adams State and CSC. CSC won the event running a 3:50.67, edging Adams State, who ran a 3:52.03. Both times are provisional qualifying marks in D-II indoors. CSC currently sits No. 12 and Adams State sits No. 13.

Field events highlighted the women’s side, especially in throwing events. Madison McLaughlin, senior of Wall, South Dakota, of Black Hills State University, won both shot put and weight throw. She cleared 59-3 in weight throw and set an RMAC indoor record in shot put, throwing 50-4.

McLaughlin was named the RMAC’s Field Athlete of the Year.

Another standout performance came in the women’s mile. Adams State’s Noel Prandoni, freshman of Santa Fe, New Mexico, ran 5:03.45 to win the event. Prandoni also finished second in the 3,000, running 9:54.72.

Overall, the RMAC has 20 automatic qualifying marks and a handful of provisional qualifying marks for the indoor national championships, which will be March 11-12, in Pittsburgh, Kansas.

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SPECIAL EDITION: RMAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

csceagle.com | The Eagle | FEB. 29, 2016

Final Men’s Team Results Colorado School of Mines Team points: 153.5

Photo by Evan L. Brooks

Mesa’s Andy Bowles, sophomore of New Castle, Colorado, flies over the bar Friday at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships at the NPAC.

Higher, faster, stronger Photo by Sara Tweet

Salcia Slack, graduate of Kingston, Jamaica, from New Mexico Highlands University, lands in the sand for the women’s long jump heptathlon on Friday at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Chadron State College Team points: 145.5

Adams State University Team points: 127 Final Women’s Team Results New Mexico Highlands Team points: 132

Chadron State College Team points: 124

Adams State University Team points: 99 Photo by Preston Goehring

Kelsy Wood, junior of Hemingford; Shelby Bozner, senior of Rock Springs, Wyoming; and Salcia Slack, graduate of Kingston, Jamaica, sprint out of the blocks during the 60-meter hurdles Saturday at the RMAC Indoor Track and Field Championships.