Pair of Chadron State wrestlers picked for preseason All-RMAC; Eagles land 6th in poll

Chadron State College senior wrestlers Brock Thumm and Rulon Taylor were named the to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason all-conference team at their respective weight classes, in the annual preseason release at rmacsports.org on Tuesday.

Both wrestlers were among the top six wrestlers at the 2018 NCAA West Super Regional last season in Las Vegas, New Mexico, advancing to the second day of competition.

Thumm, the Eagles’ 141-pounder from Watervliet, Michigan, finished regional runner-up and advanced to the NCAA Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was also named RMAC Wrestler of the Week on December 19, 2017.

Taylor, from Curtis, Nebraska, finished sixth at 285 pounds, three weeks after placing fifth at the RMAC Tournament in Colorado Springs.

One wrestler in each of the 10 weight classes was selected to the preseason team, by a vote of the league’s eight head wrestling coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.

Western Colorado’s Brandon Supernaw, the returning conference runner-up at 174 pounds, was named the RMAC Preseason Wrestler of the Year.

Chadron State’s preseason team ranking within the conference, also decided by coaches, was sixth of eight teams, just behind Adams State and in front of Colorado School of Mines.

CSU-Pueblo was selected to win the RMAC Championship title garnering 45 points and three first-place votes in this year’s coaches poll, after finishing second at the RMAC Tournament in 2018. However, beginning in 2019 the dual meet standings will replace conference tournament points as the method of deciding the RMAC Championship. In the event of a tie, there will be co-champions. No RMAC Tournament will be held this season.

The Eagles will hold their public practice at 9 a.m. on October 27, just before the final home football game of the season takes place outside on Elliott Field. The public practice session is open free of admission, and it takes place in the wrestling room upstairs at the Nelson Physical Activity Center. CSC then opens up its season November 3 at the University of Wyoming Cowboy Open.