Chadron State College Eagles Aiyana Fujiyama (Volleyball), Kamila Montenegro (Women’s Wrestling) and Ashayla Powers (Women’s Basketball) have been named National Strength and Conditioning Association 2022-23 All-American award winners.
The award is bestowed upon those student-athletes, both in high school and college, whose accomplishments athletically show dedication to strength training and conditioning, according to the NSCA.
All three were nominated by E.J. Kreis, head strength and conditioning coach at CSC.
Kreis had supporting info for each athlete in his nomination.
According to Kreis, “Throughout the 2023 off-season, Fujiyama has increased her vertical 4 inches finishing with a 30.3″ vertical and touching a height of 10’1.5″. Fuji continues to improve inside the weight room, and is one of the fastest athletes on roster throughout all laser timed sprint variations.”
Fujiyama is a sophomore from Wahiawa, Hawaii
Montenegro, a junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, “is as proficient as they come inside of the weight room,” Kreis said. “Our women’s wrestling program is in its’ second year as a program and Kamila has been an integral part in building an iron culture of success in our weight room.”
Finially, Kreis said “On the court and in the classroom, Powers exceeds the standards of what is asked of her,” in his nomination for Powers, a sophomore from Longmont, Colorado.
“In the weight room, she has mastered all fundamental movements and has the heaviest hang clean in the program, as the year has gone on she continues to improve and be a consistent leader by helping her teammates.”
This year’s three recipients join three former CSC athletes who earned the award.
Karli Noble (Volleyball) won the award in 2021 while Justin Calderon (Football) received it in 2022. Cole Thurness (Football) was an NSCA All-American in both 2021 and 2022.