Bismarck State closes season as Great Plains reserve champion after strong finish at Cornhusker College Rodeo
| Place | Participant | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1025 | |
| 2 | 775 | |
| 3 | 250 | |
| 4 | 180 | |
| 5 | 150 | |
| 6 | 100 | |
| 7 | 90 | |
| 8 | 40 | |
| 9 | 30 |
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Bismarck State College wrapped up its 2026 season with another strong showing at the Cornhusker College Rodeo in Lincoln, Nebraska, finishing second in the team standings with 775 points and reinforcing its place among the top programs in the NIRA Great Plains Region. The Mystics also finished second in the final season standings with 6,771.50 points, earning reserve champion honors for the second straight year as the 10th and final rodeo of the season brought the regional schedule to a close.
The weekend results again highlighted the depth of the Mystics' men's roster. Parker Sandstrom turned in one of Bismarck State's top performances, winning the steer wrestling average with 160 points and finishing second in the rodeo's all-around race with 290 points. Kale Hansen added another event title for the Mystics by winning tie-down roping with 180 points and closed the weekend with 280 all-around points. Will DeMontigny also delivered a winning ride for Bismarck State, taking the bareback riding average with a combined score of 180.
Bismarck State placed three of the rodeo's top all-around competitors, with Sandstrom and Hansen leading the way and DeMontigny adding 190 all-around points. Hadly Erickson contributed 170 all-around points, giving the Mystics multiple athletes near the top of the leaderboard in Lincoln. The performance fit the pattern of the full season, with Bismarck State consistently collecting points across events and staying in the regional race from start to finish.
The final standings underscored that consistency. Bismarck State's 6,771.50 season points secured second place in the Great Plains Region and another reserve champion finish, a repeat of the program's 2024-25 result. The season-long body of work now sends six Mystics athletes to the College National Finals Rodeo, scheduled for June 14-20, 2026, in Casper, Wyoming.
For the Mystics, the Lincoln rodeo served as both a final push and a summary of the season's strengths, steady point production, event wins and multiple athletes capable of contending in the all-around standings. With Sandstrom, Hansen, DeMontigny and Erickson all contributing at the final stop, Bismarck State heads into the national finals after another season that established the Mystics as one of the Great Plains Region's top men's programs.
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