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Football

Assistant Coaches

Ben Martin, Linebackers

Ben Martin graduated with his master’s degree from CSC in 2008 and he has continued to work as an assistant coach, primarily with the linebackers.
Martin’s versatility with electronics and game film preparation make him a valuable asset to CSC and he also assists in game management duties during the football offseason.
Martin has a Chadron State heritage. Both his parents, Russ and Linda, are CSC graduates. His father was an excellent linebacker for the Eagles in the mid-1970s and is now the offensive coordinator at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
Martin graduated from Cape Girardeau, Mo., High School in 2001 while his father was on the coaching staff at Southeast Missouri State University. He was a two-year starter at center and linebacker in high school. A knee injury forced him to forego playing college football, but he was a student coach all four years he attended Southeast Missouri. He graduated with honors in 2005 with a degree in elementary education.
Martin was a graduate assistant on the football staff at North Dakota State University in 2006 when the Bison went 10-1 and were ranked No. 3 in the final NCAA 1-AA poll.
He and his wife, Nicole, were married in May 2010.

Matthew Middleton, Wide Receivers

Matthew Middleton joined the Eagles' staff in the summer of 2011 after working two years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Middleton coached wide receivers and kick returners at UNO from 2009-10, but when the Mavericks dropped their football program Middleton wanted to continue coaching.
He’s working at Chadron State in a volunteer capacity and he’ll tutor the outside wide receivers and kick returners.
Middleton, a native of Bonner Springs, Kan., graduated from Ottawa University in Kansas in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in sports and recreational management. He was an all-conference wide receiver three straight seasons and he was also an all-conference punt returner.
He stayed in Ottawa to serve as a student assistant coach in 2008 before being hired at UNO.
Middleton was a talented three-sport athlete at Bonner Springs High School where he graduated in 2004. In addition to playing football, he wrestled and competed in track and field.

Gino Polastri, Volunteer Assistant

Gino Polastri (Poe-loz-tree), a native of Sacramento, Calif., is in his first year as a volunteer assistant coach at Chadron State. He’ll be coaching the defensive line and assisting with the Eagles’ strength and conditioning program.
Polastri had a solid collegiate career. He was the starting middle linebacker at American River College in Sacramento two seasons and then transferred to Concord University, a Division II school in Athens, West Va.
Following his playing career at Concord, he was a student assistant coach before taking the job of defensive coordinator at his alma mater, American River College in 2007. He filled those duties one season before serving a graduate assistantship at the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 2008.
He coached the Lopers’ linebackers one season before joining the strength and conditioning staff at the University of Wisconsin in 2009. After his one-season stint with the Badgers, Polastri coached defensive backs for Fort Lewis in 2010. 

Jeff Wilkerson, Graduate Assistant

Jeff Wilkerson, a native of Broomfield, Colo., is in his first season as a graduate assistant coach at Chadron State College. He will be coaching receivers, in addition to other duties.
Although Wilkerson, who played running back at Western State in 2007, is young, he has some experience coaching. He was a student coach at Western State from 2008-10 where we worked with the wide receivers.
Prior to his playing career at Western State, Wilkerson was an all-conference running back and baseball player at Broomfield High School.
Wilkerson graduated from Western State with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sports science, with a minor in psychology. At CSC, he’ll be working to obtain a master’s degree in sports organizational management.

Richard Smock, Graduate Assistant

Richard Smock, a former starting offensive lineman at CSC, is in his first year as a graduate assitant coach. He’s working with the offensive linemen and inside receivers.
He played in 24 career games at Chadron State, including starting all 13 during the 2008 season when the Eagles’ offense set eight school records. He graduated in December of 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in education.
Prior to his graduation, he helped coach the Chadron High School offensive and defensive lines and he also volunteered with the wrestling team.
Smock graduated from McCook High School in 2004 and helped the Bison win two state titles. He was also a state placewinner at the state wrestling tournament.

Jeff Lyster, Graduate Assistant

Jeff Lyster, another McCook product, is also in his first year as a graduate assistant.
Lyster was a four-year letter winner at linebacker for the Eagles and he culminated his career with by being placed on the 2009 RMAC All-Conference Team. He was second on the team with 61 tackles and he also had 6.5 sacks.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education in May of 2010 and he worked at Mankato West High School in Minnesota last fall. He coached the linebackers, special teams and also assisted in the weight room. He also coached lacrosse.
Lyster graduated from McCook high School in 2005. The Bison won 38 of 39 games the three years he was on the team.