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JACKS TAKE FIGHT TO HAWKS
The Jackrabbits got another sweep under their belt on Tuesday night in Grand Forks. The Jacks beat the Fighting Hawks 3-0 to continue their winning streak and remain a perfect 8-0 in conference play.
The Jackrabbits got another sweep under their belt on Tuesday night in Grand Forks. The Jacks beat the Fighting Hawks 3-0 to continue their winning streak and remain a perfect 8-0 in conference play.
For the Jacks Zgonc once again led the team in scoring with 15 points on 13 kills.
Zgonc also added nine digs...
— Cordell Vitense, Sports Editor
ONLINE NOW
SDSU BASKETBALL SLATED
FOR
3 NATIONAL TV GAMES
South Dakota State basketball will appear on national television three times this upcoming season, the Summit League and CBS Sports announced Monday.
— Brayden Byers, Digital & Breaking News
JACKRABBIT VOLLEYBALL
Read coverage of the Jackrabbit volleyball matches against Oral Roberts (Thursday at 7 p.m.) and Denver (Saturday at 1 p.m.) online later this week.
— Cordell Vitense, Sports Editor
SDSU POLICE DEPARTMENT DAILY CRIME LOG
SUNDAY, OCT. 12
• 2:19 a.m. — Liquor/Possession/ Consumption, Schultz Hall
• 3:59 a.m. — Warrant Arrest, 1300 block of 16th Street
• 11:11 p.m — Liquor/Posession/ Consumption, Pierson Hall
TUESDAY, OCT. 14
• 12:16 p.m. — Ficticious/False ID, Intersection of 7th Street and 9th Street
• 3:09 p.m. — Intentional Damage/ Vandalism, SDSU Dorms
• 5:03 p.m. — False Pretense/Swindle, SDSU Campus
HAZEL’S ATTIC
A new boutique opened in downtown Brookings, located at 219 First St. S, last month. Hear from owner Alyssa Winter later this week.
— Madison McCollum, Reporter
WEDENSDAY, OCT. 15
• 10:43 p.m. — Juvenile Incident, SDSU Dairy Research & Training Facility
FRIDAY, OCT. 17
•12:18 p.m. — Theft From Building, Yeager Hall
• 5:15 p.m. — Burglary/Breaking & Entering, Binnewies
EAN WETZEL / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Annalee Ventling-Brown (top), Madison Burr (middle) and Sylvie Zgonc (bottom) celebrate after a score against North Dakota State.
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Holbeck discusses enrollment
new amendment up for debate
RYANN DAVIS News Director
OPEN FORUM
Michael Holbeck, vice president for finance and budget, told Students’ Association members about university funding and higher education at Monday’s meeting.
“If we look around higher education, it’s an interesting time,” Holbeck said. He recalled the 2007 and 2008 financial recession, when less children were born and explained why this impacts higher education.
“So those less children born in 2007, 2008 are now less typical college age children here in 2025,” Holbeck said. “This is happening throughout the country. We knew it was coming.”
Across the country, schools within higher education are taking budget cuts or even shutting down completely because of the enrollment cliff. The University of Nebraska Lincoln is taking a $27.5 million budget cut, according to UNL’s website. Holbeck spoke on how the recession has affected SDSU.
“We really saw the data coming,” Holbeck said. “One of our first things here was (we) implemented a strategic enrollment management plan back in 2017.”
The strategic enrollment plan included marketing, the scholarship grid, retention and investments. Holbeck highlighted the benefit of having three out of the five largest freshman classes in SDSU history in the last three years leading up to the recession.
Following Holbeck’s address, members of Helping Everyone Reach Optimal Health (HEROH) approached the stand. The club’s objective is to promote overall wellbeing in students, regardless of their age or health status. The members of HEROH believe it would be beneficial for SA to bring back an ex-officio position for their club.
“We believe that having an ex-officio for HEROH would be a great connection between the senate and HEROH,” prospective HEROH ex-officio, Rose Nett, said. “We believe that this connection can help us get it (HEROH’s club objectives) out to the student body, and especially the campus and community.”
NEW BUSINESS
Amendment 25-1-A was up for debate at Monday’s meeting. This would amend SA’s bylaws to change spending limits on campaigns for senators. The budget is currently $2500, and the amendment would decrease the amount to $500 for presidential and vice presidential candidates and $100 for senatorial candidates.
The goal for this change in budget, according to Senator Lydia Stein, is to better the student body.
“There has been research that shows that (if) you lower campaign spending limits, you get a higher voter turnout, as well as more people interested,” Stein said.
SA will vote on this amendment at next Monday’s meeting.
Holbeck said SDSU ended fiscal year 2025 in “a solid financial position,” and he looks forward to fiscal year 2026.
The written request for HEROH to be considered for an ex-officio position on the SA board was passed.
EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Vice President of Finance and Budget, Michael Holbeck, addressed the Students’ Association at their meeting on Monday, Oct. 20 in the Lewis and Clark room in the upper level of the Student Union.
MICHAEL HOLBECK
New Marketplace making progress
Target and Aldi construction ahead of schedule
BRITTEN SELNESS
Reporter
After a long wait, Brookings shoppers are finally seeing the top choice on their wish list taking shape.
Construction on the Target store in the Marketplace development has been moving quickly, and the area is looking more like a Target store, said Mike Struck, community development director for Brookings.
“You can see construction is moving along rather quickly,” Struck said. “The roof is on, and once it’s fully enclosed, things will move fast inside with plumbing, electrical, flooring, all of it.”
Residents can expect noticeable progress in the coming months as the project moves from structural work to interior development, bringing the store closer to its opening date.
Retail giant Target will anchor the new Marketplace development, with an expected opening in spring 2026. It is currently being built east of Interstate 29 and north of Sixth Street, making it accessible to residents and travelers.
The Marketplace area also will include an Aldi grocery store, scheduled to open Nov. 20, and a Kwik Star convenience store that is set to open no later than next summer.
The Aldi store was originally planned to open its doors next summer, but the new opening date was announced by Deputy Mayor Nick Wendell at a city council meeting on Oct. 14. The announcement was met by a round of applause from those in attendance.
“That is the sound of a community very excited about Aldi opening,” Wendell said during the meeting. “We are thrilled with that development — we’ll be able to celebrate Aldi coming together.”
Stephanie Mason, vice president of economic development and operations with the Brookings Economic Development Corp., said the city was in a perfect position to acquire Target.
“Brookings checks the big boxes for a national anchor: interstate frontage at I-29/Highway 14, a regional trade area that extends well beyond the city, a yearround consumer base fueled by SDSU, major employers and visitors,” Mason said.
The high demand for a Target by community members played a key role in securing it. Surveys dating back to 2013 ranked Target, along with Aldi, as their top stores.
Brookings also stood out as an attractive market for retail expansion because of its population growth over the years, officials said.
The city has seen steady population increases year after year and is projected to surpass 25,000 residents by 2026, Mason said. This stands out to major retailers as proof that a community can support larger commercial investment.
For the Brookings community, getting a Target is about more than just the shopping experience; it’s about growth.
“Anchors like Target don’t just hire — they catalyze growth,” Mason said. “Their presence attracts complementary retailers and services, strengthens the district’s market draw and reinforces Brookings as a regional shopping destination.”
Local leaders anticipate that Target’s arrival will not only create new jobs for the community but also will boost the overall economic activity in the area in hopes that locals will remain in town to shop — and new people will come from out of town for Target.
“The draw may be Target or Aldi, but they may also venture down Sixth Street and see some of our other
businesses and maybe head downtown to do a little dining, a little shopping, and see what Brookings has to offer across the board,” Struck said.
That increased traffic and spending will be matched by new hiring efforts. Target’s opening will create many retail jobs offering new careers and income opportunities for people across the area.
Target features jobs ranging from management and logistics to part-time cashier and sales roles. These positions will offer flexible hours and schedules to people applying who may be balancing school and work. That may be a high school student or someone attending college here.
Miyla Sitzmann, a student at SDSU, said she thinks Brookings getting a Target will be a big thing for students and the community.
“I know that I am personally going to shop there over Walmart and might even apply for a part-time job knowing that Target would be a great experience for a student like me,” Sitzmann said.
JACKSON HELLAND / SUBMITTED PHOTO
The construction of the Target and Aldi stores is ahead of schedule, leading to quicker openings. Aldi is scheduled to open on Nov. 20 and Target in spring of 2026. Pictured above is construction of Aldi, on Oct. 21, 2025, in Brookings, S.D.
Alumni Association and SDSU Foundation merge into one
JORDAN ROEMELING
Lifestyles
Editor
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the South Dakota State University Alumni Association and the SDSU Foundation will merge into one organization, with a goal of connecting alumni, donors and the university as one. The organization will be known as SDSU Alumni & Foundation.
The boards of the two organizations voted unanimously to merge on Friday, Oct. 10. This decision ties both organizations after a long history of collaboration. Together, they will work under one structure to continue their shared mission of supporting SDSU students, faculty and programs through engagement and philanthropy.
We’re so excited about this new partnership and the possibilities it brings,” said Steve Erpenbach, president and CEO of the SDSU Foundation. “It really represents the next chapter for both organizations and for SDSU.”
Though the organizations have worked independently for years, they share long histories that have been closely tied to the growth of SDSU.
The SDSU Alumni Association began in the late 1880s by graduates of the Dakota Agricultural College to maintain connection with alumni and the university.
In 1945, the SDSU Foundation got its start, with a goal of fundraising and strengthening the university’s financial future.
Over the years, both organizations adopted the same goals, to connect alumni, engage donors and support university priorities. In 2017, they first shared the same building and collaboration came naturally.
“I think that’s when we really realized just how important the proximity was to the relationship,” Andi Fouberg, CEO of the SDSU Alumni Association, said. “We thought we had a good relationship before we moved in, and once we were in the same building, lots of things started
to happen really easily and naturally because we were sharing space.”
The success of the Bold & Blue campaign in 2024, which raised over $604 million, made both organizations realize how more could be achieved if they joined forces, according to Erpenbach.
“We just felt that was a good time coming off that campaign to start looking ahead and looking at organizationally and structurally what made sense,”
Erpenbach said. “The relationship between the two organizations has never been stronger, so those things just kind of aligned and it felt like ‘This is a good time to do it.’”
As the new structure takes hold, the combined organization will make operations and collaboration run smoothly, across fundraising and engagement with alumni.
For donors, this means better communication and a more unified approach to supporting SDSU priorities like scholarships, research and campus facilities. For alumni, the collaboration creates more opportunities to be involved, mentor and give to the university through a single, connected channel.
As for the merged organization’s governance, both Fouberg and Erpenbach will remain in their CEO positions, with the same staffing structure. There will only be a few modifications with responsibilities within the building.
“People outside our building shouldn’t notice a difference there,” Erpenbach said.
Additionally, there will be a board of trustees with 86 people, and an executive committee of 13, including SDSU President Barry Dunn.
“I think this is just such an exciting progression forward, continuing to serve the university, to serve alumni, and to serve our friends as well,” Fouberg said. “The tagline that we’re using is a longtime Alumni Association tagline, which is ‘Where Loyalty Lives,’ and we are so, so incredibly fortunate that folks are so loyal to this place. There’s a lot of good that can come from that, so it’s very exciting.”
EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
A new banner was put up on the Foundation building after the vote to consolidate on Oct. 10, 2025. As of Jan. 1, 2026, the organization name will be the SDSU Alumni & Foundation .
HOBO DAY ‘RELATIVELY CALM’
JACKSON HELLAND Reporter
The 113th Hobo Day “went super well,” according to Grand Pooba Claire Koenecke.
Brookings Police Chief Michael Drake agreed.
“It was really great … The weather could not have been better,” Koenecke
said of this year’s festivities on Saturday, Oct. 11. “We saw great attendance at all of our events.”
Despite the big crowds, Drake provided statistics that pointed to a relatively calm Hobo Day
During homecoming weekend, the police department made a total of seven arrests, down from the average of 15 to 20 of previous years, Drake said. The statis-
tic that went down the most was DUIs.
This year there was only one DUI offense that occurred, with six last year.
“I think it’s because of getting the word out to the establishments, also educating people,” Drake said.
Drake also attributed the low number of DUI arrests to the popularity of ride-sharing services such as Lyft.
This year also marked another change
in the way Main Street was handled.
“Last year we shut it (Main Street) down at the parade at about 9 o’clock in the morning, and we didn’t reopen it until 6 a.m. the next morning,” Drake said.
After city officials asked business owners and others what they thought of the shutdown last year, they made some adjustments. Due to this feedback. Main Street this year was shut down for the
ANDREW LEWNO / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Members of the South Dakota State University Bum Band walk with their instruments in the 2025 Hobo Day parade in Brookings, on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.
parade, then reopened from noon to 6 p.m. Drake explained that this extra time allowed people to access the street by vehicle if need be.
This year’s Hobo Day Parade attracted thousands of people, including students, community members and returning alumni.
As Grand Pooba, Koenecke is responsible for leading the Hobo Day Committee, planning the meetings, conducting interviews for committee hopefuls, and more behind the scenes work – culminating with a drive in the over 100-year-old Bummobile at the Hobo Day parade.
Koenecke has been on the Hobo Day Committee for three years, serving previously as a dignitary coordinator and then a parade assistant.
“I think every position on the committee definitely has its ups and down,” Koenecke said. “The fun thing about the (Grand) Pooba position is that you kind of get to see everyone’s work.”
Koeneke’s favorite activity of Hobo Week is the parade, but she said that one of the more underrated Hobo Week activities is Bum-Over, where students build shanties made out of cardboard.
“It’s one of my favorite events to do as the committee,” Koenecke said. You really just get to step back and kind of watch people just be so creative.”
On top of all those festivities, students can volunteer to help the police department. Drake said that the work mostly includes traffic control and setting up barricades to ensure safety.
Another way to stay safe, according to Drake, is to rely on friends.
“Traveling in numbers is a good thing,” Drake said. “Make sure you keep track of each other, so that nobody is overindulging in alcoholic beverages.”
Of the four years that Drake has overseen Hobo Day he said, “I’m always overly impressed on how well people work together, looking out for one another,” Drake said.
Drake said the Brookings Police Department is already planning for Hobo Day 2026, factoring in constructive feedback from the community.
ANDREW LEWNO / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
TOP LEFT: A student dressed as a ear of corn rode in the Hobo Day Parade. TOP RIGHT: Weary Wil and Dirty Lil, SDSU’s Hobo Day mascots, was seen riding in the back of the Bummobile. BOTTOM: Members of the Pride of the Dakotas marching band marched in the Hobo Day Parade on Saturday , Oct. 11, 2025 in Brookings, S.D.
Speaker warns against hazing UPC brings David Stollman to campus to raise awareness
IVAN NAVARRETE Reporter
An SDSU audience filled with fraternity and sorority members listened last week as a veteran on the college-speaking circuit told them that hazing doesn’t build brotherhood or sisterhood – it destroys it.
“Hazing doesn’t make you stronger, it makes you smaller,” speaker David Stollman said. “You all deserve better than that.”
The event on Oct. 16 in the Larson Memorial Concert Hall, titled “Hazing Works and Others Lies,” was organized and promoted by the University Program Council. Stollman, who has spent over two decades speaking on college campuses about leadership and prevention issues, encouraged students to take a second look at traditions they accept as “normal” in their organizations.
“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off,” Stollman said to the audience, quoting his personal motto as laughter filled the theatre room. In three separate years – 2002, 2009 and 2019 – there were 10 hazing-related deaths each year on U.S. college campuses, Stollman said.
“That’s just what’s documented,” he told students. “The real number is likely higher because not every incident is noticed as hazing.”
Stollman started the event with an “adjective test,” encouraging students to participate and “loosen up.”
But the event soon turned serious as he transitioned to what hazing really means, both under South Dakota law and South Dakota State University policy. Volunteers from the audience participated by reading definitions out loud in exchange for scratch-off lottery tickets, Stollman’s way of keeping the students engaged. Under state law, he noted, anyone who commits hazing that ends up with a seri-
ous bodily injury is guilty of a felony.
“Consent doesn’t matter,” Stollman said. “It doesn’t matter if someone says, ‘We wanted this.’ It’s still hazing.”
SDSU’s policy, he explained, goes ever deeper, listing acts like sleep deprivation, physical confinement, forced consumption of substances or any activity that causes fear or goes against university rules.
“When you really look at those words, some of the stuff that’s been brushed off as ‘tradition’ fits right in there,” he said. “It’s not about intent, it’s about impact.”
Stollman said that while hazing and bullying are abusive, there are differences. Bullying, he said, keeps people out, while hazing is used to bring others in. Both can cause serious issues.
“Bullying is outward. Hazing is inward,” he said. “It’s meant to make someone ‘earn’ their place, but it’s just as dangerous.”
Throughout his presentation, Stollman explained real-life cases of hazing incidents that ended in tragedy, from fraternity rituals to athletic team initiations to marching band ‘traditions.’
“People call it a tradition,” Stollman said. “But those so-called traditions are killing people. And the people who could have spoken up always wish they had.”
Jake DeNomme, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said Stollman’s presentation meant a lot to him.
“It made me question what we call tradition,” DeNomme said. “Sometimes it’s easy to say, ‘That’s how it’s always been.’ But from now on, I (will) remember that being a good brother means protecting each other, not testing how far we can push someone.”
DeNomme said that hazing doesn’t build unity, it creates division and mistrust.
“The weaponization of alcohol is what’s killing students,” he said.
He also described how Stollman’s mo-
ments of humor helped deliver a difficult message.
“When he told the stories of students who lost their lives, you could feel the room get quiet,” DeNomme said.
Stollman’s talk also included a segment to help fraternities and sororities more effectively recruit for their organizations.
Stollman ended his speech with ideas about how groups can build belonging through psychological safety. He said that teams grow when every member feels included and respected.
“Real brotherhood and sisterhood come from listening,” he said. “Not from
power trips or secrets.”
He stood on 10 toes telling the audience members to hold each other accountable and to not forget that their letters and organizations represent more than themselves.
“Those aren’t your letters; you’re holding them for the people who come after you,” he said. “Leave them better than you found them.”
After a round of applause, students stayed to talk about what they learned. For Stollman, he said he met his goal when he saw students discussing such a tough and emotional topic.
‘No Kings’ rally draws over 500
WILLEM LIM
Reporter
Hundreds of protesters showed up Saturday, Oct. 18 at the “No Kings” rally at Hillcrest Park in Brookings for a peaceful demonstration against President Trump’s administration.
The group Brookings Area Indivisible organized the rally and said over 500 people took part in the event. The protest was one of thousands that took place Saturday across the country, drawing millions of protesters in total.
Veterans, students and concerned citizens of various ages from Brookings and the surrounding area gathered at the park at 2 p.m. Protestors carried posters with phrases such as “Hands off our rights” and “We will not be ruled by fear or force.” Some people attending were wearing inflatable dinosaur costumes, among other characters.
Among the speakers at the protest was the Rev. Mark Johnson of Brookings United Church of Christ. He told the crowd what he was protesting against: “Leaders who want to portray big, ugly bills (as) beautiful, leaders who care more about power than people, leaders who display the veneer of faith, but bear no proof.”
Johnson said that he thinks “the Christian faith in recent history has distorted and perverted the message of Jesus and what he stood for.” He explained that Jesus stood for diversity, inclusion and equity, qualities that many people criticize today.
“(Jesus) stood for inclusion and he didn’t marginalize anyone,” Johnson said.
Not all people agreed with the message of the rally. Some people driving by in vehicles yelled “Trump 2028,” and chanted Trump’s name. Near the “No Kings” protest, a group of about eight people who were wearing “Jesus is my king, Trump is my president” shirts were holding their own protest.
Jeff Struwe said he stood at the counter protest to tell others, “It seems incorrect when people say, ‘No Kings;’ that’s kind of an assault towards Jesus Christ, who is my personal king and my savior.”
Rick Weible, another counter-protester, said: “If Trump really was a king, this protest wouldn’t be happening, because any king would squash protests against any king.”
But “No Kings” protesters said they attended because they think their freedoms are being threatened.
Julie Gonsor, a Brookings resident, said people were protesting to show that not everyone agrees with Trump’s policies.
“His people keep saying ‘This is what people voted for,’” Gonsor said. “And I’m not sure that people understood what he was going to do when they voted.”
Gonsor noted that many rights women have today are rights that were recently won after difficult struggles, and many young people don’t know that.
“I don’t think Trump and his Republican cronies want us to talk about that,” Gonsor said. “They just want to throw stuff at us and say, ‘This is how it should be,’ and demean … the people who are so afraid … that’s not the America my mom fought for to be able to vote.”
The Saturday protest was military veteran Dawn Jones’ third Indivisible event. She said Americans have taken democracy for granted.
“And now it’s been threatened. We have to get our muscles back in shape for marching and demonstrating
and protesting, and showing that we care about things,” Jones said.
Gene Schulte, another veteran, said “No Kings Day” represents “that freedom is far more important than an individual, and that we’re all in this together.”
Schulte said that people had to fight for our freedoms, and that people should continue to fight for it.
“When we took an oath as a veteran, we took an oath to the Constitution of the United States, not to an individual, but to the American people,” Schulte said. “Our job is to defend the American people.”
Colene Reiser from Arlington, S.D., said she wants to see more young people involved.
“We need younger candidates; we need younger people in Congress; we need younger people running for president,” Reiser said. “They’re our hope.”
WILLEM LIM / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Protesters gathered at the ‘No Kings’ protest on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Brookings, S.D.
LAUREN JOHNSON Reporter
Dairy Bar expands menu
The Dairy Bar at South Dakota State University has been known as the place on campus to get great-tasting ice cream, but this semester officials have added some new twists.
The Dairy Bar recently expanded its menu. Manager Alondra Lopez said customers can now order boba milk teas, smoothies refreshers and even hot sandwiches. It’s a way the facility can offer variety, especially during colder months when ice cream sales slow down.
“We added these because there are more students on this side of campus and we wanted to meet their requests,” Lopez said. “Before, we didn’t make food products, so people wanted more than just cold sandwiches. The hot sandwiches have been really popular, and the boba drinks have been, too.”
Among the new items, the strawberry mango boba milk tea, mango smoothie, strawberry lemonade and dragon fruit-strawberry refresher are the top favorites, Lopez said.
“Customers really like it. The new drinks are very popular,” she added. “We’ve definitely seen more traffic because of it.”
Lopez said there may be more additions ahead, but nothing is set yet.
“For now, this is it, but we’re always open to ideas,” she said.
Freshman Ethan Hansen said he was curious to try one of the new drinks on the menu. After ordering the dragon fruit-strawberry refresher, he said it quickly became one of his favorites.
“It’s super refreshing and tastes way better than I expected,” Hansen said. He added that the new options make the Dairy Bar feel ‘more like a hangout spot’ and give students something fun to try besides ice cream.
Housed inside the Alfred Dairy Science Hall, the Dairy Bar is a favorite stop for students, faculty and visitors, offering ice cream flavors with roots deep in campus tradition and some newer ad-
ditions that keep customers coming back. The shop is supplied by the Davis Dairy Plant, where 30 to 45 students work each semester to produce ice cream, cheese and butter.
“Various local farms supply milk to the Great Plains Dairymen Association, which is where the Davis Dairy Plant gets their milk to make our ice cream,” Lopez said.
The popular cookies and cream ice cream is not the only choice, though. Students say their favorites range from chocolate to mint chocolate chip. Professors tend to branch out, too. Mary Christensen, assistant dean for academic programs, said she goes for hobo crunch, while academic adviser Brenna Rudendall-LaVoy prefers cookie dough.
“We have a lot of people coming from everywhere and lots of different states,” Lopez said. “They want to try the cookies and cream flavor. It’s our most popular flavor, no surprise since it was actually invented here at SDSU in the 1970s.”
Steven Beckman, manager of the Davis Dairy Plant, said seasonal ice cream flavors also help keep things fresh.
“Basically, we’ll follow two major seasons,” Beckman said. “During fall and winter, we’ll make special batches like peppermint or chocolate peppermint. Otherwise, we keep a standard set of flavors throughout the year.”
Behind the scenes, the Dairy Bar faces challenges. Balancing student employee schedules at the start of each semester can be tricky, Lopez said. Beckman added that ensuring food safety and preparing students for future careers is always a priority.
“We know our staff and students represent SDSU with each bite, and we don’t take that lightly,” Beckman said.
The Dairy Bar is also a tourism stop in Brookings. During the summer months, Lopez said the plant hosts four to six school tours each week, drawing visitors who want to see how SDSU ice cream is made.
Kimberly Miller, a Dairy Plant employee, said those tours, along with ice cream
sales at football games and the Children’s Museum, help the Dairy Bar strengthen its ties to the community.
“I believe it has an impact on campus and the community by bringing us all together,” Miller said. “The community comes to get ice cream and enjoy the Dairy Bar with family and friends.”
From May through September, sales reach their highest, with the Dairy Plant producing between 500 and 1,500 gallons of ice cream per week, depending on de-
mand. Lopez said summer’s high traffic sometimes forces staff to cut back on less popular flavors to keep up.
As for the future, Lopez said the Dairy Bar isn’t aiming to expand much beyond its current space. Instead, the goal is to keep serving the same flavors and experiences that have made it a tradition on campus.
“They don’t want to grow too much because the vicinity is small and we have to keep up with the sales,” Lopez said.
NEW DAIRY BAR MENU ITEMS
• Boba milk teas
• Smoothies
• Refreshers
• Hot sandwiches
Soccer eyes final two opponents
JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter
Following a scoreless draw on Saturday against the University of South Dakota Coyotes, The 3-1-2 Jacks look ahead to their last two Summit League matches of the season.
South Dakota
SDSU and USD played to a 0-0 tie for the third time in their last four meetings. Both teams combined for five shots in the final nine minutes of play. On two of the Jacks’ shots, USD goalkeeper Kelsie Luquin made the saves.
Mia Bosch led SDSU in shots on goal with three, followed by Hailee Christensen with two. Brianna Finnegan and Lauren Welter split the remainder. Mallorie Benhart made four saves.
Klarrisa Vega led the Coyotes with five shots, including two on goal. Mali Van Meeteren and Gabbie Ryan each shot twice with one on goal. Cambell Fischer, USD’s starting goalkeeper, made five saves before Luquin came in for the final 19 minutes.
SDSU moves to 3-1-2 in conference play, sitting third in the standings behind Denver and Oral Roberts.
“You tip your hat to USD and say they were pretty good on the day,” said head coach Brock Thompson. “I’m proud of our team's ability to fight through moments in the game that were played in a way that doesn't suit our strength.”
Kansas City
The Jacks continue their road trip to fourth-place Kansas City on Thursday, Oct. 23. The Roos are 3-2-1 in conference play, coming off a 2-1 victory over North Dakota on Sunday. Delfina Zolesio Fernandez Blanco is the team’s leading shooter with 36, ninth-most in the Summit League. The midfielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina has 22 shots on goal, a conference high 11 goals, and two assists this season. She scored three goals, had four shots on goal and six shots in a
Summit League Soccer Standings
No. 1: Oral Roberts
No. 2: Denver
No. 3: SDSU
No. 4: Kansas City
No. 5: USD
No. 6: Omaha
No. 7: NDSU
No. 8: St. Thomas
match against Rockhurst on Aug. 24.
Ashley Koch and Olivia Platt each have scored six times. Koch has 33 shots with 16 on goal plus six assists this season, while Platt has shot 13 times with six on goal plus four assists.
Game time is Thursday at 7 p.m. and
can be watched on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
Oral Roberts
SDSU closes out the regular season with a match against first-place Oral Roberts. The Golden Eagles are 5-0-1 in conference play with 11 wins overall.
Brianna Castleberry has 37 shots this season, a team high and is tied for seventh-most in the conference. Castleberry has 26 shots on goal with four goals and seven assists. Julia Thasapong has six goals this season, the third-highest total in the conference. She has 30 shots with 17 on goal and five assists.
Game time is Sunday at 1 p.m. and can be watched on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
After Summit League regular season play the Summit League tournament will begin on Nov. 1 and end on Nov. 9.
OWEN BOYD / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
South Dakota State freshman Jenna Maloy competes against University of North Dakota freshman Natalie Enderle .In her freshman season Maloy has 13 total points which is second on the team. The freshman is also second on the team with five goals on the year.
JACKS TAKE FIGHT TO HAWKS
Jackrabbits beat three in Summit play to stay unbeaten
CORDELL VITENSE
Sports Editor
SDSU got two big, in-conference rivalry wins last week and added another on Tuesday night to move to 14-3 and 8-0 in conference play.
North Dakota State
Last Thursday, SDSU got a 3-0 sweep of the North Dakota State Bison. At the time, both teams went into the matchup undefeated and SDSU head coach Dan Georgalas talked about what this win means for the team. “Anytime you’ve got the last two undefeated teams in the league facing each other, it’s a separation game.”
SDSU defeated the Bison 25-21 in the first set, 25-22 in the second and to close out the match SDSU won 25-18 to secure a 3-0 sweep.
In the match, sophomore Madison Burr led the Jacks with 11.5 points on eight kills and four blocks.
Junior Sylvie Zgonc also ended the night with eight kills and finished with nine total points. Zgonc also added nine digs to her stat line.
For NDSU, senior Baily Randall led the Bison and the match in scoring with 12 points on 11 kills.
Lauren Jansen was a close second with 11.5 points with seven kills, four aces and one block assist. She secured a double-double with 12 digs.
South Dakota
Following the North Dakota State match, the Jackrabbits traveled to Vermillion on Saturday to take on the Coyotes for the first time since SDSU lost 3-2 in the Summit League Championship. SDSU came out on top with a 3-1 victory to keep the undefeated streak alive, while the Coyotes fell to 4-3 in conference.
In the first set, USD came out strong to
take a 1-0 lead after a close 25-22 win. The Jackrabbits responded, winning the next three sets. In the second set SDSU won 25-19, in the third they won 25-18 and the fourth and final set ended 25-19 to give the Jackrabbits a 3-1 win.
Zgonc led the Jackrabbits in scoring with 21 points on the night, all of them being kills. Zgonc also added 11 digs to secure a double-double.
Freshman Hanna Klein also had a big night with 17.5 points. Klein had 12 kills, three service aces and three total blocks.
For USD, it was Lauren Medeck leading the way with 15 points and seven digs. 14 of those points came on kills for the sophomore.
Junior Amanda Loschen also had a
solid night with 13.5 points. Loschen had 11 kills and four total blocks at the end of the night.
North Dakota
The Jackrabbits got another sweep under their belt on Tuesday night in Grand Forks. The Jacks beat the Fighting Hawks 3-0 to continue their winning streak and remain a perfect 8-0 in conference play.
For the Jacks Zgonc once again led the team in scoring with 15 points on 13 kills. Zgonc also added nine digs.
The Jacks second leading scorer was Madison Burr who racked up 12.5 points on nine kills. Like Zgonc, Burr also added nine digs to her stat line.
For the Fighting Hawks it was Matthea
Dalton and Vanessa Washington leading the way in points. Both players tallied six and a half points on the night. Dalton led the team with six kills while Washington recorded four kills and four total blocks on the night.
On the year Sylvie Zgonc not only leads the Jackrabbits in scoring and kills but also leads the Summit League in points per set. Zgonc has tallied 265.5 points on the season with 244 kills, which averages to 4.5 points per set. Zgonc has also added 156 kills on the year.
Another standout for the Jacks this season is sophomore Madison Burr who has 199.5 points on the season so far with 144 kills and 75 blocks on the season. Burr’s stats are good enough to put her at
EAN WETZEL / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Junior setter Rylee Martin goes up for a block against North Dakota State on Thursday Oct. 16. Against the Bison Martin recorded 26 assists and four points. On the
SUMMIT LEAGUE STANDINGS
No. 1: SDSU (8-0)
No. 2: St. Thomas (6-2) No. 3: Denver (5-3)
No. 4: USD (5-3)
No. 5: NDSU (5-3) No. 6: Omaha (3-5) No. 7: UND (2-6) No. 8: Kansas City (2-6) No. 9: Oral Roberts (0-8)
SUMMIT LEAGUE LEADERS
(Player Kills)
No. 1: Lauren Medeck (USD) No. 2: Paige Barber (UND) No. 3: Sylvie Zgonc (SDSU) No. 4: Kaili Jurgensmeier (UNO) No. 5: Tezra Rudzitis (STT)
SUMMIT LEAGUE
LEADERS (Team Kills)
ninth in the Summit League in points per set with 3.38.
Oral Roberts
This Thursday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m., SDSU will host Oral Roberts. Oral Roberts currently sits at 2-18 with an 0-8 conference record.
When SDSU traveled to Tulsa, they came away with a 3-0 sweep of the Golden Eagles. In that match, Sylvie Zgonc led the way for the Jacks with 13 points. Freshman Hayden Hart led the way for ORU, tallying 10 points.
Hart leads the team in scoring this season with 157 points, with 151 of them being kills. The freshman has also added 34 digs on the season.
Following close behind in scoring is sophomore outside hitter Hope Hick-
man. Hickman has a total of 151.5 points on 141 kills.
Even though those two players lead the team in total points, the Golden Eagles’ leading scorer in points per set is sophomore Cortnee Smith. Smith is averaging 3.09 points per set while Hart and Hickman are tied at 2.79 points per set. Smith has tallied 126.5 total points on the season with 119 kills.
Denver
The Jackrabbits’ next test will come when they stay at home to face Denver on Saturday, Oct. 25, at one p.m.
Denver currently sits at 13-5 on the season with a 5-2 conference record, with one of those losses coming at home to SDSU in a 3-1 loss.
In that match, Zgonc led the Jacks with
19.5 points with 16 kills. But senior Ava Reynolds led the match in points with 22.5 on 20 kills.
This performance marked Reynolds’ best performance of her senior season statistically. Over the year so far, Reynolds leads the Pioneers in points with 221 on 197 kills. She also totaled 101 digs on the season.
Genevieve Lewis is second on the team in scoring with 196 points. Lewis has 180 kills on the season and 27 blocks.
Six-foot-two redshirt senior Kate Perryman leads the team in blocks from the middle blocker position. Perryman has tallied 62 blocks and 72 kills so far this season to total 107 points.
After the Jackrabbits face Denver they will travel to Omaha to face the Mavericks for the second time this season.
No. 1: USD (1066) No. 2: St. Thomas (998) No. 3: Denver (945) No. 4: NDSU (822) No. 5: SDSU (817) No. 6: Omaha (813) No. 7: Kansas City (787) No. 8: UND (755) No. 9: Oral Roberts (753)
SUMMIT LEAGUE LEADERS
(Team Blocks)
No. 1: SDSU (187) No. 2: Omaha (162) No. 3: USD (157) No. 4: Denver (145) No. 5: Kansas City (137.5) No. 6: NDSU (125) No. 7: St. Thomas (112) No. 8: UND (105) No. 9: Oral Roberts (73)
EAN WETZEL / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Annalee Ventling-Brown (top), Madison Burr (middle) and Sylvie Zgonc (bottom) celebrate after a score against North Dakota State. SDSU defeated the Bison 3-0 on their way to a 6-0 record a top the Summit League. Currently the Jacks sit at 8-0 while the Bison are 5-3 and fifth in the Summit League.
PRIDE ON THE LINE SDSU looks to take back Dakota Marker
JACKRABBITS THIS WEEK
7-0 7-0
The No. 2 Jackrabbits will host the No. 1 Bison in the first primetime Dakota Marker showdown in 10 years.
SDSU Standout
Safety Jalen B. Lee recorded two interceptions in SDSU’s win over Murray State. He earned Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
NDSU Standout
In his first year, Cole Payton has led one of the most dangerous offenses in the FCS. He is both an efficient passer and runner, throwing for 1,565 and running for 475.
SDSU vs. NDSU Facts (Oct. 14, 1950 - present)
• NDSU leads series 45-17
• SDSU’s largest win: 60-0
• Last ten games are split 5-5
JACOB BRENDE Sports Editor
In what both fanbases would consider their biggest game of the year so far, the No. 2 South Dakota State Jackrabbits will host the No. 1 North Dakota State Bison in another D1 matchup between the two powerhouses. Both teams are undefeated and are coming off of big wins that also left them injured.
“Everyone, when you come to South Dakota State, you understand what this rivalry means,” said defensive tackle Logan Green. “But it is just another game on Saturday. We gotta focus on this one game.”
For SDSU, the biggest story is the availability of quarterback Chase Mason.
He left early in the Murray State game with an undisclosed injury, and currently no information as to the possibility of him playing. Head coach Dan Jackson on the Dan Jackson show did mention the strength of Mason in regards to whether he will play or not.
Backup quarterback Luke Marble put together a solid performance in the 35-14 point win over Murray State Racers Oct. 18.
“The team faced some adversity a little bit early on,” Jackson said. “We’ve never flinched from or wavered in those moments, and so I was excited about how the offense supported Luke. I was excited about how the defense took the football away.”
Marble threw for 189 yards on 13-21 at-
tempts, had two passing touchdowns and one interception. Julius Loughridge got most of the rushing workload, as is usual. He averaged 3.5 yards a run en route to an 88 yard performance.
The receiving leader this week was Alex Bullock, who had 99 yards on six receptions. Closely behind him was Jack Smith, he had 91 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions. For Smith, it was his best receiving performance of the year. Previously, his season high in receiving yards was 51 against Mercyhurst. The two touchdowns was also a season high as was his total receptions. Bullock since the O’Groske injury has been tremendous, he leads the team in reception yards with 510, most of his production coming from the past three games. In his
• NDSU beat SDSU 21-28 in the postseason and eventually won the FCS championship last season
• Both teams have new starting quarterbacks for this season
• NDSU and SDSU rank one and two, respectively in defense by points allowed
NEXT UP
South Dakota State will host the 2-5 Indiana State Sycamores in SDSU’s fifth MFVC game on Nov. 1, 2025.
EAN WETZEL / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Defensive tackle Logan Green carries the United State’s flag while leading the team on SDSU’s Hobo Day matchup against Murray State on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025 in Brookings, S.D. The Jacks won that game 31-3, forcing four interceptions and sacking the quarterback twice.
first four games of the season, he had 167 receiving yards on 19 receptions. The last three games, he has caught 21 balls for 343 yards.
Lofton O’Groske made his return after a two game absence. The sophomore didn’t show up in the box score after the few snaps he played, but his return to the field is certainly welcomed. O’Groske had a limited role last season, only appearing in a game once. This season, however, he has become one of the offensive’s most productive weapons. Across his five games played, he has tallied 312 receiving yards, three touchdowns and has averaged five receptions a game.
Defensively, linebacker Chase Van Tol led the team in tackles with eight. He is also the team leader in sacks with four.
Jalen B. Lee recorded two interceptions to lead the team as well.
Another story out of the Murray State game is the South Dakota State’s defense’s turnover numbers. For a second week in a row, the Jacks have forced four interceptions. In the three Missouri Valley games played this season (Youngstown State, Northern Iowa and Murray State), they have recorded ten turnovers. Throughout the season, the team has forced 18 turnovers. They haven’t given the ball up much either, the offense only throwing two. This season, the defense has let up 14.57 points per game.
North Dakota State didn’t leave their last game fully healthy either. Defensive tackle Jaxon Duttenheffer, who is also a team captain, is doubtful to play after suffering a neck injury that led to him being transported off the field on a stretcher. Duttenheffer did return to the field later in the game walking. Mekhi Collins, a wide receiver, also suffered an injury and did not return to the game.
Despite the injuries, the Bison are not short of talent to threaten the Jacks undefeated record. Receiver Bryce Lance (brother of NFL quarterback Trey Lance) is one of the best wide receivers in the conference with 535 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the season so far. Lance was unstoppable in the semifinals against SDSU last season, recording three touchdowns and 125 receiving yards.
It won’t be Cam Miller quarterbacking
the Bison anymore, it’s now the longtime backup Cole Payton. Payton has been on the team for five years and while not always contributing in the passing game, was able to help the rushing attack. In 2023, Payton ran for 615 yards. He has been great for NDSU so far, throwing for more than 1500 yards while also getting 11 passing touchdowns. Still, he remains a rushing threat, he’s ran for 475 yards and has picked up six rushing touchdowns.
Rushing for the fourth highest number of yards in the MFVC is NDSU runningback Barika Kpeenu. He’s ran for 618 yards and has only lost 18 on 107 attempts, an average of 5.6.
The defense has given up 9.1 points a game, and that isn’t because they have only been playing unranked teams. South Dakota, Illinois State and South-
ern Illinois have faced this Bison defense and have scored a combined total of 46 points. However, NDSU’s offense has scored a total of 129 points across those three games. Outpacing an offense of that caliber can prove difficult.
“They’ve always been a sound defense, we understand that, we know we got to play high level football on Saturday,” said Jackrabbit wide receiver Greighton Gannon. “We gotta play four quarters and just put a complete game together.”
There is no doubt that this will be a game that is filled with emotion. The once NDSU sided rivalry has balanced out in the past 20 years, and the Jacks have had their fair share of memorable wins against the Bison. SDSU beat the Bison for their first ever National Championship three years ago. Last year,
NDSU beat the Jacks twice, both games being decided by one score, once in the regular season and once in the pos.
They would go on to win the National Championship that season. No. 1 and No. 2 will face off in a highly anticipated and long awaited primetime, Brookings hosted potential postseason teaser. While this game means a bit more for some, Gannon notes that the value in this upcoming game isn’t in raising the Dakota Marker, the trophy associated with the matchup, but instead because it’s the next game in the schedule.
“Raising the rock - it’s something everyone wants to do. Everyone is fired up to play Saturday, it’s a big game because it’s the next game. It’s just a little more to it with the rock coming in hand.”
EAN WETZEL / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Linebacker Chase Van Tol looks off to the side during SDSU’s Oct. 11 game against Murray State. Van Tol recorded four total tackles, two sacks and accounted for one of SDSU’s four interceptions. He would return that interception for 29 total yards.
