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SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3
7 p.m. — Jackrabbit WBB vs. Weber State (YouTube)
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
1 p.m. — The Collegian Report
SATURDAY, DEC. 6
2 p.m. — Jackrabbit MBB vs. Idaho (YouTube)
FRIDAY, DEC. 12
7 p.m. — Jackrabbit MBB vs. Dakota Wesleyan (YouTube)
SUNDAY, DEC. 14
2 p.m. — Jackrabbit WBB vs. Ball State (YouTube)
McCory Gardens is hosting the 11th annual Garden Glow
McCRORY GARDENS GARDEN GLOW
The 11th annual Garden Glow at McCrory Gardens. Watch the final episode of The Collegian Report on friday to preview the event, which runs through Jan. 6, 2026.
— Emily Attrill & Andrew Lewno, Collegian Media ONLINE NOW
SDSU POLICE DEPARTMENT DAILY CRIME
LOG
SUNDAY, NOV. 24
• 8:15 a.m. — Intentional Dammage/ Vandalism, Young Hall
• 6 p.m. — Suspicious Persons/Vehicle, Union Pay Lot
MONDAY, NOV. 24
• 7:38 p.m. — Suspicious Persons/ Vehicle
• 10:12 p.m. — Fictious/False ID, Caldwell Hall
ANDREW LEWNO / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
CHIEF EXPLAINS GUN INCIDENTS
EMILY DECOCK Editor-in-Chief
South Dakota State University police chief Tim Heaton attended Monday’s Students’ Association meeting and answered senators’ questions about two recent gun related incidents.
One was an Oct. 26 incident that involved a threat made to a student on campus, in which a campus-wide alert was sent out by UPD that told students to shelter in place and warned of a “threatening individual … possibly carrying a firearm.”
Heaton also explained the Nov. 15 campuswide emergency alert, which advised people to shelter in place after reports of shots fired in a tailgate area near Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
Heaton confirmed the suspect was arrested that night, and subsequently sent out an “all clear” message around 5 a.m.
Heaton sent out the warning after the victim reported the threat to UPD.
“I put out the warning because we didn’t know where the suspect was,” Heaton said. “It took us a while for Sioux Falls to find him. In that meantime, I wanted to make sure that the campus was safe.”
Sen. Ben Anderson asked if anyone is investigating the incident.
“Sioux Falls PD have to be, because he was arrested,” Heaton said.
Heaton said UPD can’t release more information because the incident occurred outside of UPD’s jurisdiction. He said the Sioux Falls police department is in charge of the investigation.
“They’re dealing with the criminal investigation, the criminal side, and so I can’t release that information … We’re the ones who found him, we did a warrant and got a ping on his phone and then Sioux Falls PD went and arrested him,” Heaton said.
“There seems to be some confusion with the Sioux Falls PD, saying that they think it’s ours, but everything happened in Sioux Falls, including the arrest,” Heaton added. “So, it’s not ours.”
The incident was an attempted suicide, Heaton said, and once UPD found out the incident was mental-health related and not a crime, he couldn’t put out any further information. It also occurred off-campus, meaning it’s not under UPD’s jurisdiction.
“What came to me was, we got a gunshot wound in the tailgate area, unknown shooter. The safety of the campus is my first priority,” Heaton said. “So that information, being all the information that I had, I put out the message.”
“We don’t have that many officers, and we all wear a lot of hats,” Heaton added. UPD has 14 full-time officers, including Heaton.
IN OTHER NEWS
Leaders of the Miller Wellness Center told senators about growth the facility has experienced in the last year, as well as programs it offers.
The Wellness Center offers counseling services, a health clinic, fitness and recreation space, an esports lounge, financial crash courses and more.
Year-over-year, the number of facility visits grew from 396,751 to 408,639 - an increase of about 11,900 visitors. Over 80 students are employed through the Wellness Center.
There have been 645 mental health check-ins since May, said Tammy Lunday, director of student health and counseling at the Wellness Center.
Mariah Weber, director of recreation and fitness, said over 13,800 people participated in fall 2025 group fitness classes, an increase of 36%.
Esports had a 39% increase in participation from fall 2024 to fall 2025, with
about 800 participants.
“The Miller Wellness Center is much more than a place where you throw around a basketball or go to a yoga class,” said Shari Landmark, chief wellness officer. “It helps reduce that stress, helps take care of you.”
NEW BUSINESS
Next week, SA will vote on an amendment to Article IV of its bylaws “to clarify and standardize internal senate reporting.” Bylaw amendments require a twothirds vote to pass.
SA will also vote on special allocations for two clubs next week; the Ducks Unlimited Club and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The final SA meeting of the year will be Monday, Dec. 8, in the Lewis & Clark Room in the Student Union at 7 p.m.
EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
TIMOTHY HEATON
Shari Landmark, chief wellness officer at the Miller Wellness Center, talks to sentators about the facility on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, at the South Dakota State University Student Union in Brookings.
PREPARING FOR WINTER
IVAN NAVARRETE Reporter
With the arrival of winter in Brookings, SDSU students now face months of winter storms and cold temperatures.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), Brookings received about five inches of snow late last week. For a lot of students, especially those from warmer areas, Brookings’ cold weather becomes a battle that affects their motivation to participate in class, their safety and health.
According to the NWS in Sioux Falls, Brookings can expect a colder season than last year. Below-zero temperatures alongside stronger severe snowstorms are more likely later this winter.
When looking at the three winter months approaching, National Weather Service (NWS) Meteorologist Peter Rodgers said the snow could bring widespread but relatively light precipitation throughout Brookings and the rest of South Dakota.
When asked about what students should know about traveling on icy highways between Brookings and Sioux Falls, he said, “students should keep a winter survival kit in their cars and also keep extra clothes, water (and) even a shovel.”
Historical climate data shows winter often arrives early in Brookings. The earliest 2-inch snowfall on record happened Oct. 1, 1999. On average, the first 2-inch snow falls around Nov. 25, the first 4-inch happens around Dec. 20 and the first 6-inch snow by late January.
The University Police Department (UPD) is also gearing up for a busy part of the year. Deputy Chief Michael Kilber said the department prepares far in advance of the first serious storm.
“Our officers are equipped with proper cold-weather clothing, and our patrol vehicles are winterized,” Kilber said. “We outfit them with shovels, traction boards, hand warmers and wool blankets. Officers are trained in winter driving, recognizing hypothermia and conducting low-visibility search and rescue operations.”
People walking or driving during winter months must be prepared for severe conditions, he said. He suggested dressing in layers, wearing bright or reflective clothing, staying on known paths and letting others know where you’re going.
UPD also works with the Emergency Management Team and University Marketing and Communications to send alerts about closures, delays and bad weather. In certain situations, UPD also notifies people about immediate emergencies.
The SDSU Parking Services updated students about many winter-weather rules to help snow-removal crews work easier and keep campus safe. Students aren’t allowed to park overnight in reserved lots between 2 and 5 a.m., and any vehicle left in those spots may be ticketed.
Lot 166, west of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, is used as the university’s snow-emergency lot. Students and staff should park there whenever other lots have not yet been cleared.
Students are also responsible for removing snow from around their own vehicles, because the university does not clear individual spaces. Residence halls have shovels available for checkout.
For many SDSU students, learning to cope with the cold is part of the college experience.
Tanner Vanmeetern, a 20-year-old junior majoring in concrete industry management with a minor in marketing, said that since he grew up in Sioux Falls, he stays prepared for the winter in Brookings.
Vanmeetern said, each year, by stocking up on winter needs like coats, sweats and medicine.
“Freshman year taught me a lot,” he said. “You’ve got to
have enough clothes to keep warm and be prepared for the worst. For first-year or out-of-state students, I’d bring a space heater, extra blankets and an ice scraper – especially if you’re not familiar with Brookings.”
When asked if the cold weather affects his motivation he said, “Some of my hobbies go away, and it’s harder to stay energized,” he said. “But I try to enjoy the little things like when I can get to the gym.”
To stay active, he said he plays basketball or pickleball with friends.
“It helps you stay social when it’s too cold to be outside,” he said.
For all the long stretches of cold, snow and high winds, SDSU officials say winter is something the campus handles best when everyone prepares and stays aware.
Kilber said the UPD team is always here to help, and students’ well-being is their main priority.
EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
A person walks through the snow on the west side of the Student Union on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025.
Art Museum welcomes new exhibit
LANCE SPRACKLIN Reporter
Tradition in Contemporary Art Exhibit and the Nordic Yule Market are open for the holiday season at the South Dakota Art Museum.
The exhibit features 55 works by 24 artists from the upper Midwest. This is the first major traveling exhibit showcasing work inspired by traditional Nordic folk art and culture.
The exhibit was curated by Sally Yerkovich of the American-Scandinavian Foundation. Its journey began in New York in April at the Scandinavia House in Manhattan until Aug. 2, then re-opened at the South Dakota Art Museum on Oct. 4.
A wide variety of artistic mediums are featured, from blacksmithing, woodworking, weaving and paper cutting. The exhibit also includes a short film. Many pieces were made specifically for this exhibit
On Nov. 20., four featured artists, Tia Keobounpheng, Talon Cavender-Wilson, Kjetil “K.J.” Groven and Sonja Peterson traveled to Brookings to speak about their work at the Nordic Echoes lecture held at the South Dakota Art Museum.
Keobounpheng, from Minneapolis, shared the story behind her piece made for this exhibit called, “Who do you think you are, no .11.” The piece is part of her series of geometric tapestries created by sewing and weaving practices.
Keobounpheng’s piece is an abstract family portrait.
“Growing up in a large family, there’s a certain level of individuality you must surrender in order to operate and be a functioning part of the family unit,” Keobounpheng said. “I think of the front as what we think our family’s story is, and the exposed threads on the back is the pieces of the story we actually know and try to put together.”
Peterson, another Minneapolis native, shared with the audience the meaning and process behind her piece, “Inferno,
seek shelter.” The piece reflects recent wildfires in Canada and Northern Minnesota.
“My choice of paper in my pieces echoes the fragility of ecological systems. The entire system is reliant on its interconnectivity,” Peterson said.
Cavender-Wilson, a Dakota artist from Granite Falls, Minnesota created his piece, “W*ater,” using traditional Swedish blacksmithing techniques he learned in his five years studying in Sätergläntan, Sweden.
Groven, a blacksmith and teacher from the Sturgis area, creates classic Nordic tools and other items like ale bowls through a combination of blacksmithing and woodworking.
“My hope is someone sees the work in the exhibit and is inspired to create something, and realize art is not always painting and perfection,” Groven said. Alongside the exhibit is the Nordic Yule Market, which was created by and exclusive to the South Dakota Art Museum.
“We created the Nordic Yule Market to celebrate the Nordic Echoes exhibition and bring its themes to life beyond the galleries,” said Abigail Gebro, retail and visitor services coordinator at the Museum. “It’s the Art Museum’s twist on classic Nordic and German holiday markets — cozy, festive and full of charm.”
The Nordic Yule Market has been in the making for a year and features around 50 vendors with many from the surrounding area. Artists and vendors’ works were chosen based on creations that reflect quality, Nordic heritage and a handmade touch.
A wide variety of items are available at the market such as; Dala horses, a symbol of Swedish heritage, wool goods and traditional winter treats.
The Nordic Yule Market will feature a variety of events throughout the season. The market will offer gift wrapping for a one-dollar charge throughout the entire season, and free wrapping during special events.
On Dec. 4, “Sip & Shop” will be held from 5-8 p.m. and include live music from Nordic band Project: Constellation. Seasonal drinks and Nordic treat samples will be served at the cash bar in the market.
Meet and greets with popular characters and other family friendly activities will be held.
All special events will be announced on the South Dakota Art Museum’s social media pages.
“We hope visitors leave with a sense of connection to Nordic culture and the Art Museum’s interest in celebrating art, heritage, and community in creative, engaging ways,” Gebro said.
Students can receive 10% off any purchase with a free Art Museum Membership. Every purchase directly supports the Art Museum’s free exhibits and programs for the campus and community.
The Market will be open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays in November and December, and will stay open through Jan. 3, 2026.
LANCE SPRACKLIN / COLLEGIAN MEDIA “Inferno, seek shelter” is a piece done by Minnesota artist Sonja Peterson. The piece is part of the Tradition in Contemporary Art Exhibit in the South Dakota Art Museum, available for museum visitors to see during this holiday season.
Food compost program aims to reduce waste
ABBIE CHASE Reporter
The City of Brookings launched a new food compost project this fall, encouraging area residents to get involved in reducing waste and supporting local sustainability.
The project was put in place on Oct. 13 and aims to reduce the amount of food sent to the landfill.
Over the next year, participants can pick up a bucket and a compost bag at one of the four dropoff sites. The city has an outlined list of accepted food items, and once participants’ bags are full, they can drop them off at one of the drop-off locations. The city will take care of the rest.
Katie Stiegelmeier, City of Brookings business operations manager, says they have had about 175 people participate so far. The city has dumped loads of compost, totaling around 1.7 tons.
“We are really excited about the level of participation and the positive response that we’ve had so far,” Stiegelmeier said. “It’s definitely more than we were expecting.”.
She said she is happy the city is able to conduct this project and that she has enjoyed participating herself.
The City of Brookings is working in conjunction with the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the engineering firm Burns & McDonnell on this project. Burns & McDonnell will combine the data, field work and demonstration in the pilot. The firm will explore food waste volumes, composting technologies that work well in South Dakota’s weather and the quality of the finished compost. Burns and McDonnell senior planner
Heather Krauel said this is not a new study for their company. According to Krauel, the State of South Dakota Recycling and Diversion Report completed in 2024, and the City of Sioux Falls Food Waste Diversion Study completed in 2025.
Project research will run from June 2025 through May 2026.
The City of Brookings Sustainability Council has been working to promote the compost project and involve more community members.
Joshua Bauman, the city of Brookings Park, Recreation and Forestry assistant director, said he thinks this project is a step in the right direction for the city.
“When you eliminate all those barriers and just create easy access for them, I think it sparks people to at least want to give it a try,” Bauman said.
DROP OFF AND PICK UP LOCATIONS
ABBIE CHASE / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
of the compost stations sits in Brookings.
BARTENDER FINDS HER ROOTS
PAIGE FOSTER Reporter
When Jen Witt bartended in the fall of ‘98 at Ray’s Corner as a college student, the floors were carpeted, the shots came in glass instead of plastic and the bar had not yet taken over the old Subway next door, or added a beer garden.
Twenty five years later, “The looks have changed, the vibe has not,” Witt said.
While in college, Witt applied at Ray’s Corner because she needed money. Now when she steps behind the bar, she said she forgets her age.
“Suddenly I’m back in college again,” Witt said.
In the decades since she first worked
at the bar she graduated from SDSU, moved towns and built a career teaching early childhood education. She occasionally drives two hours from her Webster area farm to work at Ray’s.
She got the chance to relive her bartending days when Witt and Ray’s manager, Lisa Steenson, ran into each other while picking up kids and grandkids. Witt asked if Steenson needed help over Hobo Day in 2022 and without hesitation, Steenson was more than happy to have Witt come back.
Now, Witt’s has been returning to Ray’s for about three years.
Through working at Ray’s, Witt has reconnected with the Brookings locals, and they’ve become her favorite part of returning. Even after 20-plus years, reg-
Hobo Day and the dollar bills that collect on the wall behind the bar are pulled down and donated.
Taking these down makes room for Ray’s most beloved tradition: hanging Christmas lights. Bartenders and locals come in together to decorate and transform the bar.
“It’s all decked out like a landing strip,” Steenson says. “Like the elves puked lights.”
Other traditions that Witt looks back on include the T-shirts that Ray’s makes and sells every year, the shot the employees take together before a long shift on a big day, the debriefs between the employees at the end of the night and employee brunch the day after Hobo Day.
“Jen brings so much positivity; she always comes in with a smile on her face,” Steenson said. “Her joy just spreads, it always has. The younger employees got along with her right away. She may be older, but she’s got a younger personality. We’re all kind of equal here when we are working together, even me.”
Witt notices that some things at SDSU, and the college culture has changed too. When she was in school, the bars in downtown Brookings were mostly for people who were over 21 and treated their 21st birthday as a rite of passage. She says that in her day house parties were constant and keg parties, called keggers, were huge, and that’s where underage students often did the drinking.
ulars still recognize and greet her with things like, “I remember your smile.”
Both Steenson and Witt admire the community that Ray’s Corner has and agree that the welcoming environment is what keeps people coming back.
“Here you’re never just a bartender,” Steenson said. “You’re here to make the day better for everybody, with or without booze.”
The community spirit at Ray’s shows up in more than the regulars. Traditions have kept Ray’s personality intact. Fundraising for various organizations has been a huge part of the bar’s identity.
This year, Ray’s Corner raised over $150,000 for the Disabled American Veterans. Through employees donating their tips, hosting a cover charge on
Witt also had never heard of a darty, the drinking game of people sitting outside throwing darts at each other’s beer cans. But now you can find them on nearly every block in warmer months of the school year, especially on Hobo Day and football game days.
Her favorite parts of SDSU were meeting people and making friends, especially the friends that would encourage her to do things she hadn’t considered before.
For Witt, Ray’s is more than a bar, it’s a place that has stayed the same in all the ways that matter.
“I don’t regret anything that I did there,” she said. “It just made me who I am now.”
ANNIE WITT / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Jen Witt pours a drink at Ray’s Corner in Brookings, where she bartends part time, on Aug. 28, 2025. Witt started bartending at Ray’s Corner in the fall of 1998 when she was a college student at SDSU.
BRIELLE JENC Reporter
SDSU student ends rodeo season as No. 1 in breakaway roping
Since age 8, South Dakota State University freshman, Laney Hoier, has been dreaming of college rodeo and qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo.
After a standout fall season, that goal is closer than ever to becoming a reality. Hoier, an agricultural and biosystems engineering major, competes in breakaway roping and goat tying for SDSU’s rodeo team.
At the conclusion of the fall rodeo season in October, in the Great Plains Region, she holds the No. 1 spot in breakaway roping with 415 points.
“The college finals is something that I’ve been bound and determined, like every move we’ve made, every step we’ve taken, this is something I have been working toward since I was a little, bitty kid. It never occurred to me that it might not happen, because I was always planning on it. This is what I’m going to do.”
I have a bunch of adopted older siblings, which is really cool.”
Women’s team captain and rodeo club president, Jazz McGirr, also said the team is very close.
“If one of us is struggling, we go to another teammate and ask what was wrong,” she said. McGirr is a senior studying graphic design.
Hoier’s parents were especially proud. Buck, her dad, watched that first rodeo online.
“That made me feel very good, and proud, and relieved that she fits in,” he said. “She’s in deeper water, and she’s still swimming strong.”
Hoier’s mom, Allie, watched the rodeo in person.
“I’m super proud of the fall she’s had,” Allie said. “I’m excited for her. I’m glad she’s enjoying herself and I’m glad she’s having a standout fall as a freshman.”
SDSU rodeo coach Ron Skovly is glad to have one of his athletes sitting at the top of the region.
“She’s hard working happy go lucky, and always in a good mood,” he says.
Skovly has been coaching the team since 2009 and has worked hard over the years to improve the rodeo team for his athletes. He says that the Booster Board has helped support the team substantially and thanked the donors from One Day for STATE which raised $149,000 this year.
The top three athletes in each event will move on to compete at the CNFR in Casper, Wyoming, June 14-20.
In the coming spring season, Hoier would like to finish in the top five in the region in goat tying and win the region in breakaway roping. She would also like to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) and finish in the top five in the nation in either of her events.
The spring rodeo season in the Great Plains region consists of four rodeos. It begins March 27 in Ames, Iowa, and will conclude May 2 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Going into her first college rodeo in River Falls, Wisconsin this past September, Hoier was determined to stay confident despite being only a freshman.
“I guess you could say my goal is to just be aggressive and attack it like it was any other rodeo,” Hoier said, “and so far that has served me very well.”
Hoier finished first in breakaway roping at that rodeo.
After her college rodeo debut, Hoier then went on to win breakaway roping at the Blue Hawk Stampede in Dickinson, North Dakota. After that she finished second in breakaway roping at the Mystic Stampede in Mandan, North Dakota.
“It was a strange feeling,” she said. “I don’t even know how to put it into words. It was definitely a feeling of accomplishment, and a little bit of a feeling of like I proved myself. Like, I do in fact deserve to be here.”
Hoier said she appreciates the support from her team throughout the season.
“It really opened my eyes,” she said. “SDSU specifically has a really good team dynamic. It feels a lot like
Although she didn’t feel her roping was the most technically correct, she says, “It was a lot of God making those piece fall together.”
Meanwhile, goat tying did not go how Laney planned this fall. She thinks she’s improved in some of her skills, but she has had a hard time putting all the pieces together. Nevertheless, she is optimistic about the spring season and is looking forward to working things out this winter.
Laney began riding at a very young age.
“She latched on to horses as a littly bitty girl,” Buck said.
For Laney’s eighth birthday, her grandpa gave her a horse that he had raised, which she named Roxie. That same year, their friend Jim Wakefield convinced Laney’s parents to take her to a goat tying clinic he was hosting at his place.
Buck and Allie said that Laney has always embraced new challenges with confidence, trusting her parents whenever they encouraged her to try something new.
“Oh my goodness, this is really cool,” she said while
Collegian photo by STEPHANIE MILLER / SUBMITTED PHOTO
Laney Hoier, a freshman agriculture and biosystems major at SDSU, is now No.1 at the end of the rodeo season in the breakaway roping with 415 points.
LANEY HOIER
RON SKOLVY
at the clinic. “I fell in love with it then, and we’ve been chasing pretty big goals ever since then.”
Goat tying has always been Laney’s favorite event and she began excelling in it early on.
In eighth grade, she qualified for the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in the NHSRF.
Over the next four years, she won two state titles in goat tying, qualified for the NHSRF three times in goat tying and once in breakaway roping. She also finished her junior and senior year ranked sixth in the nation in goat tying.
Despite her many successes, she has faced challenges along the way.
This past spring she injured herself while dismounting her horse in goat tying. She broke her collarbone, which had to be repaired in surgery with a plate and six screws. Amid the disappointment that people expected her to feel, she stayed optimistic through the recovery process.
“Most people would take that as a major setback,” Allie said. “That’s where Laney is remarkable. She literally goes, ‘Ok well this isn’t my moment. So I’m going to focus on what I’m supposed to be learning right now.’”
Four days before the Nebraska State Rodeo Finals this past summer, Laney’s surgeon cleared her to compete under her parents’ discretion. She finished third in the
state in goat tying and sixth at the NHSFR.
Hoier said that her mom played a key role in her achievements in goat tying.
“She (Allie) was a very good goat tyer,” Hoier said. “She’s definitely the reason I’ve had as much success as I have.”
Hoier rides a horse named Cartel in goat tying. She explained how Cartel is a very strong horse and can be intimidating.
“She has taught me the very important lesson that is, fear is a mile wide, and an inch deep, and sometimes you have to do things when you’re scared,” she says.
Hoier’s breakaway roping horse is Barbie. Barbie sustained an injury to her hoof after catching it in a barbed wire fence during Hoier’s sophomore year of high school. It took Barbie over a year to recover before Hoier was able to rope a calf off of her again.
“It has been a long road getting her to this point, but she is so exceptionally good at her job that it is worth it,” Hoier says. “She’s a very unique individual and she’s definitely like my unicorn, and I don’t think I’ll find another like her. She’s been a very major part in the success I’ve had.”
This winter Hoier will continue working with her horses to keep them tuned up and in shape, and work on improving her skills in preparation for the spring
season.
Although she and her family are happy with how the season has gone thus far, they emphasize the importance of not focusing on the standings.
“It’s not done until it’s done,” Allie said.
Hoier remembers a piece of advice from Wakefield, the family friend, shared with them early on the importance of not worrying about others:
“It’s you versus you. It’s a goal of self improvement every day, whether it’s in the arena or other aspects of life.”
HOIER BIO
Name: Lainey Hoier
Age: 18
Major: Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering Hometown: Heman, Nebraska
Another Pride season comes to a close Marching band performs annual indoor show
LAURA SCHULTZ Reporter
Members of the Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band recently performed their annual indoor show in the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex (SJAC).
This hour-long show on Nov. 11 included multiple different pep tunes and songs to highlight the band’s 2025 season.
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and “Defying Gravity” were favorites among the nearly 1,000-person crowd that attended the event in the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex on the SDSU campus.
“Dancing Queen” and “Abracadabra” also drew applause from the audience.
“It’s always super exciting to be able to play for people who genuinely love the music we’re making,” said sophomore trumpet player Leif Peterson, one of the about 300 musicians who made up the band.
Sophomore drum major Emma Ackerman talked about how her experience in her leadership role differs from that of a rank-and-file pride player.
“Getting to experience this performance from the perspective of a drum major, I can really feel proud of all the energy and hours of work that each Pride member has dedicated to making this band flourish,” she said.
The band gets to play indoors only once a year, which brings some differences in performing outdoor shows.
“Performing indoors is always fun,” Peterson said. “It’s easier to hear every part, versus just hearing the instrument section you’re in.”
Kevin Kessler, director of The Pride, also talked about how the SJAC differs from performing in the Dykhouse Stadium.
“The field in the SJAC is shorter, but
otherwise lined exactly like the field in Dana J. Dykhouse stadium,” Kessler said. “The biggest difference is how we sound inside the SJAC. It is a very resonant space, so the listening experience is very different for the performers inside. “
Aside from performing crowd favorites, the show also featured fourth- and fifth-year members of The Pride. Kessler talked about the opportunities that these students have experienced throughout their years in The Pride.
“Perhaps no other class performed in more significant events and locations than this one,” he said. “The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, two FCS National Championship football games, a performance in a Major League Baseball stadium and numerous home FCS playoff games.”
As the 2025 Pride season came to a close, there are still plenty of exciting events to look forward to.
Said Kessler: “We’re looking forward to having a pep band at the Summit League Volleyball Tournament. Both basketball teams are off to a great start, so we’re hopeful that we’ll get to accompany them to NCAA tournaments.”
LAURA SCHULTZ / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
The SDSU Pride of the Dakotas marching band performed their annual indoor show at the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex on the SDSU campus on Nov. 11.
JACKS BACK TO THE DANCE
CORDELL VITENSE
Sports
Editor
SDSU volleyball will play in the NCAA tournament this Friday, Dec. 5, at 6:30 p.m. in Stanford, California.
Even after the heartbreaking loss in the Summit League Championship game, the Jacks will be in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.
“To go through this type of experience two years in a row is a dream and we’re enjoying that. We’ve got to celebrate; we’ve got to acknowledge all the good things we did,” said head coach Dan Georgalas. “As far as I know, we are the first Summit League team to ever get consecutive at-large bids. The league has only produced two bids three times in its history, two of which have come from us the last two seasons. There hasn’t been a win from a Summit League in the NCAA Tournament in a very long time, so we’re
very grateful to represent our conference with St. Thomas and now we want to go back into December volleyball and get a result that didn’t happen last year.”
SDSU is the number seven seed and is set to play the Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the tournament.
ARIZONA
Arizona volleyball will return to the big dance for the first time since 2018, when the team went 22-10 in the regular season and ended its season with a firstround loss in the NCAA Tournament.
The Wildcats are coming off a season where they went 16-12 overall and 10-8 in conference play, which put them at ninth in the Big 12.
Arizona is led by senior outside hitter Jordan Wilson, who has tallied 504 points on the season with 458 kills and 25 service aces. Wilson also has 251 digs on the
season. These stats were good enough to get named to the first-team All-Big 12, which is the second year in a row she has received that honor.
Sophomore outside hitter Carlie Cisneros also had a big year, scoring 358 points on the season on 317 kills, 27 service aces and 26 blocks. Cisneros has the third most digs on the team with 269. Cisneros was also a recipient of Big 12 honors, but it was second-team All-Big 12 for the sophomore.
Sophomore setter Avery Scoggins was the third and final Wildcat to make an all-conference team. Scoggins, like the other Arizona sophomore, made second-team All-Big 12. Scoggins recorded 1097 assists, 291 digs and 110 points in her second year in collegiate action.
If the Jacks win on Friday, they will then face the winner of the match between the number two-seeded Stanford Cardinals and Utah Valley. The sec-
ond-round match will be Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m.
FINN HOLSEN / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Jackrabbit players Sylvie Zgonc, Rylee Martin, Katelyn Van Kirk, Maggie Meister, Joslyn Richardson and Madison Burr celebrate during their championship match against St. Thomas on Tuesday Nov. 25, 2025 at First Bank & Trust Arena.
Jacks fall to .500 after Cancun trip
JORDAN RADDATZ
Sports Reporter
South Dakota State men’s basketball dropped its last two games of the Cancun Challenge in Cancun, Mexico, to Utah Valley University and the University of California-Irvine last Tuesday and Wednesday.
UTAH VALLEY
The Wolverines started the game with a 9-0 scoring run before Damon Wilkinson scored the first points for the Jacks. They were one point away from Utah Valley eight minutes in but they ended the half trailing by five. SDSU could not get any closer after that, losing 75-52.
Matthew Mors led the Jacks in scoring with 10 points, going 36% on the floor, while collecting three rebounds, three blocks, and a steal. Jaden Jackson led the team in steals with three.
Tyler Hendricks and Trevan Leonhardt for Utah Valley scored 16 points each. Hendricks shot 40% from three while Leonhardt went 67% on the floor. Braden Housley finished the game with 15 points and was one of four Wolverines to record three steals.
UC IRVINE
The Anteaters started with a 4-0 scoring run before Joe Sayler scored the first bucket. Mors gave the Jacks an early lead before UC Irvine retook it a few minutes later. SDSU tied the game once more in the first half but could not get closer. They scored 52 points again, but UC Irvine put up 64 to get the win.
Buchanan led the Jacks in scoring with 12 points, going 50% from the floor and picking up a pair of steals. Sayler and Jackson scored eight points each, the highest for the starters. Luke Haertle led in rebounds with seven.
Jurian Dixon led the Anteaters in scoring with 13 points, going 33% from the floor. Kyle Evans recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
night at 6 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
IDAHO
SDSU returns to First Bank & Trust Arena this weekend on Saturday, Dec 6, to host the University of Idaho. The Vandals are 4-3 and will play the University of North Dakota on Wednesday night. Their last game was a loss to Sam Houston State University, 98-64, on Friday, Nov. 28.
Jackson Rasmussen leads the Vandals in scoring with 109 points. He is the tenth-highest scorer in the Big Sky Conference. Rasmussen is 60% from the floor and 33% from three, collecting 27 rebounds and a pair of steals and blocks.
Leading the team in rebounds is Jack Payne with 42, and leading in steals is Kolton Mitchell with 10.
Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. and the game will be streamed on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
Andre Henry had the best three-point percentage, going 3-7 for just under 43%.
SDSU falls to 4-4 on the season. Their next two contests are part of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge.
NORTHERN ARIZONA
The Jacks travel to Flagstaff, Arizona, to play Northern Arizona University. The Lumberjacks are 4-2 this season, coming off a 79-72 victory over Southeast Missouri State University last Wednesday, Nov.
26.
Zack Davidson is the Lumberjacks’ leading scorer with 84 points. The redshirt sophomore forward has gone 62.1% on the floor while only trying a pair of three-pointers. Davidson has the second-most rebounds on the team with 35, with Ryan Abelman leading with 40. Abelman leads the team in steals with 12 on the season. He shoots 40% from the floor and 39.5% for three.
Tip-off is scheduled for Wednesday
FINN HOLSEN / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Redshirt freshman guard Trey Buchanan shoots a three against Georgia State in the Jacks 105-58 win at First Bank & Trust Arena on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.
JACKS DROP TWO IN CANCUN
CORDELL VITENSE
Sports Editor
The SDSU women’s basketball team had a rough Cancun Challenge, taking their first two losses of the season, going 1-2 overall.
NORTH CAROLINA
The first game of the tournament on Thanksgiving Day was against number 12 University of North Carolina and UNC showed why they are ranked so highly by handing the Jacks an 83-48 loss.
The Jacks’ leading scorer was senior Brooklyn Meyer with 16 points on 7-14 shooting from the floor and 2-3 shooting from the free throw line.
No other Jackrabbit scored in double figures, with Ellie Colbeck and Mahli Abdouch both scoring nine points. For the Tar Heels, there were four players in double digits. Sophomore guard Elina Aarnisalo and freshman guard Nyla Brooks led the team in scoring with 14 points.
Senior Indya Nivar had 13 points, five assists and 10 steals in the game. Senior Nyla Harris scored 12 on 6-9 shooting in just nine minutes.
The Jackrabbits were outscored in every quarter, starting off down 16-9 in the first quarter. At halftime, they were down 41-23. Coming out of the half, it wasn’t any better as the third quarter was the worst for SDSU, being outscored by 13 points, and by the end of the game, they found themselves with a 35-point loss.
COLUMBIA
The Jackrabbits took their second loss of the season, their second loss of the tournament and their second loss in a row the following day on Friday, Nov. 28, when Columbia took them down 80-67. Meyer was once again the leading scorer for the Jacks as she had 28 points on 10-16 shooting from the field and 8-14 shooting from the stripe. Meyer also
EAN WETZEL / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Senior forward Brooklyn Meyer goes up for a layup with a contest from Gonzaga defender Zeryhia Aokuso. Against Gonzaga on Nov. 20 in the Sioux Falls Pentagon Meyer had nine points and seven rebounds. Meyer is currently averaging just under 22 points per game while grabbing almost eight rebounds per game.
grabbed six boards and had two assists and two blocks.
Senior guard Madison Mathiowetz had a good game, scoring 19 points, including two three-pointers. Mathiowetz was also getting it done defensively with three steals.
Junior Riley Wiess for Columbia was the leading scorer of the game with an outstanding 31 points on 11-19 shooting from the floor and 3-6 shooting behind the arc.
Unlike the UNC game, SDSU had a chance to win most of the game. At the end of the first quarter, the two teams were tied at 18-18 and neither team could pull away by halftime, as Columbia took a 33-32 lead into the break. Heading into the fourth, Columbia still held a onepoint lead, but in the fourth quarter Lions outscored SDSU by 12 and walked away with an 80-67 win.
KANSAS STATE
In the third and final game of the Cancun Challenge, SDSU bounced back and got an 82-70 win over the Kansas State Wildcats to move to 1-2 in the Cancun Challenge and 6-2 overall in the season.
For the third game in Cancun, Meyer led the Jacks in scoring with an efficient 18 points on 7-9 from the floor and a perfect 4-4 from the line. Meyer also had eight rebounds and six assists.
Mathiowetz also had another good performance with 16 points on 5-12 shooting and 2-4 from three.
Sophomore guard Emilee Fox had 14 points while shooting 5-6 from the floor and 4-5 from the charity stripe.
Junior Taryn Sides led the game in scoring with 27 points while shooting 1121 from the floor and 5-11 from three.
In the first quarter of the matchup,
SDSU outscored Kansas State 18-16. In the second quarter, the Jackrabbits were able to build on the lead and at halftime, SDSU held a 37-30 lead. In a reversal of the game against North Carolina, the third quarter was the strongest for the Jackrabbits as they outscored the Wildcats by seven points and went into the fourth quarter up 66-52. SDSU held on and got its first and only win of the Cancun Challenge after an 82-70 win.
SDSU will now play Weber State and Northern Arizona in the Big Sky Summit Challenge this upcoming week.
WEBER STATE
On Wednesday, Dec 3, SDSU will host the Weber State Wildcats at 7 p.m. in First Bank & Trust Arena.
Weber State sits at 2-5 on the season with wins over Westminster and Utah Tech heading into Brookings.
The Wildcats’ leading scorer is senior forward Antoinette Emma-Nnopu, who averages 15 points per game on just over 28 minutes per game. The senior forward also averages just over 10 rebounds per game and shoots over 54% from the field.
Senior guard Lanae Billy is also another player to watch out for on the Wildcats’ roster. Billy averages 14.7 points in 32 minutes per game. Billy shoots 43% from the field and 33% from behind the arc.
NORTHERN ARIZONA
On Saturday, Dec 6, in Flagstaff, Arizona, SDSU will take on a struggling 1-7 Northern Arizona team.
Redshirt freshman Naomi White is a shining star for the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks, averaging just under 22 points per game on 36 minutes per game. White is shooting over 41% from three on 5.5 attempts per game.
No other player on the team averages double digit points.
BRAVING THE ELEMENTS
JACOB BRENDE Sports Editor
South Dakota State’s Football team began its campaign towards its third National Championship with its second largest win of the season last Saturday, Nov. 29 against New Hampshire. In the 41-3 win, Chase Mason made his return from a five game absence and Julius Loughridge eclipsed the 1000 yard rushing mark in likely the Jacks last home game of the season. Not only did SDSU have to fight the Wildcats, they also had to deal with the weather. When the players realized they had the opportunity to play in a snow game though, some didn’t view it as a challenge.
“The vibes were high this morning when we all got to the facility … We knew what the weather was gonna be and it was going to be a nice snowstorm, and we just said lets go, lets go out there and have fun and play ball,” said linebacker Joe Olman. The road to the title isn’t going to get any easier with SDSU playing No. 3 Montana this Saturday in the third consecutive post-season matchup
between the two schools. With it all on the line, the Jacks are making the most of the opportunity.
“I love it. There’s not many teams that get the opportunity to go out there and play ball this time of year so it’s just fun to go out there and lay it out there,” Mason said.
Firstly, there is the environment SDSU will have to prepare for. It isn’t the weather or climate that will pose a concern, it’s the fact that the Grizzlies haven’t lost a home playoff game since 2013. On top of that, SDSU has never beaten Montana in Missoula as they are currently 0-7. The Jacks have started to build up some momentum against the Grizzlies, the last two games against Montana have been wins, but history says that Missoula hasn’t been easy on the Jacks. There might be some extra meaning for some players on the Grizzly squad, SDSU beat Montana two seasons ago in the National Championship.
Disregarding the home field advantage, the Grizzlies offense has been potent this season. They lead the Big Sky Conference in points per game with 40.8, and are second in points allowed per game
with 23.5.
Montana’s offense is led by Big Sky passing yards leader Kaeli’i Ah Yat. He leads the Big Sky in passing yards, passing touchdowns and is partly responsible for one of the best scoring offenses in the entire FCS.
Who else could be responsible for their offensive success? Running back Eli Gillman. He’s been a over thousand yard rusher in back-to-back seasons, and currently has 1261 rushing yards on the year. He’s not much of a receiving threat, his most receiving yards in a game this year was 43, but his talent on the ground more than makes up for it. Oh, and he won the Big Sky Offensive MVP award this year.
The Grizzlies had two players on the defensive side of the ball win First-Team All-Big Sky Defense, defensive lineman Hunter Peck and linebacker Peyton Wing. Peck, who transferred to Montana after a great NAIA career, has 33 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Wing does a little bit of everything, he intercepts, he sacks and he tackles. He has 59 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and three interceptions.
No. 14 No. 3
SDSU will play the Missouri Grizzlies this Saturday in Missoula, Montana at 1 p.m.
GRIZZ STANDOUT
Running back Eli Gillman is having a monster season. He has 1261 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns so far and is coming off one of his best games of the season against Montana State, running for 132 yards and a touchdown.
JACKS STANDOUT
Julius Loughridge left Saturday’s game with over 1000 rushing yards on the season. He ran for 102 yards on 16 attempts, averaging 6.2 yards a carry. Loughridge now has 1016 rushing yards this season.
JACKS vs GRIZZ FACTS
• SDSU beat Montana 23-3 two seasons ago for the Jacks second consecutive National Championship.
• In a 2009 playoff game, SDSU led Montana 48-21 in the third quarter, but the Grizzlies scored 40 unanswered points to win.
• Montana has only fumbled the ball seven times this season, losing four.
• Both teams have let up 36 or less touchdowns this season.
JACKRABBITS THIS WEEK NEXT UP
The winner will go on to play the winner of No. 6 Mercer and South Dakota.
ISAIAH JOHNSON
MATT GOEHRING
CHASE MASON
PHOTOS: FINN HOLSEN / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Like Peck, he is also a transfer playing his first year at Montana.
How is SDSU looking going into Saturday’s bout? The Mason return is definitely a good sign, but there is one other player that, if he plays, could make a big impact, Cullen McShane McShane, who is a Second-team all-MVFC linebacker, missed the last game against New Hampshire with an injury. Having him back would be great for the Jacks, he has 81 tackles on the year and a forced fumble. In the event that McShane is unable to play, backup Bryce Johnson looked good filling in. He tied a career high ten tackles last Saturday, his fellow linebacker Joe Oleman recorded nine on top of that. Speaking of Mason, he looked very
good against New Hampshire. He went 16/20 on passing attempts, a completion rating of 80%. Mason tacked 230 passing yards and three touchdowns, but did throw an interception, the second of the season for him. Despite not picking up a ton of rushing yards this season, he has made up for it with his passing ability.
“I think today was just the definition of complementary football. They went out, got 14-0’d right away in the first quarter, we came out, got stops right away, we kinda just kept going with that…I think all facets of the game was really well today,” Olman said.
As mentioned earlier, Loughridge now has more than 1000 rushing yards on the season thanks to his 100 plus yard perfor-
mance against the Wildcats. He averaged 6.2 yards, rushing 16 times for a net gain of 102 yards. Three other running backs saw action for the Jacks, Corey Blair Jr., Josiah Johnson and James Basinger. The three of them combined for 63 yards on 13 attempts.
Defensively, it is no surprise that it was a standout game for all three levels. The defensive line was able to tally a sack, the trio of Olman, Johnson and Matt Goehring combined for 23 tackles and the secondary recorded an interception. In total, New Hampshire was able to run for 144 yards and throw for 48.
Going into the Montana matchup, SDSU’s offense is averaging 28.54 points a game, 161.5 rushing yards and 215.38
passing yards. The Jacks have rotated through three different quarterbacks this season, the three of them have combined for 2800 passing yards exactly. In total, the offense has scored 49 touchdowns this season. Opponents have averaged 19.77 points against the SDSU offense and roughly 300 yards per game. They have scored 31 touchdowns against the Jacks defense.
For the third consecutive year, it’ll be SDSU facing off against the Montana Grizzlies. SDSU is playing its second game of the post season, the Grizzlies will be coming off of a bye. You can watch this Saturday’s game at 1 p.m. on ESPN plus.
FINN HOLSEN / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Jackrabbits jump into a snowpile onto a Football game against New Hampshire on Nov. 29, 2025 in Brookings, S.D. The Jacks first game of the postseason, they would go on to win the game 41-3.
