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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
‘TELLING THE STORIES OF OUR COMMUNITY’
The true meaning of National Newspaper Week
EMILY DECOCK
Editor-in-Chief
One of the busiest weeks of the year is here at SDSU and The Collegian has a reason besides Hobo Week to celebrate: Oct. 5-11 is National Newspaper Week. This year’s theme is Embracing local journalism.
Throughout the 20th century, majoring in journalism meant a career at a newspaper for many students. But since the mid-1990s and the explosion of the internet, newspapers have struggled and the number of reporting jobs has plummeted. That can be scary for someone majoring in journalism.
But a recent visit to my class from Jeremy Waltner, publisher and editor of the Freeman Courier in Freeman, S.D. changed my perspective. He spoke about the past, present and future of newspapers. He discussed common struggles of newspapers today, like decreased advertising revenue and the question of artificial intelligence use in the newsroom.
But the thing that struck me the most was a quote Waltner shared: “People don’t want quarter-inch drill bits. They want quarter-inch holes.”
It’s a popular quote, usually used in the business world. But in a journalism context, Waltner meant the draw of newspapers isn’t the physical paper itself. It’s the content of the paper that connects people, especially in local journalism. Waltner said even if the medium may change, he still plans to provide quality, trusted journalism to the community of Freeman - something that is a priority with print journalism.
As student journalists, we have a unique perspective. If you asked us, almost none of us have a passion for
“Embrace Local Journalism” is the theme of this year’s National Newspaper Week, which takes place Oct. 5-11. Collegian Media is home to South Dakota State University’s student-run newspaper, radio station, website and newscast. The Collegian newspaper has been printing since 1885.
newspapers specifically. What we do have passion for is spreading accurate information, holding governing bodies accountable and being State’s personal history book. (If you want to take a look at The Collegian archives dating back to 1885, visit https://openprairie.sdstate. edu/collegian/)
The Collegian has adapted to the changing times. The physical newspaper is now only one of four sources of news produced by students at SDSU. Students that work for Collegian Media produce a weekly newspaper, a weekly newscast, broadcast on the radio and post our stories online.
So while we at Collegian Media have embraced the radio, television and online mediums, let’s take this week to celebrate where it all started: The
newspaper. National Newspaper Week isn’t about the fact that The Collegian has been printing since 1885 (since before South Dakota was a state!). National
Newspaper Week, to me, is about embracing all forms of local journalism and telling the stories of our community.
REWARDING
HEALTHCARE CAREERS
Sign-On Bonus & Tuition Assistance FOR THOSE THAT QUALIFY
Weekend Shift Differentials
Internships Available
Certification Opportunities
Photo illustration by MADELYN MURPHY & EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
SDSU announces $1.4 Million ‘Recreation Corridor’ project for 2026
EMILY DECOCK
Editor-in-Chief
A new $1.4 million walking path project between the Big East parking lot and 22nd Avenue is set to be completed in 2026 officials announced at the Monday night Students’ Association meeting.
The new ‘recreation corridor’ project would create a path connecting the Big East lot to Walmart, cutting through the arboretum, said Tanner Aiken, project manager and SDSU horticulturist. Aiken addressed the Students’ Association Monday night to tell them about the project.
“We saw an opportunity here, ‘how can we give this obvious traffic from the campus residential over to the amenities on the east side of 22nd, Walmart?’ Aiken said.
Nearly $600,000 will be funded through a transportation alternative program grant, with the other $813,000 and change being funded through the university.
University funding sources will include private donations, higher education facility maintenance & repair, higher education facility planning and intercollegiate athletics funds, according to Jonathan Meendering, director of planning and design.
Meendering said they are also working with the City of Brookings on a partnership to help retain storm water in the area and reduce flooding potential around campus.
The project would make a 7 ft wide paved path through the South Dakota Arboretum, totaling about 9,000 feet. The path would be an accessible multi-modal outdoor recreation trail for South Dakota State University and the surrounding community. The project will include low areas for storm water retention and habitat for a variety of plants and wildlife.
Included in the plan is the expansion of the existing 9-hole disc golf course to a full 18-hole competitive course.
Lisa Marotz, director of McCrory Gardens was also at the SA meeting to present the plan. Marotz is excited about expanding the SDSU disc golf course.
“I dream of having disc golf tournaments in the arboretum, and that’s going to bring people to Brookings to eat in our restaurants, to sleep in our hotels, to have individuals who maybe have never been to Brookings before, and that they’re thinking, ‘This South Dakota State University? I want to learn more.’
In other news:
COURTESY OF JONATHAN MEENDERING
Rendering of the project shared with Students’ Association on Oct. 6, 2025. STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Extended Studies Victor Taylor told the Students’ Association about Coursera, a program that SDSU has partnered with to provide free no-credit courses to students.
Students can complete classes to get professional certificates. SDSU is the only university in the region that has Coursera, Taylor said.
Coursera costs the University $100,000 a year, Taylor said. 700 faculty staff and students combined have opened an account, and Taylor hopes to see that number increase as more students learn about it.
“You see people running all over campus, recreating on the sidewalks. I’ve thought for the longest time would have been great to have a place to do that, where your feet aren’t constantly just hitting pavement. .
SA recognized Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by passing Commemoration 25-1-C.
“What a great way to commemorate a month and contributions of Hispanic-Americans and Hispanics in general,” Sen. Carter Howell said.
SA will vote on a new budgeting philosophy next week. Next week there will be no SA meeting, but will pick back up Monday, Oct. 20.
MAIN CLOSED FOR HOMECOMING
Section between Third and Fifth will close Saturday, overnight
TAYLOR TENNANT
Assistant News Director
Brookings police will once again close a section of Main Avenue during Hobo Day, focusing on safety as community members and visitors as they gather downtown following the parade and football game.
Chief of Police Michael Drake said Main Avenue, between Third and Fifth Street, will close Saturday evening and remain closed overnight. The hard closure is expected to begin around 6 p.m., but the exact timing could change depending on the size of the crowd.
“There’s a lot of different variables that we could watch public-safety wise,” Drake said. “We’ll watch the cameras. We’ll be down there on foot patrol all day when the pedestrian traffic starts to build. It might be 4 p.m. if there’s a lot of traffic after the game, but we’re going to try to look around 6 p.m.”
He said the closure is similar to last year’s, but adjusted after hearing from the community and downtown businesses.
“What we heard from some of the citizens and businesses was that it kind of may have impacted their businesses during the game,” Drake said. “We listened to the community and the businesses, and we re-evaluated what we did.”
Last year, Main Avenue remained closed after the parade and through the night, but this year’s approach is meant to provide more flexibility. Once the parade wraps up, traffic will reopen before closing again later in the evening. Drake said that change was a direct result of business feedback and real-time observation from officers downtown.
MICHAEL DRAKE
Feedback was gathered through formal meetings and casual conversations, and the department plans to do the same after this year’s event. The goal, he said, is to balance public safety with supporting local businesses.
He also noted that the closure won’t completely restrict access to vehicles already downtown.
“We’re not locking anyone in,” Drake said. “If someone lives or works downtown, they’ll still be able to get to their place. We just want to keep general vehicle traffic out once the crowds start moving through.”
The police department begins planning for Hobo Day months in advance,
often holding internal meetings in January before finalizing details with other city departments later in the summer. Drake said this allows them to adjust road closures, communication plans and officer schedules based on what worked in previous years. He said it’s a citywide effort that involves coordination with the fire department, street department and other agencies.
Executive Director of Downtown Brookings, Kirsten Gjesdal, said she appreciates the city’s willingness to collaborate.
“We have a productive partnership with the city, working together to improve safety and the overall experience downtown with better lighting, crosswalks, and security cameras,” she said.
Gjesdal said Hobo Day is one of the busiest weekends of the year for nightlife venues, while retail businesses tend to have a slower day.
“We’d love to see more people linger downtown this year. There’s so much to explore, from local shops and coffee shops to unique public art and great food, especially between the parade and evening revelry,” she said.
As Hobo Day approaches, Drake said the focus remains the same every year.
“We want people to have fun, but most importantly, look out for one another,” he said. “We can have fun and still be safe about it.”
SDSU alum wins best student film at Black Hills Film Festival
JACKSON HELLAND Reporter
Finn Kane, a Dell Rapids native who graduated from SDSU with a master’s degree in May, picked up the award for the Best Student Film at the Black Hills Film Festival this past weekend.
“It’s a little surreal…I feel a little bit (of) imposter syndrome, like, I don’t know that I’m worthy,” Kane said.
The documentary, “Galena: The Ghost Town That Refuses to Die,” follows the town’s history, the real-life stories, and its preservation. The film includes interviews from the family of key figures in the ghost town and current residents who celebrate its history.
The town of Galena is less than 15 miles south of Deadwood and was founded in 1876 by settlers hoping to find gold. Galena is now considered a ghost town, but a few families live in the area and the Galena Historical Society is still alive. Some historic structures also remain.
Through the documentary’s original music and intricate shots, Kane “wants more historical preservation [in ghost towns] and the history surrounding it,” and looks to prove that Galena’s history and story are worth preserving.
Kane first visited Galena in August 2023 with his friends. It was his following visit that December where he proposed filming a documentary to the people of Galena.
“They have a biannual meeting and I met the whole town, and they were all super excited and on board for the idea,” he said.
The film was not made without struggle. Kane had never taken a film class before and was self-taught when it came to filming and editing.
The editing process was a struggle because Kane had to color-correct every shot due to a white balance issue, “That was horrific. That took months and months,” he said. Going forward,
Kane hopes to have a partner to help him with setting up equipment and discussing ideas.
Kane is now pursuing a doctorate at Wayne State University in Detroit, serving as a teacher’s assistant for film production. He thinks that making “Galena” has helped him improve his teaching abilities when it comes to using software like Adobe Premiere and setting up cameras.
When asked about what his next project would be, Kane talked about making a narrative feature that takes place in South Dakota.
“I would like to shoot in South Dakota,” he said, “I think South Dakota is a really underutilized location for film. It’s really beautiful, and there’s a lot of great documentaries about South Dakota, but not as many fictional films.”
“Galena: The Ghost Town That That Refuses to Die” first premiered at a documentary triple feature in April at the South Dakota Art Museum and was put on by COJO Cinema (School of Communication and Journalism).
The event was seen as a success by Professor Rocky Dailey, Kane’s academic adviser and producer of Galena: The Ghost Town That Refuses to Die.”
“(The) event went very well,” Dailey said. “I think when I counted, we had about 60 people there on a Tuesday night. That’s awesome.”
As for advising, Dailey concurred that editing was the hardest process for Kane in the making of the film. “It’s kind of like putting a puzzle together, but you don’t know what the picture is gonna look like,” Dailey said.
Dailey hopes to continue COJO Cinema and host more events in the future to showcase students’ work.
When asked before this past weekend’s film festival how we felt, Kane said, “ I’m really excited to see all of the other films and talk to the other filmmakers…I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
FINN KANE / SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Finn Kane at the Black Hills Film Festival. He won the Best Student Film for his documentary “Galena: The Ghost Town That Refuses to Die.”
SDSU’S JOURNEY TO RESEARCH-I
ALEX OLSEN Reporter
South Dakota State University is bolstering its efforts to attain the R1 Research University designation from the American Council on Education (ACE).
ACE oversees the Carnegie Classifi cation of Institutions of Higher Education. This framework has categorized U.S. colleges and universities based on attributes like size, degree types and research activity since 1970.
Under the Carnegie Classification, an R1 belongs to the highest order of research universities in the country.
“Having that type of recognition is a signal to potential faculty that this is a great place to build their career,” said
Daniel Scholl, SDSU’s vice president for research and economic development. “It communicates to potential students that this is a top research university where they can expect to have different experiences than they would have at another institution that isn’t R1.”
Currently, SDSU is classified as R2: High Spending and Doctorate Production. South Dakota remains one of only four states lacking an R1, something that SDSU hopes to change with the ‘Pathway to Premier’ plan that began in 2023.
‘Pathway to Premier 2030’ is the name of the strategic plan that calls for achieving the R1 designation, among other things, Scholl said.
To achieve R1, SDSU must spend $50
million annually on research expenditures and award 70 Ph.D. degrees per year. According to Scholl, SDSU meets the spending criteria, having spent $94 million on research in the last fiscal year. However, SDSU only awards an average of around 50 doctoral degrees per year. Receiving the R1 will depend on increasing the number of Ph.D. programs or growing existing ones.
Each college throughout SDSU has graduate programs consistently increasing in scope and productivity. For instance, the College of Natural Sciences is conducting research regarding how forest fires contribute to air quality, using satellites to monitor agricultural production and employing artificial intelligence to neutralize harmful microbes in food production areas.
“We are proud of all the research that we do, but something unique would be our bioproducts area,” said Sen Subramanian, dean of the college of natural sciences. “Bioproducts are products derived from agricultural waste materials. Our faculty have developed several
new technologies that add value to agricultural waste or by-products and thus increase farm profits.”
The College of Natural Sciences is also working to increase research opportunities for undergraduate students. Subramanian believes that showing undergraduates what it is like to work in a laboratory and engage in original research will stimulate scientific curiosity, driving those students towards Ph.D. programs later in their academic careers.
Acquiring the R1 will not only benefit SDSU, but the city of Brookings as well, Scholl said.
“Being an R1 university will help us attract faculty, staff and students. That brings people and ideas into the Brookings area, and that’s good for an area’s economy,” Scholl said.
While R1 is the highest title a research university can obtain, that does not mean SDSU will be done growing when it earns it. Rather, Scholl affirms that it is simply another step in the evolution of the university.
HOBO WEEK 2025
OWEN BOYD / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
South Dakota State University students look through neckties during Hobo Gear Prep Night on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in the Student Union’s Volstorff Ballroom in Brookings.
OWEN BOYD / COLLEGIAN MEDIA President Barry Dunn hosts students for Bum-A-Meal on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.
Tate Cam Bertrand
OWEN BOYD / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Hobo Gear Prep Night is an SDSU Hobo Week event where students can purchase clothing to prepare for the week’s events. Hobo Gear Prep Night was Thursday, Oct. 2 , 2025 in the Volstorff Ballroom breezeway.
OWEN BOYD / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Students browse clothing racks at Hobo Gear Prep Night on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in the Volstorff Ballroom breezeway. The event aims to prepare students’ outfits for the week of events.
SDSU stays hot on the road
CORDELL VITENSE
Sports Editor
The South Dakota State Jacks volleyball team traveled to Denver to take on the Pioneers on Thursday, Oct. 2. The Jacks took care of business by beating Denver 3-1 before traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and sweeping the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles 3-0 on Saturday, Oct. 4th.
The Jackrabbits now move to 9-3 on the season and 3-0 in conference play, while Denver falls to 11-4 and 3-1 in conference play. Oral Roberts moves to 2-14 and 0-3 in conference play.
Against Denver, Sylvie Zgonc led the Jackrabbits in scoring with 19.5 points. Zgonc also secured another double-double with 16 kills and 10 digs while adding three block assists.
Sophomore Madison Burr also had a big night with 16.5 points on 14 kills and five block assists.
Freshman Hannah Klein had another double-digit performance with 12 points on 11 kills and two block assists.
For Denver, Ava Reynolds was a standout performer with 22.5. Like Zgonc, Reynolds also achieved a double-double with 20 kills and 14 digs.
Alicia Thibodeau also added on a near double-double with 10 kills and nine digs. Thibodeau ended the night with 12 points.
The first set was a close one with SDSU leading 13-12. SDSU pulled away and won set one 25-20.
In the second set, Denver led 15-14 in a close set. Denver started to pull away and eventually won the set 25-21 to tie up the match 1-1.
Set three was close. The two teams found themselves tied 22-22. They battled, but SDSU came out on top 27-25.
The fourth set was relatively close, with SDSU winning 25-19. The Jacks won the match 3-1.
Junior Sylvie Zgonc led the Jackrabbits in scoring with 13 points on 11 kills and
EAN WETZEL / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Freshman outside hitter Hannah Klein receives ball in 3-2 win over Omaha on Sept. 25, 2025 while teammate Sylve Zgonc looks on. Klein had a career high 19.5 points and 17 kills in the Jacks Summit League opening match.
three total blocks.
Freshman Hannah Klein scored 10 points on nine kills.
Junior setter Rylee Martin tallied two kills on the night. She had 32 assists and two block assists.
Freshman Hayden Hart led the way for Oral Roberts. Hart was the only player in double digits for ORU with 10 kills.
SDSU held an early lead to start the first set. ORU closed the gap, but it wasn’t enough and SDSU won the first set 25-17.
In the second set, SDSU dominated from start to finish. The Jackrabbits went up 3-0, eventually pushing the lead to 102. SDSU won the second set 25-11.
Set three was tight to start. The two teams traded body blows, eventually finding themselves tied 19-19. SDSU pulled away to win the set 25-20 and won the match 3-0.
SDSU will now host the Kansas City
Roos Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. The Roos started the season 2-15 with a 1-3 conference record. The Roos have had a rough start on the road, starting 0-7.
In the teams’ matchups last season, SDSU got the better of the Roos both times. SDSU swept Kansas City 3-0 in their first matchup. Sylvie Zgonc had a big day with 18 points. The second match was more of the same. SDSU swept the Roos and Zgonc had another 18-point performance.
For SDSU, Sylvie Zgonc is one of the key players to watch. Zgonc leads the Jacks in points with 200.5 and 182 kills. Zgonc has also added 123 digs on the season.
Sophomore Madison Burr is second on the team in scoring with 148 points and third on the team in kills with 106. Burr is also second on the team in blocks, recording 60 on the season.
Freshman Hannah Klein has tallied 111 kills on the year and 124.5 total points.
The Kansas City Roos are led by sophomore Ryanne Wattree. Wattree has tallied 157 points on the season with 143 kills, 54 digs and 27 blocks.
Redshirt sophomore Ledisi Kpea isn’t far behind Wattree. Kpea sits at 151.5 points with 116 kills. The redshirt sophomore is not only an offensive threat but a defensive threat, too. Kpea leads the team in blocks with 59, including 12 solo blocks.
After SDSU hosts the Roos, they will stay home to play the St. Thomas Tommies at 7 p.m. on Hobo Day, Saturday, Oct. 11.
The Tommies have started hot with a 10-4 record and an undefeated 3-0 conference record. Unlike the Roos, the Tommies have been solid on the road with a 4-1 record.
Last season, the Tommies and the Jackrabbits met twice. In the first match, SDSU came out with a 3-1 win, which was headlined by a 20-point performance by Sydni Schetnan. In the second meeting, the Tommies handed SDSU their first loss of the season after a 22-0 start. Lauren Galvin led St. Thomas in scoring with 18 points while Sylvie Zgonc tallied 22 for the Jacks.
St. Thomas’s leading scorer this season is freshman outside hitter Anya Schmidt. Schmidt has 207 points on the season with 162 kills. The freshman has 38 service aces and 90 digs.
Tied for first on the Tommies in kills is senior Tezra Rudzitis. Besides her 162 kills, Rudzitis also has 17 blocks for a total of 172 points.
After these two matches, SDSU will stay home to face North Dakota State on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m.
SDSU STAYS PERFECT
Jacks move to 2-0-1 in Summit after win against NDSU and UND tie
JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter
South Dakota State took a draw and a win in their last two Summit League contests over North Dakota last Thursday and North Dakota State on Sunday.
North Dakota
The Fighting Hawks got on the board first off a shot by Jessica Machovec in minute 39. SDSU was able to tie it up off of a Lauren Eckerle goal in minute 72 before UND responded eight minutes later. Immediately after, a UND own goal evened the score at two apiece. Both teams made last-minute shots that were saved, leading to the draw at 2-2.
Emma Brezenski led the Jacks with five shots and two on goal. Eckerle, playing the complete match, put up three shots along with an on-goal shot, a goal and an assist. Jenna Maloy hit her three shots on goal while earning an assist. Mallorie Benhart made seven saves, her second highest total of the season.
Machovec for UND led the Fighting Hawks in shots with five and four on goal. Charlie Basinet led the team’s starters with three shots and one on goal. Three other players spilt UND’s remaining shot total. Grace Miller made five saves.
“It was hard for us at times,” said head coach Brock Thompson. “Goals change games, and their early goal certainly did that a little bit. I loved the fight that we had in the second half.”
North Dakota State
Maloy opened the scoring in minute 32. The Bison put up three shots in an attempt to tie, but the Jacks got another one in the back of the net in minute 80 off Maloy’s foot. The 2-0 win improves the Jacks’ conference record to 2-0-1, placing behind Oral Roberts and Denver.
The game marked Maloy’s first multigoal game of her career. She matched her career high shot total with four and her
shots on goal also matched her career best at three.
Hailee Christensen led SDSU in shots with five and two on goal. Ellie Gusman, Eckerle and Brezenski shot two a piece while Taylor Thomas and Brianna Finnegan each shot once.
Kendall Stadden, Morgan Russmann and Gabrielle Garrett were the only Bison players to have a shot. Payton Mulberry made a season-high seven saves.
“I thought maybe that game is one of the better ones we’ve played over the past few weeks overall,” said Thompson.
Denver
SDSU hits the road for a visit to Denver. The Pioneers are 3-1 in conference play and 6-4-3 overall.
With 25 this season, Samantha Dreiling is the team leader in shots. Dreiling has two goals this season along with two assists. Leading in goals is Emma Thielbahr with four, who has 17 shots with seven on goal and two assists. Goalkeeper Alina Santos has made the third-most saves in the conference this year, only allowing one goal a game.
The game is Thursday at 8 p.m. and can be watched on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
Omaha
SDSU returns home one more time in the regular season to host Omaha. The Mavericks are 2-1-1 in conference play and 5-4-4 overall.
Payten Ivins leads the team in goals with four, shots with 31, and shots on goal with 16. She averages 1.14 shots on goal per game. Charley Kort and Emma Hampton each have three goals this season. Kort has the second most shots on the team with 22 and shots on goal with 14, while Hampton has just five shots on goal.
Game time is Sunday at 1 p.m. and can be watched on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
OWEN BOYD / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
South Dakota State soccer players celebrate during a match against North Dakota State. The Jacks were down early in the game, but were able to force a draw.
JACKRABBIT BASKETBALL
Women ranked preseason No. 1
JACOB BRENDE
Sports Editor
Jackrabbit women’s basketball is getting some positive attention leading into the season. Four players were selected to Summit League preseason teams and senior Brooklyn Meyer was named the Preseason Summit League Player of the Year, who also earned it last season. Filling out the first team is Meyer and senior guard Madison Mathiowetz. Both are returning starters for SDSU and had solid seasons for the Jacks last year, Meyer averaging 17 points a game and Mathiowetz 8.9.
On the second team was sophomore
Katie Vasecka and junior Maggie Hartwick. Vasecka had solid contribution as a freshman last year, placing onto the Summit Leagues Freshman Team. She averaged 8.4 points a game and shot over .420 from beyond the arc, going 36 of 84. Hartwick is a transfer from Evansville Ind., where she played roughly 32 minutes a game for the Aces. Last year, she was the only Missouri Valley Conference player to average top five in rebounding and top ten in scoring. Hartwick averaged 9.2 rebounds and 16.2 points a game. The rebounding number is impressive due to her firstly being a guard, and secondly only being six-foot-one.
Last season the Jacks steamrolled
the conference on route to a perfect 16-0 record in league play. Pollers have high expectations for SDSU following this season. The Jacks were voted the number one team in the conference in the Summit League Preseason Poll. Voters almost unanimously voted SDSU to be the best, 34 in total choosing the Jacks and two deferring to North Dakota State. By the end of the season, SDSU was the AP ranked 23rd best team in the country. By the season’s end, they were 30-4.
The team’s first game of the season will be against the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha on Nov. 3. Creighton last year ended the season as the 25th best team in the country according to the coaches poll.
Garry named preseason first team
JACOB
BRENDE
Sports Editor
Junior Kalen Garry was selected to the Preseason All-Summit League First Team following a season that saw numerous starters transfer. Before last season, Garry was selected to the Preseason All-Summit League Second Team. He finished that season as an All-Summit League Honorable Mention. One of the players who left was Oscar Cluff, who had a standout year with the Jacks and is now with Purdue. He finished the season on the Summit League First Team and was on the Summit League All Defensive Team. Garry averaged .346 from three and .417 from the field. He averaged 11.7 points a game, scoring double digits in 15 different games.
SDSU was voted into third place in the Summit League Preseason poll. Coaches and media members gave SDSU five first
place votes and accumulated 450 points. Ahead of the Jacks was Omaha in second place and St. Thomas in first. North Dakota State again would place again behind SDSU.
Last season, the Jacks finished 20-12 total, and went 11-5 in the conference. They will play their first game of the season against Merrimack at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Nov. 3.
FILE PHOTO
Brookyln Meyer lays the ball up against ORU.
FILE PHOTO
Kalen Garry shoots the ball while being contested by St. Thomas’s Kendall Blue. He would go 6-13 from the field and 2-5 from three in the win. Garry scored 15 points in the game.
COMEBACK JACKS
SDSU wins 35-30 after 14-0 deficit
CORDELL VITENSE
Sports Editor
The South Dakota State Jackrabbits pulled off a 35-30 comeback win in Ohio on Saturday against the No. 24-ranked Youngstown State Penguins.
The Jackrabbits now find themselves at 5-0 with three of those wins against ranked teams. On the other side, Youngstown State now falls to 3-2 on the season.
YOUNGSTOWN STATE
Chase Mason had a solid game, completing 14 of 29 passes for 181 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Mason
also added 40 yards on the ground.
Julius Loughridge had a dominant performance. Loughridge carried the ball 25 times for 176 yards and found the endzone four times.
Alex Bullock also had a big night in the receiving game. He didn’t find the endzone but he did haul in 10 passes for 162 yards. Which was 152 more than the Jacks’ second leading receiver.
For the Penguins quarterback, Beau Brungard had a big game. Brungard completed 29 of 44 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns. Rushing Brungard tallied 130 yards and one touchdown.
All three of Brungard’s passing touchdowns were caught by Youngstown State senior receiver Max Tomczak. Tomzak
caught eight passes for 92 yards and had three touchdowns on the night.
The Jacks started the game off at a pretty big deficit, falling behind 14-0 in the second quarter after Beau Brungard passed for and ran in a touchdown.
The Jackrabbits answered later in the second quarter with a four-yard touchdown pass from Chase Mason to Greyton Gannon to cut the lead to just 7, making the score 14-7.
But just as you thought, SDSU might have some momentum, Beau Brungard would scramble for 74 yards down to the SDSU eight-yard line on the first play of the Penguins’ ensuing drive. But the SDSU defense would hold the Penguins and Youngstown State would settle for
SDSU will host the Northern Iowa Panthers on Saturday Oct. 11th at 2 p.m. on SDSU’s Hobo Day
UNI STANDOUT
UNI linebacker Ryan Crandall is a standout not only for the Panthers but for the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Crandall is sixth in the conference in and tied for third in TFLs.
JACKS STANDOUT
Julius Loughridge came into last week’s game with two touchdowns on the season but he left the game with six on the season. Against UNI he ran for 176 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries.
SDSU vs UNI FACTS
• SDSU’s record against UNI all time is 25-27-1. But they currently have a three game winning streak when facing the Panthers.
• The last time UNI defeated the Jackrabbits, which was 2021, SDSU’s leading passer, rusher and receiver in the game all ended up playing in the NFL.
• The only tie in series history was a 13-13 tie in 1962
JACKRABBITS THIS WEEK NEXT UP 5-0 3-2
SDSU will travel to Kentucky to play the Murray State Racers on Oct. 18th at 6 p.m.
FINN HOLSEN / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
SDSU running back Julius Loughridge takes handoff and runs between Youngstown State defenders. Loughridge ran for 176 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries last Saturday.
an Andrew Lastovka 29-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-7.
With just over a minute left in the half, facing a third and six, Chase Mason targeted Jack Smith but the ball got popped up in the air and was picked off. The Penguins returned the ball to their own 47. But the SDSU defense would once again get a stop. This time it was a strip sack by Dawson Ripperda that denied Youngstown State any points before the half. So the Jackrabbits went into the half down 17-7.
Youngstown State started the second half with the ball, but punted it away and the Jackrabbits responded with a two-play touchdown drive. The first play was a 51-yard bomb from Chase Mason to Alex Bullock. The second play was a three-yard touchdown run by Julius Loughridge to put the score at 17-14 with SDSU still trailing.
Youngstown State drove down and attempted a 48-yard field goal, which they missed to give the ball back to SDSU. The Jackrabbits once again capitalized with a drive capped off by a Loughridge touchdown, this time from 14 yards out to give the Jacks their first lead of the game at 21-17.
Once again, another empty drive from the Penguins gave the Jacks the ball and like clockwork, Julius Loughridge ended the drive with a two-yard touchdown to put the Jacks up 28-17.
The first Youngstown State score of the half came in the fourth quarter when a 29-yard Beau Brungard pass was caught by Max Tomczak for a touchdown to cut the deficit to one score at 28-24.
SDSU and Youngstown State would then trade punts before the Jackrabbits drove down and Julius Loughridge got his fourth touchdown of the day on a 24yard run to put the Jacks back up by two scores, leading 35-24.
Youngstown State would score again on another Brungard to Tomczak touchdown. The Penguins wouldn’t convert the two-point conversion and found themselves down 35-30 with less than a minute left in the game.
SDSU would recover the onside kick attempt and win the game to move to 5-0.
SDSU will now host the University of Northern Iowa Panthers on Saturday, Oct. 11th at 2 p.m. on Hobo Day.
NORTHERN IOWA
Some guys to look out for during this Hobo Day matchup include senior quarterback Chase Mason has gotten off to a pretty good start to open the season. Mason has recorded 1,099 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, a passer rating of 156.83 and just one interception on the season. Mason has also tacked on 163 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
Senior running back Julius Loughridge has gotten off to a fast start in his first year with the Jacks. Loughridge has rushed for 560 yards and six touchdowns in his first five games of the season. True freshman James Basinger also has three rushing touchdowns in just five games.
Alex Bullock and Lofton O’Groske are the Jackrabbits’ two-headed monster at receiver. Bullock leads the team in receiving yards with 329 while also finding the endzone twice. O’Groske leads the team in receiving touchdowns with three, while also hauling in 25 passes for 312 yards while playing just four games. Defensively, junior linebacker Cullen McShane leads with 43 total tackles, with 5.5 tackles for loss.
Another junior linebacker in Joe Ollman, has also stood out for the Jacks with 28 total tackles, including three sacks, while also forcing three fumbles.
On the other side of the field, the Panthers have gotten off to a little bit
95 rushing yards on the season.
The UNI offense has also struggled running the ball, with only 579 total rushing yards as a team. The team’s leading rusher, redshirt senior Harrison BeyBuie, has 234 yards on the ground and two rushing touchdowns, which are the only rushing touchdowns for the team.
The Panthers’ leading receiver on the season is six-foot-three redshirt senior receiver Tyson Kershaw. Kershaw has tallied 270 yards and two touchdowns on 16 catches in 2025.
Close behind Kershaw is redshirt sophomore Ayden Price, who is averaging over 20 yards per reception with 251 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 12 receptions.
Defensively, Panther linebacker Ryan Crandall leads the team in tackles with 42 total tackles, with 5.5 of them being for loss and adding one forced fumble.
of a slow start in the 2025 season. The Panthers currently sit at 2-3. The only ranked team UNI has faced came in their most recent game when they lost to the University of North Dakota 35-7 on the road.
The last time these two teams met was in 2024, with SDSU coming out on top with a 41-3 victory.
Redshirt
Junior quarterback Mathew Shcecklman leads the offense with 1,041 passing yards with seven passing touchdowns, four interceptions and a passer rating of 128.55. Shcecklman has also added
After hosting UNI, the Jacks will then travel to Kentucky to play the Murray State Racers on Oct. 18th at 6 p.m. You will be able to listen to the game on the Jackrabbit Sports Network.
FINN HOLSEN / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
South Dakota State linebacker Joe Ollman gets a hit on Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard while he throws a pass. Ollman had seven total tackles against the Penguins including one tackle for loss.
