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RODEO SEASON OPENER
The SDSU rodeo team opened its season in River Falls, Wisconsin, Sept. 5 and 6. The women’s team came home with a first place finish.
JACKRABBIT VOLLEYBALL
Read coverage of the SDSU volleyball team as they take on Boise State for back-to-back games on Friday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 20 at noon.
After nearly two decades, SDSU’s Biology of Dinosaurs course will return from extinction in spring 2026 with John Cook at the helm.
Seven new SA senators sworn in
EMILY DECOCK
Editor-in-Chief
Seven new senators were sworn in at the Students’ Association meeting Monday. Carter Howell, Jacki Mollison, Marylin Lopez, Mira Bry, Natalie Holland, Becca Derenge and Regan Bollweg are the newest members of the SDSU Students’ Association Senate. One other student, Dakota Jensen, will be sworn in next week.
They are senators at large, meaning they represent the university as a whole and not any specific college.
In other news at Monday’s meeting:
Dennis Hedge, provost and vice president for academic affairs and Michaela Willis, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, addressed the senate at Monday’s meeting.
Hedge and Willis spoke about the new Student Engagement Center.
The Student Engagement Center model will combine the Office of Multicultural Affairs, International Affairs, Veterans Affairs and the American Indian Student Center. The goal is to roll out the organizational structure starting Oct. 1.
Sen. McKenzie Hofer asked if students employed in the offices now under the Student Engagement Center would be affected.
“I would anticipate that those employment opportunities that exist today will continue into the future, and it will really be based on the needs of the new organi-
EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
From left, SA President Sophie Spier swears in new senators Becca Derenge, Mira Bry, Jacki Mollison, Carter Howell, Regan Bollweg, Natalie Holland and Marylin Lopez at the SA meeting on Monday, Sept. 15.
zational structure,” Willis said.
Hedge also announced that a search will be launched soon to find a dean for the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College. Hedge anticipates that finalists for the position will be on campus towards the end of the fall semester.
Greg Heiberger is currently serving as interim dean of the Fishback Honors College. Rebecca Bott-Knutson was dean of the Honors College from 2016 until her departure this spring.
The South Dakota Board of Regents will be sending out a system-wide survey regarding housing and dining. Each student that participates in the survey will receive $5 in Hobo Dough, Willis said. The survey will launch Oct. 1 and close Oct. 10.
India night will take place Sunday, Sept. 21 from 6-8 p.m. in the Volstorff Ballroom in the Student Union. Tickets are $18 for SDSU students and $25 for general admission.
MICHAELA WILLIS
SOPHIE SPIER
Changes coming to Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility, other offices
EMILY DECOCK
Editor-in-Chief
SDSU is restructuring and renaming some departments to form a new ‘Student Engagement Center’ to better align with federal policies, Provost Dennis Hedge and Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management Michaela Willis announced this week.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility, International Affairs, Veterans Affairs and the American Indian Student Center will merge into the Student Engagement Center.
“Those four units are going to realign underneath the new Student Engagement Center model,” Willis said. There will be no new physical space for the Student Engagement Center.
President Barry Dunn asked Hedge and Willis to start the project of transitioning in May, Willis said. Over the summer they developed a plan for how to restructure and rename existing offices. The goal is to transition into the new organizational structure by Oct. 1, though Willis acknowledged the transition will take time.
“You don’t just flip a light switch and everything is perfect and everything is transitioned and working exactly how we want it,” Willis said. “We really do plan to kind of slow walk this over the course of this next year and make sure that we do it well and do it right.”
Shelly Bayer will lead the Student Engagement Center. Bayer is currently the director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility (OMAA). She said the idea of creating a center that was going to run parallel to the Wintrode Student Success and Opportunity Center was brought to her in July.
“I think that the potential is strong and ultimately, we’re still invested in supporting students,” Bayer said. “That has not changed.”
Director of the School of Communication and Journalism Joshua Westwick attended the Friday informational session hosted by Hedge and Willis. Westwick asked if students in leadership positions in organizations being served by the Multicultural Center were consulted about the restructuring over the summer.
“The answer is, no, they weren’t, but we do still feel like this is in the best interest of students,” Willis said. “The feedback we’ve been receiving from students as we’ve been rolling it out – whether that’s leadership through the Students’ Association or members of student organizations and individuals that attended our meeting earlier this week – has been really positive,
Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management Michaela Willis and Provost Dennis Hedge present at an open session Friday, Sept. 12 to discuss organizational structure changes. Other sessions were hosted on Tuesday, Sept. 9 and Thursday, Sept. 11.
really supportive.”
No jobs will be lost in the restructuring. There are a few promotions that will happen within the new organizational structure.
Among the positions added:
• A student success adviser position under the student connection and engagement team will be added
• A current graduate assistantship within student accessibility and disability services will turn into a full-time position
• A graduate assistantship within international affairs will transition into a full-time success adviser position
There will be no cost to implement the new structure beyond the cost of positions added.
Willis said the name ‘Student Engagement Center’ came after looking at name changes happening across the country in higher education “particularly around executive orders and things like that.”
• The Veterans Affairs Resource Center (VARC) will now be the Veterans, Services and Engagement Center (VSEC)
• The Office of International Affairs will now be International Student and Scholar Engagement
• The American Indian Student Center’s (AISC) facility name will stay the same. Within the department, AISC will now be the American Indian Engagement and Student Success Department Ashley DeZeeuw, a program assistant in enrollment services, asked for clarification on what “governmental priorities and federal guidelines” meant at the Friday session.
“There have been a number of messages and priorities coming out of the Department of Education that we need to be responsive to,” Willis said. “There are a number of directions that are coming out of our leadership of this country that we need to be responsive to. And so that’s essentially what we’re talking about.”
“Michaela’s exactly right,” Hedge added. “She was straightforward with that … If you find yourself out of compliance with rules and regulations or various things like that, you can easily find yourself in a situation where maybe you’re not able to provide really important things for our students. That’s not lost upon us, and we’ve been very thoughtful about that. President Dunn has been very thoughtful about that.”
Hedge and Willis hosted open informational sessions Sept. 9, 11 and 12 to talk about the transition.
EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
MORE THAN JUST NOODLES SDSU offers new dining option in Larson Commons
ABBIE CHASE Reporter
A new dining option on the South Dakota State University campus seems to be striking the interest of students.
RAMEN at Larson Commons offers students a customizable ramen and poke bowl concept. The restaurant features ramen bowls, as well as options that allow students to select from a variety of broths, proteins, noodles and toppings.
Additionally, there are three fresh poke bowl options: classic, California and volcano. Executive chef Edgar Sepulveda emphasized the quality and speed of the food.
“It’s the most authentic ramen and poke in town,” Sepulveda said. “Nothing is ever frozen, and most is ready in three minutes.”
The new eatery is part of a rotating dining experience. The space will be updated with a new concept each semester.
“I’m excited to see what kind of food next semester will bring,” Sepulveda added.
A significant amount of time has been invested in planning the new RAMEN location, said Julia Neer, district manager for Sodexo.
“The location for RAMEN was made possible through the renovation of Larson Commons,” she said. “RAMEN complements other campus dining options while bringing something entirely new to the table. The demand for something new was something that many students had requested.”
Junior animal science and agricultural science major Peyton Meyer said she was looking forward to the change.
“I was excited because I love ramen,” Meyer said. “I was just excited for there to be something new, especially since Erbert & Gerbert’s kind of took the old
rotating spot. I was glad that there was just a new place.”
The addition, the new RAMEN restaurant on campus has sparked numerous conversations among students. For many, it brings a welcome sense of variety and freshness to the campus dining options.
“It’s a little bit pricier, but it’s good, quality food,” Meyer said. “It tastes good. And it’s on campus, so you don’t have to go very far to get it, so it’s convenient.”
Sodexo officials are eager to hear student feedback as the company continues
building the dining experience at SDSU.
“RAMEN represents a continued commitment to diversifying dining at SDSU,” Neer said. “It’s a place where students can experiment with flavors, enjoy a quick, customizable meal and discover their next favorite dish right in the heart of campus.”
RAMEN is located in between Young and Binnewies halls and is open Monday through Friday, from 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.
RAMEN at Larson Commons
Location: Between Young and Binnewies Hall
Hours: Monday - Friday from 10:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.
ABBIE CHASE / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
RAMEN at Larson Commons features ramen bowls, as well as options that allow students to select from a variety of broths, proteins, noodles and toppings.
Animal Science department paves new path
SDSU will have first four-year program in the nation to be accredited
AVERY ZEISLER Reporter
South Dakota State University’s animal science program became the first to become accredited in the nation in July, during the annual American Society of Animal Science meeting in Hollywood, Florida.
Rosie Nold and John Jaeger both described the accreditation as recognition by the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), saying SDSU’s animal science program meets all seven standards set by the ASAS exceptionally well.
“We know we have a high-quality program in animal science, but the accreditation signifies an independent third party has done a review and reaffirmed the confidence in the quality and the success of program,” Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Joseph Cassady said.
Former assistant department head, Rosie Nold led the committee and documentation efforts. Nold said Cassady’s involvement with the national level of the ASAS and his combined leadership with the department made it easy to start the accreditation process.
Nold said with the university’s strategic plan to accredit any program possible, the timeline was justified even more.
The ASAS examines each school’s program based on seven standards: program mission and objectives, program governance and administration/institutional support, students, program learning outcomes and curriculum, faculty, facilities, equipment and technology, outreach and engagement with industry and public institution.
“The standard that needed the most refining was our student learning outcomes or the program learning outcomes,” John Jaeger, The Calvin and Mary Heyenga Endowed Department Head of Animal Science said. “The curriculum didn’t change; it was just making sure that the curriculum was addressing
the learning outcomes to ensure they were being met.”
Throughout the 15-month process, the accreditation committee recommended the animal science department create an external advisory committee.
This committee is filled with professionals that according to Jaeger, “represent all our disciplines and all our species."
This committee will primarily give feedback on the curriculum to make sure everything is up to date to give students the best learning opportunities possible.
“This was really the only recommendation they had for the department,” Cassady said. “We value the feedback from alumni and stakeholders.”
Not only does SDSU appreciate the feedback received from supporters, but they pride themselves on being able to offer direct learning opportunities to
their students.
"We are very fortunate our livestock units are so conveniently located close to campus,” Cassady said.
These units give students access to hands-on opportunities that some universities cannot give their students.
“Two of the four livestock units are state of the art and are recognized not only nationally but internationally as well,” Jaeger said.
Students have been impacted by the quality education that the animal science department provides. Senior animal science major Abigail Morse believes the department’s accreditation will strengthen and expand opportunities for students like herself by reinforcing the credibility and quality of the program.
“The experiences I have gained from my involvements in undergraduate research, clubs and other activities within
the department have been invaluable in preparing me for my future. I appreciate the access and support for students to pursue hands-on undergraduate research,” Morse said.
Cassady shared in relation to future students, “South Dakota State is a better buy.” Meaning they can provide a high-quality education, historically at a lower price point. Cassady believes that this accreditation reaffirms that students who choose SDSU will be taking advantage of the lower price point but are not sacrificing anything in terms of education quality.
“Our animal science majors will have the confidence when preparing for the future because they were provided with specific learning outcomes to better prep them for employment in the field of agriculture,” Jaeger said.
AVERY ZEISLER / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Students come and go from the Animal Science Complex on the SDSU campus recently. During the annual American Society of Animal Science meeting in Hollywood, Florida, it was announced South Dakota State University would be the first four-year animal science program accredited in the nation.
One day for
$3.2 MILLION for Jackrabbits
When Jackrabbits work together, anything is possible. Nothing proves this more than the success of this year’s One Day for STATE.
During the 24-hour celebration, 6,126 donors came together as one, raising over $3.2 million to transform lives at SDSU, bolstering scholarships, academic programming, research, athletics and student support.
In just one day, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and friends worked together to fuel support and uplift every corner of the university.
Of the 6,126 donors, 643 identified as current students and 1,163 as faculty and staff. Thank you for joining in the One Day for STATE celebration!
Another highlight was inspiring donors from each of the fifty states to make a gift, unlocking $50,000 in challenge funds in the process.
The yellow and blue community celebrated, shared and gave. Most of all, we turned one day into countless new opportunities for our Jackrabbits family. One day of giving. A lifetime of impact.
7,824 GIFTS
6,126 24 $ 3,207,938 HOURS DONORS RAISED
6,160 GIFTS WERE $100 LESS OR $14,512 DONATED 643 STUDENTS $106,301 DONATED
ENROLLMENT HITS SIX-YEAR HIGH
Near-record retention helps head count
BRAYDEN BYERS
Digital & Breaking News
South Dakota State University’s enrollment has surged to its highest point in six years, fueled by a near-record student retention rate and the fourthlargest freshman class in its history. The university’s total headcount reached 12,139 students, an increase from last year’s 12,065 and the highest total enrollment since 2017. The numbers
show an incoming class of 2,276 new firsttime students, which is the fourth-largest in the university’s history.
An 83% retention rate of first-tosecond-year students helped keep the total number stable. The mark is the second-highest rate ever recorded at SDSU and is the fifth time in the last six years that retention has been above 80%.
The university also reported that more than 56% of the student body are residents of South Dakota, a 2.3%
STATEWIDE NUMBERS
SDSU’s figures are consistent with the rest of the South Dakota public university system.
The South Dakota Board of Regents reported a system wide enrollment of 36,091, which is exactly the same as a year ago.
SDSU saw the smallest percent increase (0.61%) out of all the Regental institutions, while the University of South Dakota in Vermillion saw its enrollment decrease by 2.02%.
South Dakota Mines (-1.47%) also reported a decline. Black Hills State University in Spearfish (+2.36%), Dakota State University in Madison (+1.8%) and Northern State University in Aberdeen (+0.84%) joined SDSU with increases.
According to data from the Board of Regents, South Dakota State holds nearly 34% of the system’s enrollment. A total of 36,662 students were enrolled in South Dakota public universities in 2017, a mark that has not been reached since.
FINAL SYSTEM WIDE ENROLLMENT NUMBERS
Black Hills State: 3,425
Dakota State: 3,842
Northern State:
increase from last year, with 17% of all first-time students coming from the Sioux Falls metro area.
“South Dakota State University is the destination of choice for students in our state, across the region and around the world,” SDSU President Barry Dunn said in a news release. “The growth we are experiencing, particularly among South Dakotans, is a strong vote of confidence.”
FUTURE CHALLENGES
While SDSU officials celebrate the numbers, higher education experts are bracing for an “enrollment cliff” expected to begin this year.
According to a presentation to state lawmakers by Board of Regents Executive Director Nathan Lukkes last year, there will be a 10% decline in high school graduates across the country from 2025 to 2037.
This projection stems from a decline in birth rate after the 2008 recession, meaning universities will soon be competing for a smaller pool of students. Officials say that SDSU’s 83% retention rate is key to stability in this competitive
BRAYDEN BYERS / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
Students walk past Yeager Hall on South Dakota State University’s campus on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in Brookings.
THREE UNIVERSITIES SAW GROWTH, TWO DID NOT
Black Hills State in Spearfish: increased by 2.36%
Dakota State University in Madison: increased by 1.8%
Northern State University in Aberdeen: increased by 0.84%
South Dakota State University in Brookings: increased by 0.61%
South Dakota Mines in Rapid City: decreased by 1.47% University of South Dakota in Vermillion: decreased by 2.02%
environment.
Simultaneously, the university is pursuing R1 status. This designation, held by the nation’s top research institutions, helps attract high-level graduate and doctoral students — a demographic that is not tied to the high school graduate cliff. The increase to 280 doctoral students this year is a step in that direction, according to officials.
“South Dakota State University is committed to continue its path to reach R1 status…” Dunn said. “Continuing to show progress in our Ph.D. programs is a strong indicator we are on the right path to achieve that goal.”
For now, the university is celebrating what the numbers represent today.
“These numbers show that students and families continue to see SDSU as the best investment in higher education, one that leads to meaningful careers, service to communities and a lifetime of impact,” Dunn said.
TOP: Students order and wait for their Chick-fil-A orders on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in the Student Union on South Dakota State University’s campus in Brookings.
BRAYDEN BYERS / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
TREE TROUBLE
SDSU community urged to help combat tree
vandalism
EMILY DECOCK
Editor-in-Chief
Reports of tree vandalism have started up again in Brookings, a trend that has worsened in recent years, according to Brookings Parks, Recreation & Forestry officials.
Kristen Zimmerman, director of the Parks, Recreation & Forestry department, said the vandalism has been “disheartening.”
About 26 trees have been vandalized in the Brookings community this calendar year.
“I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is quite a bit, especially when you look at our boulevard spaces and other factors that are playing into our tree canopy, such as Emerald Ash Borer, Pine Wilt and the Dutch Elm Disease,” Zimmerman said.
Ryan Burggraff is the forestry supervisor at Parks, Recreation & Forestry for the City of Brookings. Five full time staff members manage the nearly 40,000 trees in Brookings, which includes trees in parks, boulevards and shelter belts.
“We have five full time staff that are dedicated to forestry work in our city, so our team is pretty small,” Zimmerman said.
”Our forestry crew works very hard, so any additional work being done is a huge hindrance on what they can do and get accomplished.”
The city spends between $13,000 and $15,000 on trees to plant each year, Burggraff said. This year, the city spent an additional $10,000 on trees from a nursery.
“The city’s doing more than in previous years to combat all the removals we’re doing, because we’re doing way more than we used to with Emerald Ash Borer, “ Burggraff said.
Emerald Ash Borer is a form of beetle that feeds on ash tree species.
Burggraff said there’s typically 300-500 tree removals due to disease in a year. Last year, the city removed about 5,000 trees, he said.
“The resources can’t match the removal rate, so that’s why it’s frustrating when these are getting damaged,” Burggraff said.
“We don’t know for certain who’s damaged the trees,” Bordewyk said. “The pattern would lead one to wonder, you know, if it isn’t students, but there’s no proof of that, but we obviously want the entire community and the SDSU community to be aware of the issue so that we can all work together to protect our trees.”
The trees themselves are relatively inexpensive, just
a few hundred dollars, Zimmerman said. The part that gets expensive is the staffing to maintain the trees.
“It’s estimated that a tree costs the city about $1,000 each year, so some of these three year old trees are $3,000 apiece,” Zimmerman said. “So when you multiply that by 26 trees, it adds up really quickly, for sure.”
Burggraff said SDSU student organizations and clubs have volunteered with Parks, Recreation & Forestry to plant trees in the past. is open to having SDSU student organizations or clubs volunteer to plant trees.
If students are interested in volunteering, Zimmerman said to reach out to the Parks, Recreation & Forestry main office.
“There’s no way to prove that this was students, but I would just say to the respective individuals who participated in the vandalism, to just keep in mind that Brookings isn’t your normal college town,” student body president Sophie Spier said.
Spier said SDSU’s good relationship with the city of Brookings sets it apart from other college towns in the U.S.
“We just want to do our best not only to keep that relationship, but to respect it as well,” Spier said. “They do a great job supporting SDSU, so it’s our job as students to treat the city well.”
EMILY DECOCK / COLLEGIAN MEDIA
A tree sits broken on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in front of Daktronics Engineering Hall in Brookings. About 26 trees have been vandalized this calendar year, in addition to yearly diseased trees removed.
SDSU goes 2-1 in Minnesota tournament; Prepare to host Boise State
CORDELL VITENSE
Sports
Editor
The Jackrabbit volleyball team went 2-1 in the Diet Coke Classic on Sept. 12, 13 and 14.
The Jacks’ first match was against a solid Dayton team, but the Jacks showed out, sweeping the Flyers 3-0. The Jacks won the first set in a close 25-22 fight. The second set was even closer, with SDSU edging out Dayton 25-23. In the third, the Jacks led wire to wire, winning 25-17.
In the second match of the tournament, SDSU got another sweep, beating the University of South Florida after three close sets. The Jacks won the first two sets 25-22. The Jacks finalized their second sweep of the tournament by getting a 25-23 win in the third set.
The Jacks ended the tournament losing 3-1 to the host team, Minnesota. In set one, the Jacks lost close with a score of 25-23. The Jacks bounced back in the second set, winning 28-26. Minnesota won the next two sets 25-18 and 25-20 to seal a 3-1 win over the Jacks.
The Jacks now return home to host Boise State back-to-back on Friday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 20 at noon.
The Jacks are led by junior outside hitter Sylvie Zgonc, who is coming off a great performance against Minnesota, where she had 18 kills and 15 digs. In the three-match tournament, Zgonc totaled 44 kills and 35 digs. In total for the season, Zgonc has 115 points, 106 kills and 77 digs. Against Boise State, Zgonc will also look to add to her streak of double-double performances, which currently sits at four straight matches.
Sophomore Madison Burr has also had a solid season so far, racking up 87 points on 64 kills and a team-leading block total of 32.
Not far behind Burr’s block total is Sydni Schetnan, who has tallied 31 blocks on the season to go along with 49 kills. Schetnan is third on the team in scoring
with 67.5 points.
Freshman Hannah Klein sits at 65 points on the season. The newcomer has been a dangerous scoring threat, racking up 58 kills on the season.
Junior setter Rylee Martin has had a phenomenal season setting up all these scoring threats. Martin has 247 assists on the season while also scoring 33 points of her own.
Boise State
The Boise State Broncos will come into Brookings with a 7-2 record, coming off the Boise State Invitational, where they
went 3-0.
The Broncos are led in scoring by senior Kailyn Jager, who has tallied 105 points on the season with 90 kills and 24 blocks.
Jager isn’t the only Bronco with triple-digit points on the season. Fifth-year senior Arianna Bibly has 100 points on the season with 86 kills, while adding 76 digs.
Eliza Sharp is another Bronco to keep an eye on. The redshirt freshman leads Boise State in blocks with 48 while adding 66 kills and has a total of 94.5 points. Fourth on the Boise State team in
scoring with 90 points is junior middle blocker Layla Smith. Smith has 69 kills and 37 blocks on the season.
The Jacks will open Summit League play after they host Boise State when they play Omaha Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. at First Bank & Trust Arena in Brookings.
EAN WETZEL/COLLEGIAN MEDIA
South Dakota State outside hitter Sylvie Zgonc (10) passes the ball over the net during an NCAA college volleyball match against Ole Miss on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, at First Bank & Trust Arena in Brookings.
Jacks knock off Bears at home Start conference play against 2-4-1
JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter
South Dakota State left Fishback Soccer Park as victors this last sunday as they beat Northern Colorado 6-3. Next, they will host Wyoming and St. Thomas as they eclipse the halfway point of the season.
Northern Colorado
SDSU struck first at the 13th minute as Zoe Wittkop found the back of the net. Preslie Young for the Bears tied the game in the 31st minute. A thunderstorm stopped play near the end of the first period, but SDSU was quick to break the tie with an Emma Brezenski goal after the match resumed. The Bears tied it up again just two minutes later before the half.
SDSU scored four straight goals in the second half before the Bears were able to get a penalty kick goal in the waning minutes of action, making the final score 6-3. The six goals are the second highest of the season.
“I’m really proud of the way that our team responded to some of those challenging mental moments,” head coach Brock Thompson said. “[It’s] not easy to sit in a locker room that, you know, feels a little bit like a sauna during a rain delay, you know, and to just maintain your focus.”
Mia Bosch led SDSU in shots with three, along with one goal and two assists. Ellie Gusman and Makynlie Cade each had two shots; Gusman recorded an assist while Cade had a goal and an assist. 11 assists were scored by SDSU, a team high for the season. Mallorie Benhart made three saves on the afternoon.
For the Bears, Jolee Irvin shot twice with one goal and an assist. Taryn Rea also found the back of the net on her sole shot. The three goals are the Bears highest mark this season. Ava Marshall and Preslie Young split the team’s remaining shots.
TEAM STATS
Goals: 20
Goals per Game: 2.22
Shots: 168
Shots Per Game: 18.7
Shots on Goal: 72-168
Fouls: 73
Yellow Cards: 7
“(It was a) very weird game from how it just kinda played out,” Thompson said of the afternoon. A thunderstorm caused a delay of more than an hour in the 41st minute.
The win improves the Jacks to 5-1-3, good for second place in the Summit League behind North Dakota.
Wyoming
SDSU’s final non-conference match of the season sees them host the Wyoming Cowgirls this week. They are 5-1-1 and are coming off a 1-0 victory against Colorado Mesa on Sunday.
Alyssa Glover is the team’s leading shooter with 22 on the season. She has 12 shots on goal with five finding the back of the net, plus a pair of assists. In the victory on Sunday, Glover had seven shots with four on goal and an assist. The team high for assists belongs to Jennah Wanner, who has three on the year. Goalkeeper Haley Bartel has had five games with no goals allowed, including their most recent match.
“Wyoming is an exceptional team,” Thompson said.
The Cowgirls shutout No. 15 ranked Georgia on Sept. 4 to earn their first ranked road win in program history.
Game time is tomorrow at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
St. Thomas
St. Thomas
SDSU begins their conference play at home with a match against the Tommies. They are 2-4-1, coming off a 2-1 loss against the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sunday, and will play Western Illinois on Thursday before traveling to Brookings next week.
Tatum Trettel is the team’s leading shooter with 11 on the year. She has seven shots on goal with one goal. Mackenzie Jacobson leads the Tommies in goals with three, having 10 shots with seven on goal and two assists. Six other Tommies, including Trettel, each have one goal on the season. Olivia Rowe has started seven games at goalkeeper with a season total of 47 saves.
Game time is Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
South Dakota State forward Hailee Christensen (11) attempts to dribble past Northern Colorado’s Anneliese Wong (13) during an NCAA college women’s soccer game on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, at Fishback Soccer Park in Brookings.
PHOTOS BY OWEN BOYD/ COLLEGIAN MEDIA
South Dakota State midfielder Mia Bosch (10) winds up for a corner kick during an NCAA college women’s soccer game on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, at Fishback Soccer Park in Brookings.
Jacks prepare for Griak Meet presents challenges but provides good test
JACOB BRENDE Sports Editor
Following a good showing at their season opening Augustana Twilight meet, SDSU’s cross country teams will be traveling to Falcon Heights, Minnesota for the Griak Invitational at the Les Bolstad Golf Course. The men’s race starts at 10 a.m. and women’s starts at 10:45 a.m.
Four races each are slated for the Merrill Fischbein Men’s gold and the Jack Johnson Women’s gold, a 1M, 3K, 5K and 8k. With the event being one of the bigger meets of the year, there are aspects that make it unique for South Dakota State.
“The regionality of it, just being in Minneapolis and typically we’re a roster that has a lot of South Dakota, a lot of Minnesota student-athletes on the team so many of them participate in the event of it in high school,” said head coach Rod DeHaven “This year certainly holds a somewhat sad (feeling), because the golf course is up for sale and most likely this will be the last iteration of this at this venue.”
third with a 17:08.47 minute run.
45 Jackrabbits will be participating in the race, including Augustana Twilight top-five finishers Larson, Dutcher, Johnson, Kampsen and fifth place finisher Will Lohr for the men. The Women will be sending out top-five finishers Hillyard, Lovgren and Stadter.
The race will feature some highly talented teams, including last year’s record holders Wyoming and Minnesota. Wyoming’s men finished last year with a 63 point total on the 6K. DeHaven mentioned how teams like Wyoming that move down in altitude for meets usually perform well. The women’s team for Minnesota finished with 47.
We got to be excited to grind when other people are not excited to grind. We got to be excited to be tough and work together as a team when other people are not excited to be tough and work together.
ALEX
MUNTEFERING
Assistant Coach
South Dakota State has won the race twice while performing in the D2 and D3 bracket, once with the men’s team in 1996 and once with the women’s team in 1989.
There was one SDSU top time as well, Jessie Kinschl finished with a time of 18:15 back in 1999.
The Twilight saw five Jackrabbits place in the top five for the men’s four mile run. Senior Cody Larson led the way with an SDSU record time of 18:00.10, followed by Jackson Dutcher in second and Cashton Johnson in third. The previous record was held by fellow Jackrabbit Brandon Kampsen, who ran an 18:41.8. Kampsen placed fourth in the four mile run this time around with a run of 18:44.92.
Three women placed in the top-five as well, Ashlyn Hillyard placed first with a time of 17:04.27. Narrowly behind her was Eleni Lovgren, getting a time of 17:04.76 for second and Courtney Stadter taking
According to DeHaven, the Griak Invitational will be a good measuring stick before returning home for the SDSU Classic at the Edgebrook golf course Oct. 3rd. DeHaven says that this race, which is considered difficult due to its many hills, will be a good way to see how ready the team is.
“It’s usually a good wakeup call. My theory on this course is it’s an indictment of what you’ve done in the summer,” said DeHaven. “Your ability to handle probably higher volumes. You can’t necessarily fake or run through those hills unless you’ve done the work in the summer and typically, you know the higher volume guys are going to benefit more on a course like this.”
SDSU SPORTS INFORMATION
SDSU’s Meghan Ford runs past an opponent during a cross-country meet at the Augustana Twilight on Sept. 6, 2025 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
JACKS STAY HOT
CORDELL VITENSE
Sports Editor
The Jackrabbits played in front of a home crowd consisting of 19,213 fans last Friday night against Drake.
The Jackrabbits beat Drake 37-21 to move to 3-0 on the season, while Drake fell to 1-1.
Quarterback Chase Mason had a successful night, completing 18 of his 25 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. He also added 51 yards rushing on eight attempts.
Mason’s number one receiver, Lofton O’Groske, also had a solid night. O’Groske caught six balls for 78 yards and had eight yards rushing.
Grahm Goering had a season high in receiving against Drake by hauling in three balls for 65 yards, including a 44-yard catch.
Besides quarterback Chase Mason, two other Jacks had over 50 yards rushing, those players being Julius Loughridge, who had 20 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Freshman Corey Blaire had exactly 50 yards and added one touchdown to his stat line.
Defensively, Joe Ollman had a big night with seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
Cullen McShane also had a successful game with nine tackles, with two and a half being for loss.
Drake’s passing leader, Logan Inagawa, threw for 140 yards and an interception. He was also the team’s rushing leader with 58 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Starting quarterback Xavier Washington was three of four passing with 34 yards and a touchdown before he went down with an injury.
Hank Foley was the Bulldog’s leading receiver with three catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Drake started on offense and the Jacks’ defense had no answer for them
to start the game. On third down, Bulldog quarterback Xavier Washington ran for 14 yards on a keeper. The next play, running back Jaden Meizinger ripped off a 23-yard run. And to follow that play up Xavier Washington threw a 31-yard touchdown to Hank Foley to put the Bulldogs up 7-0.
The Jackrabbit offense looked just as unstoppable as the Drake offense to start the possession. An Alex Bullock catch got the jacks their first first-down of the drive. Following that play, Chase Mason ran for 16 yards and Lofton O’Groske caught an 11-yard pass from Mason to get the Jacks their third first down in three straight plays. The jacks eventually found themselves with a fourth and four, which wasn’t converted and Drake took over.
It was a short-lived drive for Drake as they went three and out and punted it right back to SDSU. Punter Ryan Schro-
eder shanked the ball and it resulted in a 20-yard punt with the Jacks taking over at the Drake 40-yard line.
The Jacks took advantage of the field position and after a Drake penalty they found themselves at the 25-yard line.
Chase Mason ended the drive when he threw a nine-yard touchdown to Alex Bullock to tie the game up.
The next Drake drive was another short one. On the first play of the drive, Joe Ollman had a strip sack on Xavier Washington, with Dawson Ripperda recovering the fumble on the Drake 19-yard line. Washington was injured on the play and didn’t return.
The Jacks made short work with great field position, as on the second play of the drive, Julius Loughridge got his first touchdown of the season when he broke free for a 15-yard touchdown run to take the lead 14-7.
Logan Inagawa was the guy under
The Jackrabbits defeated the Drake Bulldogs last Saturday in Brookings. Here are some stats from the game.
Offensive Standout
The week three standout for the Jacks could have been many players but with 86 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries Julius Loughridge is this weeks offenseive standout.
Defensive Standout
The defensive standout for this week is defensive end Joe Ollman. Ollman racked up seven tackles with with two sacks and a forced fumble against the Bulldogs.
Jackrabbit
Firsts
• Alex Bullock: first Touchdown as a Jackrabbit
• Julius Loughridge: First Touchdown as a Jackrabbit
•James Basinger: First Career Touchdown
•Noah Thompson: First Career Interception
•Ryan Harrington: First Career Field Goal
•Corey Blaire Jr.: First Career Touchdown
•Jack Smith: First Career Reception
JACKRABBITS LAST WEEK NEXT UP 37 21
The Jackrabbits have a by this weekend but will return home Saturday Sept. 27 to face Mercyhurst at 2 p.m.
EAN WETZEL/COLLEGIAN MEDIA
South Dakota State offensive linemen Sam Hagen (76) leads the Jackrabbit football team onto the field prior to an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Dana J. Dykehouse Stadium in Brookings.
center starting the next possession, taking over for Washington. Inagawa’s first drive wasn’t a success as the team went three and out.
The Jackrabbits’ drive wasn’t much of a success either. As Julius Loughridge got stopped on fourth and one, giving the Bulldogs the ball back at the SDSU 48-yard line.
After a big gain on an Inagawa completion to Taj Hughes, Drake found themselves with good field position, but the drive stalled and Harry Balke hit a field goal to make the score 14-10.
The Jacks started methodically driving the ball down the field with help from two Grahm Goering first down catches and a Lofton O’Groske 10-yard catch. James Basinger eventually punched in a two-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 21-10.
Another three-and-out for the Bull-
dogs gave the ball back to SDSU. An explosive 44-yard pass play by Chase Mason to Grahm Goering gave the Jacks a first and 10 from the 14-yard line. SDSU was turned away on a fourth and two and gave the ball back to Drake.
Drake took over from their own six and managed to march the ball down the field and brought on Harry Balke to attempt a 44-yard kick before the half. The kick was missed and the Jacks headed into half up 21-10
The Jacks took the field on offense to start the third quarter and they came out strong. The first two plays were runs to Julius Loughridge, where he gained a combined 13 yards. Lofton O’Groske grabbed a first down after an 11-yard catch. A few plays later, O’Groske caught a 24-yard back shoulder ball at the fouryard line. Loughridge got his second touchdown of the day when he ran it
in from four yards out. The Loughridge score made it 28-10, Jacks.
Drake came out of the second strong.
After multiple big gains, a 24-yard rush by Logan Inagawa brought the Bulldogs down to the six-yard line. Inagawa eventually punched in a three-yard rushing touchdown. After a successful two-point conversion, Drake trailed 28-18.
To start off the next Jackrabbit drive, freshman Corey Blaire Jr. was handed the ball and gained 42 yards on his first career carry. SDSU’s drive eventually stalled and Eli Stader missed a 38-yard field goal attempt.
Drake took over but gave the ball right back as Logan Inagawa was intercepted on the first play of the drive by safety Noah Thompson, who got his first career interception.
The Jacks took over from the Drake 35-yard line. The Jacks managed to get
one first down on the drive before they brought out kicker Ryan Harrington, who hit a 39-yard field goal to make the score 31-18.
After a Drake punt Jack Smith caught a 20-yard Chase Mason pass on second and 19. The next play, Mason delivered another big gain with an 18-yard completion to Lofton O’Groske, which put the Jacks at the 20-yard line. Freshman Corey Blaire Jr. continued his breakout game by punching in a 5-yard touchdown run and after a failed two-point attempt the Jacks led 37-18.
After a garbage-time field goal by Drake, SDSU came out victorious with a 37-21 win.
The Jackrabbits have a by week before they host Mercyhurst on Sept. 27 at Dana J. Dykehouse Stadium.
South Dakota State running back James Basinger (32) celebrates after touchdown with teammate William Paepke (77) during an NCAA college football game against Drake on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025 at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings.
OWEN BOYD/COLLEGIAN MEDIA
