January 21, 2026

COLLEGIAN MEDIA MORE AT SDSUCOLLEGIAN.COM

LIVE & ON DEMAND

COLLEGIAN MEDIA YOUTUBE

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep caught up with content like The Collegian Report, live Students’ Association meetings, live Jackrabbit sports broadcasts, podcasts, exclusive content and more.

COLLEGIAN MEDIA

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, JAN. 23

Afternoon — The Collegian Report (YouTube)

MONDAY, JAN. 26

7 p.m. — Students’ Association (90.7 FM & YouTube)

FRIDAY, JAN. 30

Afternoon — The Collegian Report (YouTube)

SATURDAY, JAN. 31

2 p.m. — Jackrabbit MBB vs. Oral Roberts (YouTube)

MONDAY, FEB. 2

7 p.m. — Students’ Association (90.7 FM & YouTube)

SCULPTURE HONORING McFADDEN INSTALLED

A sculpture honoring Edgar Sharp McFadden has been placed on the northwest side of SDSU’s campus, after months of anticipation.

The artwork was placed on Dec. 11 between the Raven Precision Agriculture Center and the McFadden Biostress Laboratory.

The sculpture was initially going to be installed in spring 2025.

The delay was due to the artist’s studio relocating, said Jim Connors, associate dean and director of academic programs in the College of Agriculture, Food and... Faren Bebeau, Multimedia Journalist

ONLINE NOW

NEW UPD CHIEF

Brookings Police Chief Michael Drake is taking over as UPD chief, too. Hear from him about his plans for the campus police department later this week.

Brayden Byers & Emily DeCock

ONLINE LATER THIS WEEK

POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LOG

THURSDAY, JAN. 15

• 11:16 a.m. — Intentional Damage/Vandalism, Ben Reifel Hall

• 5:55 p.m. — Harassment, Caldwell Hall

SATURDAY, JAN. 17

• 10:43 p.m. — Liquor/Possesstion/Consumption, Binnewies Hall

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT APPLES ON YOUR HAMBURGER?

Twenty-eight restaraunts in Brookings and surrounding towns have come up with new delicious offerings in an effort to be named the best burger in the area. And you can vote for them. Learn how in our story that will post online later this week.

Jackson Helland, Reporter

ONLINE LATER THIS WEEK

Ex-SDSU coach indicted Court papers accuse Kamerra Brown of grand theft

BRAYDEN BYERS & EMILY DECOCK Collegian Media

A former SDSU equestrian coach was indicted last week on a felony count of grand theft, which could mean up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Court documents allege that former South Dakota State University equestrian coach Kamerra Brown used university and taxpayer resources to pay for veterinary bills and boarding for her horses for about a year.

The case is being prosecuted by the South Dakota attorney general’s Public Integrity Unit, according to a news release. Tony Mangan, communications director, said a tip was given to the unit. Brown’s next court appearance is Feb. 23 at 9 a.m.

Mike Lockrem, a spokesperson for SDSU, said the university does not comment on pending investigations or litigation. He also said there are two assistant coaches in charge of the program until a new head coach can be named.

Brown was a graduate assistant, then assistant coach for the Jacks from 2010 to 2014. In addition, Brown was an assistant equestrian coach at Delaware State from 2014-16.

She also served as the Equestrian Club’s adviser and mentored equine studies students at Bridgewater College from 2016-18.

She was then a professor of equine studies and hunter/jumper instructor at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri, before coming to SDSU, according to her biography on SDSU Athletics’ website, GoJacks.com, which is still public as of Tuesday.

It’s unclear whether Brown was fired or if she was put on administrative leave. SDSU Athletic Director Justin Sell said he could not comment on the circumstances surrounding Brown’s termination.

A check on Open SD’s state employee salary lookup shows her employment status as an “inactive employee.”

Mackenzie Rush, an SDSU junior, recently parted with the team after joining as a freshman in 2023. She said the circumstances of Brown’s departure from SDSU were not fully explained to the team.

“They really didn’t even tell us that she was let go. They really were just like, ‘We can’t tell you anything. It’s not in our wheelhouse to tell you anything,’” Rush said. “I’m assuming for legal purposes that they were trying to just keep everybody, you know, kind of out of it.”

“Nobody really knew what was going on,” she added. “We just knew that we were in season. We still had a team. We had two coaches, and that was kind of our goal, was just to make the season like any other, you know.”

Senior Associate Athletic Director

Holly VanVlymen testified before the grand jury for the indictment on Jan. 8 in Brookings, according to court documents.

A volunteer assistant coach, Julia Werkhoven, was brought in for the fall semester. Werkhoven graduated from SDSU in 2024 and was a former equestrian student-athlete. As of this week, there are three coaches listed on the Equestrian team’s roster page on GoJacks.com. None of them is designated as “head coach.”

Currently, 19 Division I programs sponsor equestrian, according to the NCAA website. The organization’s website also says the average DI equestrian roster has 39 student-athletes.

A count on Tuesday night showed there are 26 student-athletes listed on

the team’s roster page on GoJacks.com. A check on last year’s roster page shows that as many as 14 student-athletes left the team after the spring season. That number included three seniors. This year’s roster includes five freshmen, according to the website.

When asked if the university is looking for a head coach for equestrian, Sell responded by saying the team would be “staffed appropriately to run our team, and so our student-athletes can have a good experience.”

The Jackrabbits’ first competition this semester is against Texas Christian University on Feb. 6 at the Dehaan Equestrian Center in Brookings.

Collegian Media asked last Thursday for public records of the equestrian team’s expenses. The university has yet to respond to the request.

Collegian Media reached out to Brown for comment and has not heard back.

Education programs increase security

People now need key card access to Fishback Center

RYANN DAVIS

News Director

The Fishback Center for Early Childhood Education will now have an increase in restricted access to ensure the safety of the children. Located on the West side of Pugsley Hall, the Fishback Center has education programs for toddlers, preschool, kindergarten and an “Out of School Time Program.”

“For about 10 years we’ve wanted to increase the limited access and restricted access for those who were authorized to be in the space out of protection for our children, their families, students and faculty,” Anne Karabon, Wendell and Marlys Thompson Director of the School of Education, Counseling,

and Human Development/Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education said.

Karabon said some students park on campus near the Alumni Center Building and Pugsley Hall and use the Fishback Center as a hallway, especially during the winter months, increasing the difficulty to keep track of who is in the building. Pugsley Hall remains accessible to students and staff through the North entrance, across from the Sylvan Green. However, the Fishback Center will now require key card access. Students attending class in Pugsley Hall room 117 will have to enter by scanning their student ID.

There were no prior situations concerning safety that initiated this decision,

RYANN DAVIS / COLLEGIAN MEDIA

Karabon said.

“(We) just really wanted to make sure that we’re cohesive with practices in our communities, for families too,” Karabon said.

This is Karabon’s fourth year working for SDSU. She said Dr. Kay Cutler, former director of the School of Education, was the one “leading the charge” for the Fishback Center’s key card access renovations. Karabon said it’s important now, more than ever, to make sure the children are safe.

“It’s just a matter of trying to make sure that we know who is in the building at all times, and then also for fire safety, if there was an emergency (and) we had to evacuate, now we know who’s in the space and who isn’t,” Karabon said.

The process to restrict access began in spring 2025. According to Karabon, the biggest concern was ensuring the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access was still adhered to.

“Our elevators are accessible through the back door and everything else is 100 percent accessible,” Karabon said.

Karabon asks students to “help us in this transition and change.”

“We know that it’s cold and that people like to use this space to move between buildings, but in honor of our children and to respect our families, we just ask everyone to help support us in this transition,” she said.

Call for creative work

Oakwood Magazine is accepting students’ art of all majors until Jan. 31

IZZAT HALIM Reporter

Many South Dakota State University students may not realize there is a campus publication dedicated entirely to creative writing and visual art – and that it is open to submissions from students of all majors.

Oakwood magazine, SDSU’s annual literary and arts journal, is currently accepting submissions through Jan. 31, and faculty advisers say the biggest thing holding students back is not a lack of talent, but hesitation.

“Oakwood is a literary magazine that includes poetry, fiction and nonfiction, as well as visual art,” faculty adviser Amber Jensen said. “It’s created by students, and it’s a really good experiential learning opportunity to be part of the publishing world while still in college.”

Published each spring, Oakwood features work by SDSU students alongside writers and artists from the broader Great Plains region. The magazine is produced through a publishing practicum course, where students serve as editors and designers, reviewing submissions and shaping the final publication.

According to Jensen and co-adviser Jodilyn Andrews, many students assume Oakwood is only for English or arts majors, or that their work must be “good enough” before submitting – a misconception they hope to change.

“Publishing can feel intimidating,” Andrews said. “There’s this idea that you have to be something before you start submitting your work, when really what you have to do is just be writing.”

Jensen emphasized that rejection should not be taken personally.

“One of the things we teach students is that the text is an object outside of yourself,” she said. “If a piece gets rejected, you are not getting rejected. It’s separate from

you.”

That mindset, the advisers said, is key to helping emerging writers and artists build confidence and grow creatively. Submitting work, regardless of acceptance, is part of the learning process.

“What makes a strong submission isn’t perfection,” Jensen said. “It’s whether it makes us feel something. Does it make us pause and think, ‘I hadn’t thought of it in that way before?’”

Andrews added that strong pieces often show a clear sense of intention.

“One piece of advice I come back to is, ‘No surprise for the writer means no surprise for the reader,’” she said. “When a writer is willing to explore something honestly, readers can feel that.”

Submissions must follow Oakwood’s guidelines and be polished, but the editors stress that students should not overthink the process. Poetry submissions are limited to three poems, while prose submissions must be 3,000 words or fewer.

Beyond publishing opportunities, Oakwood also serves as a creative outlet for students across disciplines. Jensen noted that students in majors such as engineering, nursing and agriculture often seek creative spaces to process their experiences.

“Writing and art help process life,” Jensen said. “If you

do that alone and never share it, you miss out on the community-building part of creativity.”

That emphasis on community extends beyond campus. Oakwood celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, with every issue archived online through Open PRAIRIE, SDSU’s digital repository.

“It’s really a time capsule,” Jensen said. “You can look back over 50 years and see what people in this region were thinking about, feeling and experiencing.”

The publication culminates in a public launch event each spring, where contributors read their work and attendees receive free copies of the magazine.

“There’s food, there’s a free book, and you get to hear writers read their work,” Andrews said. “It’s a really welcoming space, even for people who didn’t submit.”

Submissions are open through Jan. 31, and the magazine is scheduled for release in April.

For students considering whether to submit, the advisors offer simple advice.

“Submit, submit, submit,” Jensen said. “The worst thing that can happen is someone says no. But someone will read your work and take it seriously – and that matters.”

Submission guidelines and past issues of Oakwood magazine can be found through SDSU’s Open PRAIRIE website.

Pilates gains strong momentum in Brookings

BRIE PETERS Reporter

A Brookings native has opened a new workout studio in November, bringing yet another site for residents and students alike to stay active.

Owner Madysn Gilbertson said the studio represents the fulfillment of a dream she carried for years.

Gillbertson opened Studio Society on Nov. 1 at 1130 Main Ave. S. The studio opens among Synergy Strength Studio, b|well company and the Miller Wellness Center, which all offer a form of Pilates classes in Brookings. The Miller Wellness Center is the only other location in Brookings, however, that offers Pilates using reformer machines.

Since opening its doors, Studio Society has already gained strong momentum.

“I could not have asked for a better start,” Gilbertson said.

Raised in the Brookings area, she always hoped to return home. After graduating college at Lake Area Technical College and working as a nurse, the idea of opening a Pilates studio lingered in the back of her mind. As the months went by, the idea grew stronger.

“I kept having the thought and then pushing it aside and then having that thought again,” Gilbertson said. “I finally decided, ‘I’m going to do what it takes to get myself there.’”

In January 2025, Gilbertson pitched the idea of opening the studio to her parents. From there, she began planning, running numbers, researching and learning everything she could about owning a business.

Gilbertson’s parents are business owners themselves, and were able to offer guidance and support to help make her dream a reality.

“I am thankful for my family. They put me in some good hands and recommended me to some good people. It’s been a blessing,” Gilbertson said.

Gilbertson signed the lease and began construction in June. The studio’s construction was completed in October, and

Studio Society opened in November.

One of the first to join her team was Noelle Mack, a senior at South Dakota State University.

“I’m unable to say enough good things about the studio and Madysn,” Mack said. “I have been able to meet so many new, amazing people and learned so much about being an instructor and what it is like working for a small business.”

Mack said she has loved pilates since the very beginning.

“It was the first workout that helped me fall in love with moving my body, and I have been obsessed ever since,” Mack said.

Studio Society currently offers four Pilates Reformer classes. Starting with method one, which is a beginner friendly workout.

“I highly recommend all new people trying pilates to take the method one class,” Gilbertson said. “You are going to learn your fundamentals and basic key moves.”

Method two and method three offer more of a challenge. After taking a recommended two to three method one

classes, you can begin to move up to method two. Both classes involve similar movements, but involve a higher level of intensity.

Studio Society also offers a recovery pilates class that focuses on stretching and mobility.

“The recovery class is a time to come and rewind, relax and shut your brain off and just stretch,” Gilbertson said.

Looking ahead, Gilbertson hopes to add a variety of new classes to the schedule. One class will feature higher-intensity movements using different equipment, while another class will focus on strength training and heavier weights.

Mack is excited to grow alongside the studio.

“I am excited to grow as an instructor while helping clients feel stronger and more confident in their bodies,” she said

For newcomers looking to

attend a pilates class for the first time, Gilbertson recommends having a pair of reformer socks. Socks are available for purchase at the studio or attendees can bring their own.

During your first class, clients can expect to get comfortable with the machine, learn movements, and build confidence. Above all, Gilbertson wants every person who walks through the door to feel welcome.

Studio Society makes it easy to get started with a $15 first class. After that, drop-ins are $20. The studio also offers packages, memberships and class credits. Students can take advantage of an $85 monthly membership which includes unlimited classes, a 30-day booking window, one guest pass a month and 10% off merchandise.

The studio also offers private group classes. These classes typically accommodate between five to 10 people.

As Studio Society continues to grow, Gilbertson hopes for her space to become more than just a gym, instead a place for people to feel welcome, have a good time and come back wanting more.

Endowed professorships on the rise

FAREN BEBEAU

Multimedia Journalist

Endowed professorships have been reshaping programs at South Dakota State University since 1988, and recently have been on the rise.

An endowment represents one of the highest achievements a faculty can have bestowed upon them, according to Provost Dennis Hedge. An endowment gives awarded faculty greater opportunities to enhance their student’s learning and research.

In order for a professor to be endowed, a large sum of money must be gifted towards the university as an investment to the specific program or research in which the professor may fall under.

Much of the fundraising that contributed to the take off of the endowed titles were originally gathered through the “Bold & Blue campaign,” though the SDSU Foundation (now SDSU Alumni & Foundation.)

“When we launched the Bold & Blue campaign in 2017, we had 13 endowed positions,” Hedge said. “Our goal was 50, and today we have 64 commitments, with 45 fully funded.”

“Endowments accounted for 54% of funding raised during Bold & Blue,” according to the Alumni & Foundation website. Over $604 million was raised during the seven year campaign.

Even after the completion of the Bold & Blue campaign, the number of endowed positions has been steadily increasing, Hedge said. They’re also considered prestigious.

“In addition to the honor of having an endowed position that typically bears someone’s name, the positions also have resources or dollars attached to them for faculty to utilize,” Hedge said. “These resources or dollars advance the academic work and scholarly research that a faculty member is able to contribute to their students and professional careers.”

“Endowed funds can pay for undergraduate and graduate research assistants, student travel or classroom innovations,” Hedge said.

The ability to use the funds in a multitude of ways has allowed faculty to bring new experiences to students while also allowing faculty to dive deeper into their research focuses.

Erica Summerfield, an agriculture communications professor in the School of Communication and Journalism (COJO) is one of SDSU’s most recent endowed professors. Summerfield said the endowment came unexpectedly, but has elevated her level of research and teaching in a very short amount of time.

“The endowment that I have was specifically given for

Courtesy of SDSU

& FOUNDATION

a faculty member in ag communications,” Summerfield said. “I’m the only faculty member in ag communications, but also, we have a growing program, and have so many students now that the university and obviously now the endowment alumni are starting to recognize how big the program is, the impact, and that we need more people and funds to help it operate.”

Being endowed has changed Summerfield’s title to: Erica Summerfield, Karen D. Stuck Assistant Professor of Agricultural Communications.

Unlike a lot of other endowments, Summerfield has been able to keep in close contact with her donor, Karen Stuck. Stuck, a home economics and journalism major, graduated from SDSU in 1966. She has been very involved with COJO in previous years and recently funded Summerfield’s endowment, wanting to give back to the program. Summerfield has been in contact with Stuck and enjoys updating her on the impact she’s made with her funds.

Summerfield thoughtfully embraced her endowment and already used some of the funds to send students to conferences, bring in guest speakers and fund research to improve her teaching.

“I’m doing a research project right now with a couple different universities across the country looking at career readiness needs for ag communications students, so seeing what industry professionals think our ag students should know when they graduate to make them eligible for the jobs,” Summerfield said.

Summerfield said that research keeps educators con-

nected to the industry and has the ability to influence classes and curriculum to better prepare students. Her research is in conjunction with colleagues at Auburn, Iowa State and Tennessee State and has already made an impact in the classrooms at SDSU.

With new innovations comes a cost, and it’s not small -- neither is the cost to endow a professor. The one time million dollar donation will last in the program for decades.

“A donor invests money, usually around a million dollars, and those funds are set aside and generate interest year after year,” Hedge said. “That million dollars stays in the Foundation and yields about 4%, roughly $40,000 annually that can be reinvested into classrooms, research or student opportunities.”

Donors often come to the University with the intent to donate to a specific department and many have a personal connection to the department they are supporting. The SDSU Alumni and Foundation serves a crucial role in fundraising and building commitments with donors.

Carolyn Poss, associate vice president for Philanthropic Fulfillment at the SDSU Alumni and Foundation, said developing relationships ensures that not only the university gets funding it needs, but that donor intentions are met and carried out as well.

It’s been the relationships between current and potential donors that have made it possible to increase the endowed professorships at SDSU, Poss said.

A finals first SDSU dance team earns highest finish ever in national event

FINN HOLSEN

Reporter

The South Dakota State cheer and dance squads competed at the United Dance Association and the United Cheer Association National competition on Jan. 16-18 in Orlando, Fla.

Competing for the third year in a row at UDA, the SDSU dance team has placed in the top 10 across the board. For the first time in program history, SDSU advanced to the finals for the first time ever this past weekend, finishing seventh in their D1 Jazz routine. They also placed fifth in D1 Dance-Gameday, and sixth in D1 Pom.

“It was such a surreal and proud moment to hear that we made finals in the D1 Jazz category,” said junior dance team member Ellie Nothdurft. “In the semifinals, we left everything on the floor, and finding out we didn’t just make finals but were sitting in eighth place out of 33 incredible teams was unreal. Moving up to seventh in finals made it even more special.”

Dance was one of two teams that went to nationals; the Jackrabbit cheer team also competed at UCA. Returning to UCA, the SDSU cheer team placed eighth in the All-Girl D1 Game Day.

Senior cheer team member Allie Lombardi said she’ll “never forget” the feeling of hearing SDSU’s name called to advance to the final round.

“Getting to experience that level of excitement with my team is so bittersweet. I was very proud of my teammates and what they were able to accomplish on that mat,” Lombardi said. “There are lots of hours spent in the gym perfecting these routines, so being able to execute when the time came was extremely rewarding.”

Competing at the national level is an honor for some dancers, but placing in the top 10 can be a dream come true for small universities at the UCA and UDA.

“Making a top 10 appearance at a national level is far from easy. This truly shows the grit and determination of these athletes,” senior dance team member Avery Webb said. “Preparing for UDA/UCA nationals is exhausting physically and mentally, but we choose time and time again to push through to put our best foot forward for ourselves and for our university.”

“We want to show everyone what we dancers and cheerleaders here at SDSU can do,” Webb added. “It feels amazing to show the nation that a smaller town college in South Dakota can compete at the national lev-

el with bigger names.”

Both teams’ success derives from hours of practice over several months. For dance, they start four months after competing at the previous year’s nationals.

“Our preparation begins at the beginning of the season, which is in May, following our mid-April tryouts,” dance head coach Christie Pekoske said. “Then the team practices all summer in preparation for UDA camp, which takes place in August. We learn our Nationals choreography in September and October, and this is where we really start to dig in.

Winter break practices are intense, Pekoske said, being just a few weeks away from nationals.

The dance team wasn’t the only squad to see months of hard work pay off on the national stage. The SDSU cheer team also had success in Orlando. Returning to UCA, the squad staged a return to secure eighth place in the All-Girl D1 Game Day category.

“I was excited we made it to finals for Game Day and grateful for the recognition of our hard work. Placing 8th place out of 31 great teams is a feat in itself,” senior cheer team member Tia Tycz said. Cheer and Dance represent the spirit program of SDSU, but they are not the same. Cheer has different regimens and other appearances they must keep up while also prepping for nationals.

Sophomore cheer team member

Lauren Keller said that preparing for nationals is a long process. They learned the choreography in early October, with extra practices in the following months. “

“These were often two-a-day practices or five plus hour days focusing on cleaning the routines,” Keller said.

Along with practices, the cheer team also made appearances at SDSU events (basketball games), performing at halftimes and a showcase, and lifting twice a week and running two miles weekly.

Webb said the dance team learns their routines in the fall and spends the rest of the semester perfecting them and fitting them for the team.

“During Christmas break we spend our days practicing with our team [for] up to ten hours a day together,” Webb said. “We have a few days to go home over Christmas, and then we return and kick it into gear for UDA.”

With the competitive season coming to an end, both squads now return to the

sidelines to lead the crowd and support Jackrabbit basketball for the remainder of the academic year.

“We will take a short one-week break from practices, but continue to support our Jackrabbit athletics at the basket-

ball games,” Pekoske said. “Our goals continue to remain the same - build our technique and skills, grow our program, level up our performance and placings at UDA 2027, and always continue to support Jackrabbit Nation.”

REWARDING

HEALTHCARE CAREERS

Sign-On Bonus & Tuition Assistance FOR THOSE THAT QUALIFY

Weekend Shift Differentials Internships Available Certification Opportunities

Students, community celebrate MLK Day

WILLEM LIM Reporter

SDSU students, staff and Brookings citizens gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the fourth annual MLK Day rally and “marade.”

A ‘marade’ is a combination of the words march and parade, according to the Student Engagement Center.

The event kicked off at 10 a.m. in Club 71, above Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, with the Latin American Student Association (LASA) president, Jaritza Cazares Cruz emceeing the event.

The keynote speaker, Angela Lammer, founder of a public relations and communications services firm, Cetera Services, and a community and strategic leader, had an emotional speech touching upon themes of perseverance, progress and hope.

Lammer, who grew up in Brookings, told stories of herself and her family that all related back to her idea of Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.

Lammer described a memory of her family celebrating the 22nd Super Bowl in 1988. Initially, she was confused about her mother’s excitement for the game, but then learned that the 1988 Super Bowl was the first one to have a Black quarterback to start and win the championship.

Every time her mother cheered, Lammer said she saw the version of her mother that was a 20-year-old college student at Hampton University.

“I saw the version of my mother who carried about progress and achievement,” Lammer said.

Near the end of her speech, Lammer reminded the audience that King’s dream was the American dream.

“There’s someone in the room that needs your smile, there’s someone in the room that can use your hope. You celebrate Dr. King because his dream is an American dream, a South Dakota dream, and a Brookings dream,”

Lammer said. “So let us pursue this dream together, and let us march on until victory is won.”

The event also had speakers ranging from students, presidents of student organizations, student athletes, Brookings City council member Holly Tilton Byrne and SDSU President Barry Dunn.

After the rally, attendees moved to the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex and marched four ceremonial laps around the track.

Track returns to Brookings

CORDELL VITENSE

Sports Editor

The SDSU men’s track team had a solid outing at the USD Alumni Meet last Saturday, Jan. 17.

The men came home with nine topthree finishers in seven different events. And out of those podium finishes, SDSU took home three first-place finishes.

Jackrabbit sophomore Ty Brouwer took first in the men’s 800-meter with a time of 1:59.19.

The other two Jacks who placed in the top spot were junior Sean Murphy, who took first in the mile with a time of 4:18.69. The other event winner was freshman Ty Nelson in the triple jump with a mark of 15.09m.

Other notable finishers for the Jacks were Joe Dustin, who finished second to his SDSU teammate in the mile. Freshman Brady Wallace took third in men’s 60-meter hurdles, Grayson Ring took second in high jump, Kincade Lehman took second in long jump and Wyatt Melcher took third in triple jump.

The women also had a good outing but didn’t place anyone first at the meet.

Even with no first-place finishers, SDSU still showed out, taking home a lot of silvers.

One of the Jacks to come home in the runner-up spot was senior Sian O’Sullivan, who had a time of 7.63 in the 60-meter.

Freshman Annie Robinson also took home second with a time of 2:30.68 in the 800-meter.

The other Jackrabbits to come up one spot short of gold were Sophomore Silja Gunderson in the 60 hurdles, senior Taylor Jochum in the high jump, freshmen addy Engel in the shot put and sophomore Jalyn Shepherd in the weight throw.

SDSU will now return home to host the Jim Emmerich Alumni Meet on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 1:30 p.m.

The Jackrabbits will look to follow up on the stellar performance they had last year at this meet, when they had 11 first-

place finishers and twelve performances that cracked top ten all-time for SDSU.

“I think it’ll be good for our student athletes”, said track and field coach Rod DeHaven on the upcoming meet. “One to kind of pull together because typically track tends to be on different legs of the table, so to speak and oftentimes they don’t unite until the conference championship, so it’ll help in that regard.”

UPCOMING INDOOR SCHEDULE

Jim Emmerich Alumni Meet: Brookings, SD (Jan. 24)

UND Open: Grand Forks, ND (Jan. 31)

ISU Classic: Ames, IA (Feb. 6)

Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational: Lincoln, NE (Feb. 6-7)

SDSU Indoor Classic: Brookings, SD (Feb. 13-14)

SDSU Last Chance: Brookings, SD (Feb. 20)

JACKS GRAPPLERS SIT AT 9-2

JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter

South Dakota State wrestling split their last two meets with a win at Utah Valley University on Friday and a loss in Laramie to the University of Wyoming on Sunday. These two matches put the Jackrabbits record at 9-2 with the only other loss of the season coming against the University of Northern Iowa on Jan. 10.

UTAH VALLEY (19-16)

The Jacks took the first match against the Wolverines with Brady Roark at 125 pounds defeating Bridger Ricks with a 5-1 decision victory. SDSU’s Cale Seaton was defeated in the next round by Utah Valley’s Geronimo Rivera in a 8-3 loss. Utah Valley would win the next two matches, both of which featured ranked matchups. After those two losses, SDSU began to mount a comeback after being down 3-10. At 157 pounds and being ranked No. 18 in the country, Cael Swensen won in a major decision against unranked Mark Takara 13-1. No. 27 Marcus Espinoza-Owens and No. 18 Moses Espinoza-Owens picked up wins following Swensen’s major decision, the two wrestling at 165 pounds and 174 pounds respectively.

WYOMING (24-18)

The Cowboys pulled off an upset win against the Jackrabbits, winning the matchup 24-18. SDSU was able to build up an early lead with Roark winning his duel against Sefton Douglass, putting the Jacks up 3-0. Unranked Seaton went up against No. 28 Luke Willowchell and lost in a 15-0 tech fall that got Wyoming back on top 5-3. Jackrabbit Julian Tagg put SDSU in the lead after his win by pin over John Alden, the Jacks then holding onto a 9-5 advantage. Three consecutive losses set the Jacks back, and SDSU wasn’t able to mount a comeback and lost the game 24-18.

“That one doesn’t sit well with me, just being quite honest with you,” said head coach Damion Hahn on the Wyoming

loss. “I think the big thing with that was there were a couple matches where we knew they had four to five solid guys and they won those matches. We had two upsets and when one of them is a pin, I mean that’s a nine point swing.”

CAL BAPTIST

The Jacks return to First Bank & Trust Arena later this week to host California Baptist University. They are 1-7 this season, their lone win coming over Presbyterian College on Dec. 15. Their best wrestlers are Paul Kelly and Richie Clementi, both of whom have 9-5 dual records this

season. Kelly is 23-13 in his career while Clementi is in his first season with the Lancers.

SDSU is 3-0 against Cal Baptist in their matchups, with the most recent matchup coming last year when the Jackrabbits took a 38-3 win.

Match time is Friday at 6 p.m. and will be streamed on Midco Sports Plus.

#3 IOWA STATE

SDSU heads to Humboldt, Iowa this weekend to face No. 3 Iowa State. The Cyclones are 6-1 on the season, riding a four-match winning streak. Two of those

four wins were over ranked opponents in Stanford.

This will be a tough test for the Jacks, but SDSU has experience against top ranked programs this season. Early in the year, SDSU defeated top ten ranked Minnesota 18-14.

Before the Jacks come to town, Iowa State will host the University of Northern Colorado in Ames on Friday night. Yonger Bastida, Rocky Elam, and MJ Gaitan are undefeated in 13 dual matches this season.

Match time is Sunday at 2 p.m. and will be streamed on FloWrestling.

Bison end Jackrabbit streak

CORDELL VITENSE

Sports Editor

The South Dakota State women’s basketball team split its last two games, winning 90-44 against the Denver Pioneers last Thursday.

Then the team took their first conference loss since the 2021-2022 season when NDSU defeated the Jacks 76-68 on Saturday in Brookings, ending a 67-game win streak in conference play. The Jacks now sit at 4-1 in conference.

DENVER

Thursday, Jan. 15, in the Jackrabbits’ win against Denver, senior Brooklyn Meyer led the game in points with 18. Meyer also added seven boards and four assists.

Senior guard Madison Mathiowetz also had a good performance, putting up 15 points and shooting 3-4 from three.

Junior Maggie Hartwig had an efficient night, scoring 14 points on six field goal attempts. Hartwig also added nine rebounds.

For Denver, it was Coryn Watts leading the team in scoring with 14 points on 5-12 shooting from the floor.

SDSU came out of the gates strong against the Pioneers, jumping to a 6-0 lead. Denver would respond and go on an 8-0 run to take the lead. This would be the team’s only lead of the game as SDSU would go on a 16-0 run to take a 22-8 lead and they ended the first quarter up 22-12.

The second quarter would be more of the same for the Jacks as they would outscore Denver by 11 and take a 41-20 lead into the half.

SDSU would outscore Denver in every quarter and take a 90-40 win.

NDSU

On Saturday against NDSU, Meyer would once again have a big night with 24 points on 9-14 shooting from the field and 6-7 shooting from the line. Meyer also made an impact defensively with five blocks and two steals.

Mathiowetz also had a solid night, scoring 15 points, but she struggled from

the three-point line, going 0-3.

For the Bison, Avery Koenen led the way with 26 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 10-17 from the floor.

Through the first half, it was a tight matchup with the Jacks leading 35-32 at the break. The turning point of the game came in the third quarter when NDSU outscored SDSU 24-10. SDSU would win the fourth quarter by three points, giving NDSU the 76-68 win.

UND

On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the Jackrabbits will travel to Grand Forks to take on the UND Fighting Hawks at seven p.m.

North Dakota currently holds a 4-14 record and a 1-4 record in conference play.

Senior center Walker Demers leads

the team, averaging just over 10 points per game. Demers is the only player who averages double-digit points and is also second on the team, averaging 7.9 rebounds. Demers also has half the team’s total blocks with 21 of her own.

The Hawks’ second leading scorer is graduate student Mackenzie Hughes, who averages 9.4 points. She also leads the team in assists with 3.1 per game. Hughes has been one of two players for the Hawks to start all 18 games this year.

KANSAS CITY

Saturday, Jan. 24, SDSU will be on the road for its second straight game when

they take on the Roos at two p.m.

The Roos have had a decent start to conference play as they sit at 3-3 and have a total record of 6-13.

Kansas City has two main scoring threats, the first of which is junior guard Elauni Bennett, who averages 15.5 points per game while grabbing 7.8 rebounds per game.

Junior guard Emani Bennett is the other part of that duo, averaging 14.5 points while shooting 38% from three.

Following these two road matchups, SDSU will return home to host Omaha on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.

CONFERENCE PLAY IN SWING SDSU handles Roos; faces Tommies

JACOB BRENDE

Sports Editor

Each of SDSU’s last three losses have been responded with a Jackrabbit win, Saturday’s matchup against Kansas City was no different. Following a 65-72 loss

on the road against North Dakota State, the Jacks had a rather one-sided affair against the Roos winning 90-62. With the Jacks about two thirds of the way through their season, 11 games left on the schedule and being fourth in the Summit League standings, these final contests have more importance.

The first half of their Kansas City matchup saw both teams within two possessions of each other, South Dakota State leading Kansas City 36-32 partly due to the Jacks near 60% shooting from the field, albeit with an uninspiring 28.6 shooting percentage from three. In the second half, however, the three ball be-

came a strength, SDSU shot 45.5% from beyond the arc and were able to improve their field goal percentage to 63.6%.

“We thought we were just like this close to really separating from Kansas City and give credit to them, cause they’re a really good team… We knew that we were just a stop or two away, and once we did that then we were able to make some shots down the stretch,” said senior forward Matthew Mors.

Throughout it all, the Roos three point percentage stayed mediocre, that figure hovering around 30% while their field shooting was about 40%. Joe Sayler led the Jacks in points with 22, he made seven field goals with five of them being three balls. Mors himself had a good shooting night. Mors had a 62.5% field efficiency on his 12 point night and he also added three offensive rebounds and five assists.

The Jacks have been dominant against the Roos in Brookings, not only are they 25-7 against them all time, but Kansas City’s last 13 trips to Brookings have ended in losses. As of now the team is .500, but one area that they have been exceptional at is playing at home, they are 7-1 in Brookings this season. SDSU was 13-1 at home last season and 11-3 the season prior.

SDSU won’t be able to rely on that stat this Thursday though, they’ll instead travel east to Minnesota to play St. Thomas at 8 p.m. The Tommies are second in the Summit League with their 15-5 record, being 4-1 in conference play and unbeaten at home. The Tommies are coming off a loss to North Dakota State, snapping their nine game winning streak. They committed 15 turnovers in the loss, the Bison scoring 21 points off of the turnovers.

Nolan Minessale leads St. Thomas in point total with 413, which is approximately 25% of the team’s total points this year. Minessale is second in the Summit

League in points per game with 20.7 a game. Additionally, Minessale has the most assists in the Summit league with 89, 4.5 per game for the Sophomore guard. He’s on the floor about 75% of the game and shoots more than 53% from the field. His three point shooting isn’t exceptional at 29.5%, but there are five other players on the team (with more than six attempts) shooting 35% or better from three to defer too.

Nick Janowski is one of these five players, he has the most three point attempts on the team with 107, and is shooting 35.5% from three on the year. Janowski is second on the team in total points behind Minessale, he has 324 on the year and averages 16.2 points a game. He’s another Tommie in the top five of Summit League scoring with 16.2 points a game.

Three point shooting is something that the team doesn’t do a ton, but is effective when they take the shots. They make about nine a game, hitting them at a .353% margin. Three teams in the Summit League hit them at a better percentage, those being Denver, Omaha and South Dakota from the one spot to the third. The Tommies are exceptional in defending the three pointer, opponents hit about a third of their shots against St. Thomas, which is a number that only Omaha exceeds with .327%.

“They actually kinda uncharacteristically started off the year kinda not shooting the three ball really good but it’s really picked up probably the like last three, four weeks,” said head coach Bryan Peterson. “But they’re passing it very well, they’re taking care of the ball, kinda the things that they’ve always been able to do.”

The Jacks are at the part of the season where they are facing nothing but Summit League foes. Despite there not being a ton of games left in the season, Peterson mentioned that it’s still difficult to judge each team, regardless of record.

“The standings are what they are but you know you’ve got North Dakota State that’s obviously handled business, you know, and really taken care of business both on the road and at home with a 6-0 record but then it took double overtime to beat Oral Roberts who hasn’t got a win yet in league play,” said Peterson.

SDSU will face St. Thomas Thursday at eight p.m. in St. Paul, the game can be watched on the Summit League Network.