January 28, 2026

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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)

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4

6 p.m. — Jackrabbit MBB vs. St. Thomas (YouTube)

FRIDAY, FEB. 6

Afternoon — The Collegian Report (YouTube)

THE COLLEGIAN REPORT RETURNS FOR 2nd SEMESTER

The Collegian Report, SDSU’s studentrun newscast. Our team of student journalists are bringing the news of South Dakota State University and Brookings to our community in a new way.

Episodes are posted on Collegian Media’s YouTube channel after Friday afternoon. Special long-form content will also be available on the Collegian Media YouTube channel throughout the semester.

Collegian Media Staff 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 on SDSUCollegian.com.

Brayden Byers & Emily DeCock

SDSU WRESTLING HOSTS DUALS

The South Dakota State wrestling team is back in First Bank & Trust Arena for duals against two Rocky Mountain foes. Read coverage of the Jackrabbits duals against the Air Force Falcons and Northern Colorado Bears at SDSUCollegian.com.

POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME LOG CORRECTIONS

MONDAY, JAN. 19

• 3:23 p.m. — Sexual Assualt, Hyde Hall

THURSDAY, JAN. 22

• 12:27 a.m. — Liquor/Possesstion/ Consumption, Parking Lot 158 (Big Southeast)

• 5:23 a.m. — Liquor/Possesstion/ Consumption, Mathews Hall

• 9:50 p.m. — Fictitious/False ID, Parking Lot 247 (Hyde Hall)

FRIDAY, JAN. 23

• 8:05 a.m. — Phone Calls/NonThreatening, Administration Building (Morrill Hall)

SATURDAY, JAN. 24

• 1:42 a.m. — DUI, 1200 block of Sixth St.

The name of a keynote speaker named in a story published in the Jan. 21, 2026 issue of The Collegian titled “Students, community celebrate MLK Day,” was spelled incorrectly. The speaker’s name was Angela Lammers.

Errors will be published in the next available print edition in this space. The correction also will be made in the online version of the story.

Clubs present funding needs to Students’ Association

JACOB BRENDE Sports Editor

A new club on campus, which says its focus is providing support for the autistic community, had its constitution approved on Monday. Spectrum Connection, a club whose events are organized by a member of the autism community, aims to create low-pressure, welcoming gatherings that create new interests and foster connections.

Previous events have included a jigsaw puzzle day, music appreciation day, dance-dance revolution night, Dungeons and Dragons and an Origami night. Accommodations are made for those who want less direct social interaction.

The club is an offset of the Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services, according to club President Allie Weber. She says it differs from an organization like Best Buddies, which “creates opportunities … for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” according to their bio on Jacks Club Hub, by being less of a time commitment and more flexible.

“I think this is a great organization that really has a lot of use here on campus,” Finance Chair Dominic Delahoyde said. “(It) could really support those that are in need of that or just need that help with connections and stuff, especially for those that have autism.”

The club hosts an event every two weeks, Weber said, the most recent of which was this Monday.

ANNUAL PRESENTATION

The Helping Everyone Reach Optimal Health (HEROH) club announced their major events for this semester, including a self-defense class and a pickleball night. The club requested $2,500 for this fiscal year. Co-President Jaeda Paul said the growth of the club and the increase in events resulted in greater expenditures than they have had previously. Paul also said the club has increased fundraising intensity.

The American Indian Student Association announced the date for their

next annual Wacipi event. It’s scheduled for March 28 and 29 and it will include, for the first time, an indigenous fashion show. In order to cover fees and security for the next Wacipi event, the club requested $5,000.

Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), also known as Wild Hare Racing, is an organization on campus that “design, build and race a small scale formula race car,” according to club president Riley Gail.

The club participates in competitions against other colleges around the world. Funding this year will go to competition costs, including travel and competition fees. Requested funding includes $2,900 for competition fees, roughly $3,500 for lodging and about $4,000 for travel. Being allocated this money will help the club refrain from using older parts that could impact performance. They are looking to get more sponsorships in order to increase revenue.

The Gender and Sexuality Alliance has reported a slight downturn in attendance at events this year, and is going to decrease the size of some of their upcoming events. Out of all of these events, the drag show is their largest, and the club said they made $1,500 in revenue from tickets to their most recent drag show. Their second largest event, karaoke night, has been canceled due to inclement weather, but GSA is looking to reschedule.

President Sophie Spier gave an update to the General Activity Fund (GAF) survey. Students’ Association (SA) is looking for 2,500 responses with a 75% approval rate. As of Monday, the survey has 1,775 responses with an 86% approval rate.

SA voted to recognize Jan. 27 as the International Day of Remembrance for Victims of the Holocaust. Additionally, senators will vote to recognize and commemorate the month of February as Black History Month next week.

Spectrum Connection club president Allie Weber presents at Monday’s Students’ Association meeting in the Lewis and Clark room of the Student Union on Jan. 27.

Nursing program sees growth

SARA SCHOENFELDER Reporter

The nursing program at SDSU has had an increase in student enrollment, including both the prenursing and professional nursing program.

“We’ve seen a 6% average increase in our professional nursing program over the last four years,” said Marie Lohsandt, director of Nursing Student Services at SDSU.

There are several reasons why there has been an increased number of nursing students, according to Lohsandt. High job security, high demand and appreciation for the profession have all contributed to this increase.

During the 2025 fall semester, there were around 560 prenursing students, according to Dr. Mary Anne Krogh, the Roberta K. Olson Endowed Dean of the College of Nursing at SDSU. This is around 50 more students than the 2024 fall semester.

The continued growth of the nursing program and increased student enrollment fulfills workforce demands, Lohsandt said. Along with the high demand in the workforce, there are many career advancement opportunities in nursing and attractive earning potential.

“I really like to work with people,” sophomore Madalynn Feikema said, when asked about why she chose to pursue nursing.

Fiekema said nurses can make a large impact on patients.

“They’re so calm and helpful,” Feikema said.

This January, Feikema started the professional nursing program at the Brookings main campus location. She is most excited for clinicals and having hands-on experiences, she said.

Feikema noted that one of the reasons she chose SDSU was because of the high NCLEX pass rates and strong reputation of the nursing program. The NCLEX is the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.

of UNIVERSITY MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

SDSU COLLEGE OF NURSING 2024 FACT SHEET

Nursing majors: 619

Prenursing students: 472

Graduate student enrollment: 133

2024 scholarships awarded: Over $532,000

NCLEX pass rate: 95.17%

As of 2024, SDSU’s pass rate was 95.17%, according to sdstate.edu. This compares to the national average of 91.2% for first time United States educated students, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in 2024.

Feikema said she heard several good things about the program’s academic reputation by just “word of mouth.”

Another draw for students is that SDSU has multiple program locations throughout the state, according to Lohsandt. There are locations in Brookings, Rapid City and Sioux Falls, with standard, accelerated and online programs.

This year, the Rapid City site set a record for having the largest class since it opened, Lohsandt said.

“The large amount of our growth has come because of our ability to provide more space for nursing education in Rapid City,” Krogh said. “Until a few years ago, we could enroll about 100 nursing students per year in Rapid City. Now we have the capacity to admit more than 200 students per year.”

Krogh explained that a majority of the growth in the nursing program has come from the SDSU Rapid City professional nursing program expansions. The increase in student numbers requires more resources, and Krogh said the university was awarded a $4 million dollar grant to help with growth, particularly in Rapid City.

The grant was awarded from the Health Resources and Services Adminis-

tration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant is called the Nurse Education Practice Quality and Retention – Workforce Expansion Program, and gives SDSU four years with funding of $1 million per year.

In the past few years, there also have been a few changes in the nursing program, including an accredited simulation center and a new competency-based curriculum.

In Sioux Falls, renovations to a building called the Metro Center is nearing completion. Krogh said because of the generosity of Avera Health, the Sioux Falls location will have “the opportunity to grow,” with the new space.

With these growing programs, there will also be a growth in faculty and staff to support the student enrollment, Lohsandt said.

“We really look at nursing education as a partnership between faculties, students and staff, and trying to help people achieve their dreams,” Krogh said.

Feikema said advisers have been helpful with keeping students organized and making sure they meet all of the necessary requirements. She said the advisers make it “a lot less overwhelming.”

Krogh said the reason why the pre-nursing program is so strong is because of the faculty in other SDSU departments.”

“If students didn’t come with a really strong science and writing and communication background … we wouldn’t be able to have such high-quality graduates in the end,” Krogh said.

Some challenges that occur with the growing nursing program include limited acceptance because of space constraints. Lohsandt said clinical placement is a challenge.

With more students, more personnel and space is necessary. Krogh said the nursing program is always changing, “because if you’re not moving forward, you’re going backwards.”

Criminology major sees growth since launch

BRIELLE JENC

Reporter

South Dakota State University introduced the Criminology major in the fall of 2021. Since its launch, enrollment has grown at an average rate of 25% yearly.

According to SDSU’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, the program began its first year in fall 2021 with 21 students, and has expanded to 151 students as of fall 2025.

Paul Markel, director of the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Rural Studies, says the rapid increase stems from strong student interest and their efforts to make their voices heard.

“I have to give it to the students,” Markel said. “The students are sophisticated, the students are savvy and the students value their education.”

Before criminology was added as a major, students often majored in psychology or sociology and minored in criminal justice. Now they can choose a major that directly aligns with their interests.

Markel also credited the faculty for driving the rapid increase in enrollment.

“It’s the combination of students looking for a meaningful major, met with credible, authentic, experienced faculty members that continues to work together very very favorably,” Markel said.

The criminology program is led by three professors, including national award-winning sociologist Patricia Ahmed, retired FBI special agent Matt Miller and Vaughn Estes, a former Georgia police chief who also worked with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Ahmed has been at South Dakota State University since 2012 and teaches a variety of criminology courses. She said she was excited when the major was added, and that it was something students had been pushing for.

“I was very happy when they approved the major,” Ahmed said. “I was thrilled, and I’m really thrilled about how fast this is growing. I figured that was going to be the case based on how popular the minor was.”

Ahmed explained that the criminal

justice minor at SDSU had been very popular, and many students questioned why there wasn’t a criminology major that allowed them to focus more directly on their fields.

Criminology is a social science that studies crime, criminal behavior, causes behind why people engage in crime, and looks at ways to prevent those offenses, Ahmed said.

Ahmed also described the skills that the criminology major teaches students.

“This particular major lines you up for a lot of different career paths,” she says. “You can get a lot of data analytical skills, critical thinking skills, and soft skills that employers are looking for in a variety of occupations. So I think if they’re looking for a major that’s going to help them get a job or give them skills, this is going to be a very practical major.”

The criminology major is a bachelor’s degree that consists of 45 credits. Six of those credits are in the general education area, while the other 39 are unique to the major itself. Students majoring in criminology are required to pick up a minor or an additional major.

Professional academic adviser Katie Derrick said the majority of students pick up a minor, while around 15% select another major. She says that some common pairings with criminology are psychology, sociology, legal studies or political science.

After completing the required general education credits, major credits and minor credits, students still have 30 credits to choose courses that specifically interest them, Derrick says. She said she thinks this flexibility is a major reason the criminology program continues to grow.

“Students have changed their major to criminology in their junior or senior year and still are able to graduate within a year if needed,” she said.

Derrick also points out the strength of the criminology faculty to prospective and incoming students.

“With all of our faculty, there’s a very strong mentor mindset,” she said. “Professor Estes doesn’t have to be at the

criminology club meetings, but they want him to.”

The Criminology Club was introduced earlier this year. Club president Lillian Lawler says it was Estes’s idea to start the club because his former school in Georgia had a criminology club. Lawler is a junior from Gretna, Nebraska, and is majoring in criminology with minors in psychology and sociology.

When Lawler toured SDSU, she spoke with Matt Miller.

“He explained everything so well and in a way that it all just clicked,” she said.

“Having professors that are open to building relationships with their students is something that is unique that sets us apart from other programs.”

After college, Lawler plans on working within a police force doing a mix of counseling and rehabilitation work.

All students are welcome to join the Criminology Club. If students are interested, they can email SDSUcriminaljusticeclub@jackssdstateonmicrosoft.com.

With enrollment in the criminology major continuing to grow, Markel is working to make improvements to the program.

“Right now we’re working on increasing the potential for elective coursework to continue to make the criminology program cutting edge, keep it interesting and meaningful for the students,” he said.

“We really want to make sure that our students are getting the best options for their coursework that reflect real world application.”

Protest calls attention to Minneapolis unrest

DOWNTOWN VIGIL DRAWS HUNDREDS

Hundreds of people showed up in downtown Brookings on Monday night to attend a candlelight vigil to honor those who lost their lives protesting the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis.

Over 300 people attended the vigil that was organized 24 hours in advance by Brookings Area Indivisible (BAI), a nonpartisan, nonviolent group that says it aims to support pro-democracy efforts.

Attendees assembled in front of the Brookings Post Office with candles and signs. BAI organizers led the group in singing two non religious songs called “Gentle Angry People” and “Hold On,” as well as chanting the names of ICE victims Renee Nicole Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti many times throughout the event. The crowd also chanted phrases like “no peace, no justice,” and “stand ready, be good.”

“At my core, I hate that we have to do this,” said Craig Jorgensen, a co-chair on multiple subcommittees for BAI. “I hate that this is a thing we’re doing. It’s bolstering to know that there are people who care, who have basic empathy … it seems like that’s where we’re at. I really feel like we’re at a point where you either have empathy or you don’t.”

During and after the event, vigil attendees congregated across the street at Cottonwood Coffee, where BAI gave them each an opportunity to sign letters addressed to U.S. Sen. John Thune. Over 280 letters were signed, detailing numerous grievances regarding the Trump administration and what organizers see as Thune’s complacency, asking where Thune will draw his “red line.”

In addition, each letter gave the signer an opportunity to write their thoughts on these issues and state where their “red line” was.

Passersby in vehicles showed their support for the cause by honking and waving to the crowd, to which the crowd reciprocated. Signs delivered a variety of messages, such as “Let’s Love One Another Now!” and “As you do to the least, you do to me,” and “NO ICE” spelled out via

individually lettered signs.

“Civic engagement is one of the biggest ways that anyone can make an impact in their community,” said SDSU freshman political science major Isabelle Weller.

“I think that in our current state of the U.S., there are people who are senselessly throwing away our Constitution and doing unlawful actions, and we need to bring attention to it if we want any reform to happen. No one is safe at the current rate that we are going.”

Brookings Area Indivisible was founded in March 2025 in response to policies passed by the Trump administration, according to co-founder and co-leader Brenda Andersen. The group holds weekly meetings to organize informative events, promote networking resources for immigrants in the U.S. and more.

“It’s really about saving our democracy,” Andersen said. “We’re seeing our rights being taken away. Things like white supremacy are really concerning, and we’re seeing them come back. It’s almost like we’re going backwards.”

MEAT THE COMPETITORS

‘Battle’ lets customers pick area’s best burger

JACKSON HELLAND Reporter

South Dakota State University students who recently returned from the holiday break still have a month to cast their vote for the best burger in the 2026 Brookings Area Burger Clash.

The Burger Clash, now in its sixth year, is a local competition that runs from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28. Restaurants in Brookings and surrounding towns compete to win the title of Best Burger as voted on by customers.

Last year, The Merc in Flandreau won the competition and was awarded the

traveling plaque with its winning entry, “The Berry Big Dill.”

ers can choose entries that fea-

ture a wide variety of toppings and styles, including a sweet and spicy pineapple slice, caramelized apple slices, Tabasco fried onions and the more traditional sautéed mushrooms.

The area of the competition encompasses towns in a 40-mile radius around Brookings, including Arlington, Aurora, Brookings, Bruce, De Smet, Egan, Elkton, Flandreau, Lake Campbell and Volga.

The competition organizer for the Burger Clash is Shane Andersen, a real estate agent with a background in the restaurant industry. Of this year’s menu items, he said: “(It’s) typically stuff you wouldn’t see on a regular menu … each

with a unique idea.”

While there is no set theme each year for the burgers, trends have included anything from avocados to jalapeños, Andersen said.

There are 28 competing restaurants participating in the Burger Clash again this year.

Many would think that it is impossible to try every burger competing in the Clash. However, several people do, including Susan Coats of Brookings.

“I really enjoy getting to explore some of these different restaurants,” Coats said. “It’s been fun to be introduced to some new restaurants.”

She splits them with her husband and friends so she doesn’t get burger overload in the two months of the contest.

Coats said trying all of the burgers in the first years of the competition was much easier, when there were fewer restaurants participating (for example, 10 restaurants competed one year). But things have changed.

“It’s a challenge,” she said. “I make a mission of it.”

As for voting, it works this way: Each restaurant features table tents with a QR code that allows customers to rate different aspects of the experience on a 1-to-5 scale, with 5 being the best. This

year’s categories are taste, creativity and customer service, according to the Visit Brookings website.

in last year’s

Coats has sampled each of the burgers in the Burger Clash since its inception in 2021, and in 2020 when it was just a Facebook group. That includes the 28 burgers competition.

“And then, when the event is over, I’m able to extract all the data, and then we

come up with an average number (and the winner),” Andersen said.

Details such as participating restaurants, descriptions of each burger, and photos can be found on the website https://visitbrookingssd.com/things-to-do/brookings-area-burger-clash/.

Andersen started the Burger Clash to help restaurants during COVID and now during

the post-holiday and winter slowdown.

“Being in the food service industry this time of year is challenging for restaurants … getting over the holidays,” Anderson said. “ So, doing a burger clash hopefully gets more traffic into these restaurants.”

When asked what he sees for the future of the Burger Clash, Andersen said, “I hope it continues. I hope people enjoy it.”

Brookings realtor Shane Andersen started the Burger Clash in an effort to help area restaurants draw in customers during the winter months. This year’s Burger Clash runs until Feb. 28.

The annual Burger Clash runs through Feb. 28 in Brookings and surrounding towns. Here’s a look at the restaurants and burgers in this year’s competition:

1481 GRILL, ARLINGTON

Black Hills Elk Burger

BACKYARD BBQ, BROOKINGS

The Aloha Burger

BLUE JAYS, EGAN

Sweet Heat Hawaiian

BROOKINGS COUNTRY CLUB

The Cast Iron Crown Bleu

BUFFALO WILD WINGS, BROOKINGS

Overtime Stack

CARDINAL TAP, ARLINGTON

Carmel Apple Burger

CC’S BAR & GRILL, VOLGA

Loaded Prime Rib Burger

COTTONWOOD BISTRO, BROOKINGS

The Black Tie Butter Burger

CRAFT CHOPHOUSE & LOUNGE, BROOKINGS

Cuban Fire Burger

DANGER VON DEMPSEY’S, BROOKINGS

The Das Kanonier

THE DEPOT, BROOKINGS

The Spicy Double Play

DOMELLIE’S, BROOKINGS

Chimichurri Steak Burger

HALF PINT STEAKS & SPIRITS, DE SMET

Frontier Fireburger

HY VEE, BROOKINGS

Peanut Butter Bacon Burger

KATTAILS BAR & GRILL, LAKE CAMPBELL

Kickin’ Kranberry Burger

LEMKE’S DOG BAR & GRILL, AURORA

Green Chile Chipotle Burger

LUCKY DOG BAR & GRILL, VOLGA, Green Chile Chipotle Burger

THE MERC, FLANDREAU

The Cowboy

MORTLAND’S BURGERS & MORE, ELKTON

Pickle Lovers Delight

PHEASANT RESTAURANT & LOUNGE, BROOKINGS

The Game Day Burger

PINTS & QUARTS, BROOKINGS

Taco and Cash Burger

PRAIRIE FIRE BAR & GRILL, DE SMET

Green Chili Bacon Jammer

RUB N TUG, BROOKINGS

Bettah with Feta Sausage Burger

STRIKERZ BAR & GRILL, BROOKINGS

Sweet Home Symphony

TABLES STEAKHOUSE, CASTLEWOOD

The B.O.M.B. 2.0

THE END ZONE, BROOKINGS

Street Corn Smash Burger

THE RIDGE, BRUCE

Smoked Carolina Gold Smash

THE VALLEY, VOLGA

Jammin’ Bacon Burger

Money raised for ex-coach’s lawyer fees

Money donated by equestrian community, friends of Kamerra Brown

EMILY DECOCK

Editor-in-Chief

People online are rallying around Kamerra Brown, a former SDSU equestrian coach who was indicted for a felony count of grand theft earlier this month.

A GoFundMe set up for Brown had raised over $5,000 as of Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. when it was taken down for violating GoFundMe’s guidelines. It was started by Leigh Raymer, SDSU’s interim equestrian coach from 2010-2011. The goal was to raise $7,500 to help Brown pay lawyer fees, Raymer said.

The fundraiser for Brown violated Term 8.10 of GoFundMe’s terms, which states that fundraising for “the legal defense of financial and violent crimes, including those related to money laundering” is prohibited.

Raymer emailed Athletic Director Justin Sell and President Barry Dunn last week to express her concerns about the case, she said. Raymer has been encouraging people on social media to email university leadership.

“I’m sure they won’t get a response, but I want this to be in their radar and I want them to look at it closer because I don’t think that this is something that should be a felony,” Raymer said.

“The university does not comment on pending investigations or litigation, nor can we comment on personal matters,” spokesperson for SDSU Mike Lockrem said when reached late Thursday afternoon.

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said Brown was using “taxpayer resources for her personal use,” in a news release on Jan 8. Brown’s next court date is Feb. 23.

“Brown is alleged to have used SDSU resources to pay for her vet bills for her horses and to board her personal horses for about a year,” the press release said. Raymer said it’s “standard” for eques-

trian coaches to bring on horses to be used in their programs.

After the GoFundMe was taken down, the money already donated was refunded. A Facebook post shared by Raymer Monday night said that over $6,000 was still raised after GoFundMe issued refunds to those that donated.

A text message to Collegian Media Tuesday night confirmed that she had met her goal of $7,500.

Raymer asked people on Facebook to Venmo or Zelle her money for Brown’s lawyer fees.

“To have to retain a lawyer for $7,500 is an expenditure that is unfair,” Raymer said.

Raymer was a student athlete on the University of Georgia’s equestrian team from 2000-2004. As a coach, she started Delaware State’s equestrian program in 2006.

When Raymer was SDSU’s interim coach, Brown was a graduate student at SDSU. Raymer recruited Brown to Delaware, where Brown was an assistant coach from 2014 to 2016.

“This is now going to taint any relationship that South Dakota State equestrian has made with their alumni,” Raymer said. “Anyone that is an alumni, since Kamerra Brown has been there from 2010 on, knows her and knows her character. They know what an honest and dedicated horsewoman that she is.”

The description of the GoFundMe read, “While she was head coach, Kamerra allowed the university’s equestrian team to use her personal horses for the program with the understanding that their board and veterinary care would be covered, consistent with how SDSU handles leased horses. This matter has escalated to where Kamerra has been indicted for fraud.”

The case is being investigated and prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office’s Public Integrity Unit.

Jacks split matchups; host next two

JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter

South Dakota State wrestling spilt their last two matches against California Baptist University on Friday and Iowa State University on Sunday as they look ahead to their next two matches at home.

CAL BAPTIST

The Jacks put on a dominant performance at First Bank and Trust Arena against the Lancers, winning in all but one of the weight classes. Four duals were won by a major decision, one dual was won by a fall and another on a tech fall. True freshman Micah Hach won his first dual inside First Bank and Trust Arena in a 5-0 decision. SDSU won the match 36-3.

“Coming off the week before, we had a loss, so the bounce back, right? The resilience of our guys,” Head Coach Damion Hahn said. “I thought [Cal Baptist] put their best team out there on the mat, and we fought, right? We battled, and I thought our guys wrestled well.”

#3 IOWA STATE

The Cyclones took down the Jacks in a

COMING UP

SDSU vs. AIR FORCE

Friday at 7 p.m. at First Bank & Trust Arena (Midco Sports Plus)

SDSU vs. NORTHERN COLORADO

Sunday 7 p.m. at First Bank & Trust Arena (Midco Sports Plus)

neutral-site dual in Humboldt, Iowa. Julian Tagg, at 141 pounds, gave SDSU their first bout win of the match on a 14-3 major decision over Carter Pearson. Then Jackrabbit Cael Swensen, at 157 pounds, defeated Kane Naaktgeboren by a 3-0 decision. The Cyclones held firm the rest of the match, defeating the Jacks 29-7.

“We knew the team that [Iowa State] had,” Hahn said.

The Cyclones added two transfers to their roster this season, alongside having seven All-Americans entering the season.

SDSU moves to 10-3 on the year and are 3-2 in conference matches.

AIR FORCE

The Jacks return to Brookings for the next two matches as they host the United States Air Force Academy on Friday. The Falcons are 4-3 this season, but they have lost their first two conference matches and are coming off a 38-4 loss against No. 15 Oklahoma.

Freshman John Jurkovic leads the Falcons in overall win percentage at .833. He has won on four decisions, two major decisions, three falls, and a tech fall. His fastest fall clocked in at 40 seconds.

Senior Tucker Owens leads in total wins with an 11-3 overall record. He has also won his last five duals, racking up a team-high 22 points. He has won on five decisions, one major decision, two tech falls and three falls.

Match time is Friday night at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on Midco Sports Plus.

NORTHERN COLORADO

Sunday afternoon will see the Jacks host the University of Northern Colorado. The Bears are 2-6 this season and 1-2 in conference play, coming off a 42-0 shutout loss against Missouri. They will wrestle North Dakota State in Fargo this Friday before traveling to SDSU.

In their last win against Cal Baptist on Dec. 30, 2025, they defeated the Lancers 18-16. The Bears took an early 6-0 lead off two decisions for Murphy Menke and Mahonri Rushton. The Lancers took the next two to take the lead, followed by the Bears taking the next two. Kilian Schultz at 165 pounds was the game-winning dual, taking the decision and giving Northern Colorado a win in their conference opener.

Match time is Sunday at 2 p.m. and will be streamed on Midco Sports Plus.

Setting a record pace Cody Larson breaks school record in 3,000 meter

NATHAN THOMPSON

Sports Reporter

The Jackrabbits used the Jim Emmerich Alumni meet on Saturday to set the tone for the rest of the indoor track and field season.

Four teams, South Dakota State, the University of South Dakota, North Dakota State and St. Thomas competed at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.

The Jackrabbit men’s and women’s teams each claimed second place behind USD. Despite not winning first place, the meet highlighted names to keep an eye on as the season progresses.

Head coach Rod DeHaven said he would like to see the men win the conference championship for the second year in a row and have the women ranked among the top three teams.

However, both sides will face stiff competition for a championship.

“NDSU and USD have been the other top teams in the league, and UND’s women emerged a year ago with … second place indoors,” DeHaven said.

Associate Coach David St. John said, “NDSU seems to be our biggest threat to winning a conference title.”

There were a variety of standout performances at the meet. The women’s team boasted senior Sian O’Sullivan in second place in the 60-meter dash and sixth in the 200-meter run. The 200, in which the first six places were within 0.62 seconds of each other, also featured sophomore Ellie Harris in first, junior Maggie Madsen in second, and freshman Chloe Raw in fourth.

In the field events, junior Hadley Carlson and senior Taylor Jochum both jumped 5 feet, 5 inches in the high jump for third- and fourth-place finishes.

Junior Josie Curry is now ranked 75th in D1 competition with a throw of over 61

meters, and Brandon Kampsen running 1:51.02 in the 800.

The meet highlight for the Jackrabbits running was senior Cody Larson’s 3,000-meter run. Clocking in at 8:03.10, he is now ranked 63rd in D1 and is the fastest Jackrabbit ever in the event.

“Cody Larson is an obvious mustwatch after the cross-country season,” St. John said.

Junior Rylan McDonnell and freshman Kincade Lehman were second and third in the high jump, and Ty Nelson won the triple jump with a distance of 49 feet.

“Ty Nelson is a must-watch as I feel he will be a conference champion in the triple jump,” St. John said.

While SDSU’s teams have been sizing up their conference competition, the Jackrabbits’ main goal is just to get better.

“There are no perceived threats,” assistant coach Tyler Lippert said. “We will focus on what we can control as a group and our individual performances.”

Associate Head Coach Eric Hanenberger shared a similar sentiment.

“We work on consistency, both inside and outside of practice … the final results will take care of themselves,” Hanenberger said.

TRACK SCHEDULE

UND OPEN: Jan. 31

ISU CLASSIC: Feb. 6

FRANK SEVIGNE HUSKER INVITATIONAL: Feb. 6-7

feet in the weight throw. In this event, she ranks fourth in SDSU history.

The men’s team featured junior Carter Toew’s second-place finish in the 60

SDSU INDOOR CLASIC: Feb 13-14

JACKS FALL TO UNDER .500

JACOB BRENDE Sports Editor

Jackrabbit basketball lost 69-74 to St. Thomas last Thursday Jan. 22 and are under .500 on the season. They have alternated between wins and losses the past seven games in a row.

Nolan Minessale is usually the star of the show when it comes to Tommies basketball, but this time around it was Nick Jankowski and Carter Bjerke, who had a career night against the Jacks.

For Jankowski scoring is nothing unusual, he is fourth in the Summit League in scoring. Bjerke on the other hand was scoring in stride with Jankowski, tying him with a St. Thomas high 21 points.

The game’s leading scorer was SDSU’s Joe Sayler, who dropped 24 on the night with good efficiency, shooting 10-15 from the field and going 3-6 from three. He is 13th in the Summit League in scoring average with him averaging 13.4 points a game.

SDSU went down early in the game, St. Thomas built an early 8-4 advantage. The Jacks would take the lead back thanks to eight consecutive points by Joe Sayler, a layup and two threes.

After building up a 19-10 lead it came crumbling down, the Tommies responded with a 12-point-run to take a three point lead.

Both teams traded scoring streaks of their own before the first half ended with SDSU down 32-33.

After shooting 20% from three in the first half, SDSU responded by going 5-12 from beyond the arc.

Despite that and improving from 25% to 80% from the free throw line, SDSU wasn’t able to hang on to a lead and dropped their 11th game of the year.

One potential factor behind the loss was the previously mentioned free throw line, SDSU shot about 46% while St. Thomas went 75% with much greater volume. St. Thomas got 24 shots at the line compared to SDSU’s 13.

The game marked St. Thomas’ 28th home victory in a row and the Tommies

SDSU’s Joe Sayler dribbles the ball past St. Thomas’ Nick Janowski in a basketball game in Omaha, Neb. on Jan. 22, 2026. Sayler had a game high 24 points on 10-15 shooting, going 3-6 from three.

are holding onto the second place spot in Summit League standings. SDSU is in 4th with a 3-3 conference record as opposed to St. Thomas’ 6-1 conference record.

“The second half you know it was kind of a game of runs throughout the entirety of the game,” said Head Coach Bryan Peterson. “But in the second half, you know we didn’t do a good enough job protecting the paint, keeping them off the foul line and that’s where they kind of really got us.”

St. Thomas scored 32 points in the paint, SDSU got 38.

OMAHA

SDSU will get a chance to improve that record against in-conference opponent Omaha. The Mavericks are one spot behind SDSU and are 3-4 in the Summit League.

SDSU traveling to Omaha might not be all that bad of a situation, Omaha is 1-3 at home so far against conference opponents, losing against Kansas City,

North Dakota State and South Dakota. Tony Osburn is the Mavericks leading scorer and is ninth in the conference in total scoring. He averages 14.2 points a game and is shooting 44.4% from the field, the highest percentage in his career. His three-ball has fallen off a bit since last year, he previously shot 39.2% from three, he now shoots 37.7%.

SDSU’s matchup against Omaha will be played in Omaha, Neb. at 7 p.m. Wednesday and can be watched on the Summit League Network.

Jackrabbits win two after NDSU loss JACKS BOUNCE BACK

CORDELL VITENSE

Sports Editor

Since the loss to North Dakota State last weekend, the SDSU women’s basketball team is now 6-1 in conference play after wins over UND and Kansas City. The team’s record currently sits at 16-5.

UND

On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the Jackrab-

bits traveled to Grand Forks to face the Fighting Hawks and the Jacks handled business, getting a 99-47 win.

Senior forward Brooklyn Meyer had a big game against the Hawks, scoring 31 points in just 27 minutes. Meyer was very efficient on her way to 31, shooting 11-17 from the floor and 9-10 from the freethrow line. The senior also grabbed 12 boards and had two blocks.

Senior guard Madison Mathiowetz

Hughes with 18 points. Hughes shot 5-13 from the field, 3-8 from three and 5-6 from the line. Hughes was the only UND player to score double digits in Wednesday’s game.

Hughes got the scoring going early, hitting a three-pointer to open the scoring. With the game tied at 6-6, a 5-0 scoring run from Mathiowetz gave SDSU the lead. SDSU held a 13-10 lead late in the first and a 6-0 scoring run by the Jacks would close out the quarter and the Jackrabbits would take a 19-10 lead into the second quarter.

The Jackrabbits wouldn’t relinquish the lead after trailing 6-4 in the first quarter. SDSU won the second quarter by 19, the third quarter by 15 and the fourth quarter by 9.

KANSAS CITY

The Jacks went on the road for the second straight game on Saturday, Jan. 24. SDSU grabbed a 76-63 win over the Roos. Meyer was once again the leading scorer for the Jackrabbits with 25 points. Meyer shot 11-20 and 3-3 from the line. The senior forward also had eight rebounds and four assists.

Mathiowetz had 18 points, shooting 7-12 from the floor and 2-5 from three. Mathiowetz led the team with seven assists while also grabbing four rebounds.

Junior guard Emani Bennett was the Roos’ biggest scoring threat against the Jacks with 21 points on 8-17 shooting, including 2-4 from behind the arc. Bennett nearly led the team with five rebounds.

Kansas City guard Tierra Trotter was the only other Roo to score in double figures with 11 points. Trotter also recorded seven assists, three rebounds and two steals.

scored 17 with five rebounds and four steals. Mathiowetz struggled from deep, shooting just 1-3, but inside the arc, she made up for it, shooting 6-8 on two-point field goals.

Sophomore guard Emilee Fox was the third and final Jackrabbit to crack double digits with 11 points on 3-3 shooting from deep.

The leading scorer for the Hawks was graduate student guard Mackenzie

Graduate student guard Jamyah Winter struggled shooting, going 3-11 on the night, all from deep. Winter ended with nine points in 35 minutes.

The first quarter of the game was tight all the way through, with the game tied with just over a minute left in the quarter before a Brooklynn Felchie layup gave the Jacks a 26-24 lead entering the second.

Starting the second, SDSU went on a quick 6-0 run to expand their lead. The Roos wouldn’t go away, though, and at half the Jackrabbits held a 42-36 lead.

The two teams exchanged blows in the third quarter, with the first punch being landed by the Roos when they went on a 14-4 run to open the quarter, taking a 50-46 lead. SDSU wouldn’t go quietly as they responded with a 12-0 run to take back the lead at 58-50. The quarter ended with SDSU up 61-53.

The Jacks held the Roos at arm’s length the rest of the game and walked out of Kansas City with a 76-63 win.

OMAHA

For the first time this season, the Jackrabbits will face an opponent for the second time when they host the Omaha Mavericks on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m.

The Mavericks have struggled to start the season. Omaha is 2-20 overall and 0-7 in conference play. They will look to get on track and get their first win of conference play and first win on the road when they visit Brookings.

When the Jacks visited Omaha to face the Mavericks on Jan. 3, SDSU came out with a 65-36 win.

Even in the loss, Omaha did something a lot of teams have struggled with - kept Meyer in check, holding her to 10 points on 5-10 shooting.

They couldn’t keep Maggie Hartwig off the glass, though, as the third-year forward had 16 boards and 12 points.

One player to watch for in the upcoming game is graduate student guard Sarai Estupiñan, who leads the team in total scoring with just under 13 points per game. Estupiñan currently has a season high of 35. She also leads the team in assists, averaging just over 3.5 assists.

Freshman forward Avril Smith could also be a factor on Wednesday, as she is averaging over 11 rebounds a game while being an impactful defender. Smith averages over two blocks and one steal per game, which leads the team in both stats.

USD

After returning home to face Omaha, SDSU will be back on the road to travel to Vermillion to face the Coyotes on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1 p.m.

The Coyotes currently sit at third in the Summit League standings with a 5-2 conference record, only behind NDSU and SDSU.

FINN HOLSING/ COLLEGIAN MEDIA

Brooklyn Meyer celebrates a basket against Denver on Jan. 15. SDSU defeated Denver 90-44 and Meyer had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the game.

SDSU currently holds a seven-game winning streak against USD, with the Coyotes’ last win coming on Mar. 8, 2022, when USD won 56-45.

Senior guard Angelina Robles leads the way in scoring for USD, averaging 14.2 points. Robles also leads the team in assists, averaging just over three per game.

Junior guard Molly Joyce is second in scoring, averaging 11.7 points on 40.4% shooting from the field.

“It’s an important week for us to con-

tinue to try and play well and keep some momentum going,” head coach Aaron Johnston said. “I like where the team is at. We’re healthy, we’re in a good place and everybody seems to be playing really well right now.”

After the two matchups this week, SDSU will face St. Thomas on the road on Wednesday, Feb. 4.

6-1

0-7

SDSU will host the Omaha Mavericks Wednesday Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.

MATCHUP HISTORY

SDSU currently holds a 12 game win streak over the Mavericks and the Jackrabbits have won all but four matchups since 2000. SDSU holds the advantage in overall record with a 57-34 advantage.

6-1 5-2

SDSU will travel to Vermillion to face the USD Coyotes Saturday Jan. 31 at 1 p.m.

MATCHUP HISTORY

SDSU has won the last seven games against the Coyotes. SDSU holds the current advantage with a 59-36 record agianst USD.

JACKRABBITS THIS WEEK NEXT UP

After the two matchups this week the Jackrabbits will travel to Minnesota to take on the 3-4 St. Thomas Tommies on Wednesday Feb. 4.