March 20, 2024

Brookings Downtown bars prepare for annual Pub Crawl

TATE PETERSON

Reporter

The Brookings Pub Crawl returns this Saturday and many downtown bars are preparing for the event.

Kirsten Gjesdal, executive director of Downtown Brookings, said the annual event historically lands around the St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

“After SDSU shifted their academic calendar, the last few years of Pub Crawl have landed on the Saturday after students return from spring break,” Gjesdal said.

Gus Theodosopoulos, the owner of Cubby’s Sports Bar and Grill and Cubby’s general manager Jeremy Deutsch, have seen Pub Crawl change a lot through the years since the restaurant’s opening in 2000.

“Pub Crawl used to be an organized event through the beer companies,” Theodosopoulos said. “Teams would sign up at different bars and do a Pub Crawl. You would spend half an hour at a bar, a whistle would blow and you would move on.”

“In years past, you would buy T-shirts and mugs from the beer companies,” Theodosopoulos added. “You would carry it around with you from bar to bar. Until you reached your ‘home’ bar.”

“Nowadays it’s more of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration and is more of one big party instead of an organized event,” said Deutsch.

The 9 Bar & Nightclub next door to Cubby’s is opening at noon for Pub Crawl and is excited to host the all-day celebration. “

It’s a great day for the employees, and it’s fun to watch the students come out and party all day long… It’s like a Hobo Day in the spring,” Dominic Peters, The 9 Bar & Nightclub’s general manager said.

“We’re really excited to throw a party for everyone, that’s kinda just what we do, it’s a day we look forward to,” Peters

said. “Being able to help people celebrate is where we find our joy as bartenders and bouncers.”

The 9 Bar will feature two rotating DJs throughout the day, along with St. Patrick’s Day-themed green beers. Additionally, there will be discounted deals on Irish-based shots and liquors. They also have limited-edition Pub Crawl shirts that are available for $20.

The Wild Hare also is participating in the celebration, hosting their own Beer Olympics, along with deals on green beers and Irish-themed drinks.

The Beer Olympics registration begins at noon on the outside patio, with the games starting at 1 p.m.

The Wild Hare & Bank Saloon bar managers Max “Bubba” Reinke, Colten Allen, and Dalton Heintz look forward to the event each year.

“I like seeing a lot of people that I don’t get to see all the time,” Reinke said. “The day brings out more than just the regular squads I’m used to seeing. I also enjoy the whole day aspect, it’s busy all day.”

The Wild Hare opens at 9 a.m. on Pub Crawl and will have a food truck sta-

tioned out front throughout the day. The Hare also has a large patio for outdoor seating and games.

“The Hare has an atmosphere that combines a bunch of different bars,” Allen said. “You can sit down during the day and relax, and at night we offer more of a nightclub experience. You can really get a little bit of everything from The Wild Hare.”

This year will also be the first Pub Crawl for the newly opened Bank Saloon.

“The Bank opened last year just in time for Hobo Day and business has been good ever since,” Reinke said.

“(At The Bank) we’re sticking with what we do well, interesting cocktails and drinks you can’t get at every other bar,” Allen said. “It doesn’t have the space of the Hare, but it will still be crowded and busy throughout the day.”

“The day will be very busy at every bar, and it’s important to tip your bartenders, be respectful at every bar, and most importantly have fun,” Heintz said.

Ray’s Corner, a historic bar in Downtown Brookings, also will be celebrating

the event with their own special festivities. Lisa Steenson, the bar manager at Ray’s has seen 34 Pub Crawls since the time of the event’s origin.

“When it started, it was each bar had a team, and I thought that was a lot more fun,” Steenson said. “When the whistle would blow, and the team would leave, you had this short time to clean everything before the next team came in. It was fun to watch people.”

“Every year we put down woodchips, and people love that feeling because we’re an ag community, they’re also fun, easier to clean up,” Steenson said. “When they’re freshly put down, people will come in and have contests of how far they can slide across the floor and that’s always funny to watch.”

“I love the energy on that day, and everybody wants to have a good time… Ray’s has its own feel, it’s a ‘be nice or leave kinda thing’,” Steenson said. “It’s a great day for business, a great day for people to have fun, and the energy with the staff is awesome as well… people just love a good reason to celebrate, we probably all got a little Irish in us.”

“Please have fun and make memories but do it without damaging property. All of Downtown Brookings would appreciate it,” Gjesdal said.

Collegian photo by Tate Peterson

The annual pub crawl historically takes places around the St. Patrick Weekend. Kirsten Gjesdal, executive director of Downtown Brookings, requested the Brookings community to have fun and make memories without damaging property.

Illustration by Megan Ives

South Dakota ranks high for sexually transmitted infections

Student health center wants more education to prevent the STIs on campus

GRETA GOEDE Editor-In-Chief

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have reached a total of more than 2.5 million reported cases, according to data from the Center of Disease Control and this epidemic is affecting college campuses around the country.

One in four college students have an STI and although SDSU may not be as high in cases as other colleges, April Schneider a nurse practitioner at the student health clinic said there needs to be more education on campus about STIs.

“Honestly, it’s enough where I would say, yes, we need the education piece,” Schneider said.

People ages 15 to 24 account for almost half of the STI cases in the country and are highest among women ages 20 to 24, according to data from the CDC.

The most common STI seen on the SDSU campus and on campuses nationwide is chlamydia. Brookings County had 178 reported cases of chlamydia in 2021, according to data from the South Dakota Deparment of Health.

South Dakota is number one in the country for syphilis cases per 100,000 people, number two for Gonorrhea, number four for chlamydia and number three for overall rates. These high number come from bigger counties like Minnehaha and Pennington, but Schneider said this still has an impact on Brookings.

“We don’t have students that are just from Brookings here,” Schneider said. “Your partner might not be from here. So, the statistics that I’m looking at, are going to be skewed because your partner might come from a higher

risk area, or a lower risk area.”

The student health clinic offers screenings for STI’s and Schneider encourages any student who is sexually active to be screened at least once a year or even every six months especially since some people will have no symptoms for these infections.

“It’s kind of down to the student or to the patient to take that responsibility to take that step and go forward with the screening piece…. We talk about the different symptoms that can come with different types of STDs,” Schneider said. “And sometimes we don’t get any symptoms at all. So that’s why it’s important to do a routine screening.”

Schneider warns students that these infections can be spread through more than just sex but only skin to skin contact.

“Some people will think that because they’re not having vaginal intercourse, that they can’t get an STD, but they can. We’ve seen patients with chlamydia in the throat,” Schneider said. “Herpes happens with skin to skin contact, and those are little vesicles, or little tiny blisters that can happen in the genital area. And that skin isn’t covered by a condom. And so that’s a risk.”

Although abstinence is the only way to ensure students don’t contract an STI, sexually active students can also help prevent the spread and contraction of these infections by getting screenings done and wearing condoms, according to Schneider.

The student health clinic is located in the Miller Wellness Center and is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and offer other services to students like pregnancy screenings, birth control and annual exams.

‘Dune: Part two’: A slowburn and full of character(s)

LOGAN OLSEN Reporter

When one’s destiny is to rule their people, one won’t quit until it has been achieved.

at’s what Paul Atreides, played by Timothee Chalamet, must decide in this two part epic that is still unfolding with another part of the soon to be trilogy on its way.

My background on the DUNE franchise is lacking because I only got into it with the newest adaptation from 2021. e franchise began with a series of books, eventually leading to the 1984 movie adaptation from David Lynch and then to “Children of Dune,” a TV mini series starring James McAvoy from 2003.

Picking up immediately from the 2021 lm, the suspense heightens quickly and does not hold anything back. With the camera mainly focusing on far and wide shots in the dense and humid environment of the dunes, rushes of adrenaline will hit you hard as you watch the sequences unfold in the opening scenes. e director, Denis Villeneuve, stepped up his game from the rst lm to truly capture the movement and living qualities of the characters in the desert.

e lm doesn’t waste your time by reintroducing everything but rather respects the audience’s intelligence. is is basically their version of “ e Empire Strikes Back” within the soon to be trilogy.

e main aspect that stood out to me throughout the lm was character growth. Most characters go through change or experience changes around them, further enhancing their capabilities and raising the bar for how far they’ve gone to reach their goals. e character that I thought experienced the most changes was Paul Atreides.

Paul slowly made his way up the ladder, from doubting himself for following in his father’s footsteps, to coming to his own terms and realizing his true potential. By breaking away from his original idea of being his father’s predecessor, Paul now realizes that he can do so much more. Paul’s growth from the rst lm to this one was immense and important. Once a self-judging and insecure person to someone who

has everyone looking up to him, not just as a leader but a savior, which is noteworthy in and of itself. With every good leader or religious gure there is always one downside or trait that follows them, and for Paul, it’s his desperate hunger for power. e further he goes on the path he’s following, for everything good he’s committing to, he slowly loses himself in a power hungry struggle.

Florence Pugh’s performance in the lm, although quite small, is all encompassing, as it should be since she is the daughter of the emperor a er all. Pugh gives o a strong sense of empowerment that I think the emperor, played by Christopher Walken, didn’t quite have on screen. Having a high status on her shoulders, she also carried the slightest hint of worry, never knowing what could happen between her father and her people. She also brings a lot of emotional weight when it comes to her facial expressions as she’s able to say so much without speaking. From her surprised nature to the short but sweet smiles, it all makes for a more dramatic

but beautiful look to the lm.

Austin Butler’s performance in the lm is also quite interesting. Not only is he another new addition to the already large list of characters, but he brings a vibe like no other. When we rst meet his character, the color grading changes from vibrant and bright to a black and white scheme, giving o a sinister look to his character and many others. I previously mentioned facial expressions and how Pugh did an excellent job yet it is Butler, however, who takes it above and beyond my expectations. e way he brought some of his sinister expressions had the same e ect as Azog did from “ e Hobbit” trilogy, especially when he was a fully CG rendered character. I personally think he outperformed Dave Bautista and Stellan Skarsgard, who were in the same boat as him, playing another role as members of the family.

Chalamet’s performance in this lm is a far step ahead from where he was originally in the rst lm, showing what he is capable of as an actor. is is most evident

towards the later acts of the lm.

Chalamet brings a lot of charm to the role as Paul, allowing the audience to connect with him as he taps into a leadership role which the audience may be able to relate to. He takes the emotional status that Paul has from the rst lm to a whole new level in this second lm. Having previously had more of a laid back focus to his character, even though he’s the heart of both lms, he pushed the limits this time as he breaks that barrier and becomes the leader he was meant to be.

At the end of the day, DUNE: PART TWO is a phenomenal piece of cinema that we don’t get all that o en. To see this lm on the big screen, even if it’s not on IMAX, is still a beauty of a lm to look at, thanks to Greig Fraser, the cinematographer. Would I recommend this lm to the general audience? No, as it is a slow burner, mainly focusing on heavy character development, but when it comes to pure lm lovers, this shouldn’t be overlooked.

Photo by @dunemovie ON INSTAGRAM

Despite delays, “Dune: Part 2” released March 1 this year. It’s been very well recieved by critics and audiences getting a 92% critic score and 95% audience score on rotten tomatoes, as well as a 8.9 on IMDB, at time of writing.

South Dakota State University’s staff and faculty learn about the neurodivergent community in the classroom

CAMILLE BUUS Reporter

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to grow in the classroom and is driving educators to work to better understand the autistic community and provide a more inclusive environment.

The Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services, which operates out of South Dakota State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility, recently provided funding for one-on-one coaching, scholarships, faculty and staff workshops to raise autism awareness on campus.

SDSU partnered with Landmark College Institute for Research and Training to provide professional development opportunities.

“As instructors, we need to adapt and change our pedagogical practices so that all students feel accepted and respected and are provided with the necessary tools needed to enhance their learning,” Mary Bowne said, a professor of early childhood education.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that one in 44 children were diagnosed with autism in 2022. In 2023, one in 36 children are diagnosed with autism.

That means people with autism are more likely to interact with students, faculty and staff on college campuses.

According to the asynchronous videos provided by Emily Helft, assistant director of Landmark College Institute of Research and Training, faculty and staff need to understand and accept students with different identities such as autism.

“There are a lot of students that identify as autistic and I think that the number within the student population is just going to keep increasing because of the numbers we are seeing in the K-12 areas,” said Shelly Bayer, director of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility. “So, it’s important to acknowledge that increase and prepare ourselves with more tools, understanding and empathy.”

People with autism spectrum disorder experience sensory differences. According to Bowne, some students may hyper-fixate on an event, special interest or person. Most children diagnosed with autism know an immense amount of information on one topic.

“Every individual will be uniquely different regarding their needs, wants and interests, behaviors and other signs,” Bowne said.

For example, Bowne describes her experience working with two children diagnosed with autism. One of the children was obsessed with discussing his knowledge about superheroes. The other child could explain anything you wanted to know about a president.

Children with ASD may struggle with making eye contact when having conversations. One child would look at the person’s forehead. The other child stared at the fl oor when having a

conversation.

According to Bowne, faculty should pay attention to the actions of students on the spectrum and how to adapt, whether that means changing their tone of voice or paying attention to the classroom environment like lighting, schedules, labels posted around the classroom and designated seating arrangements.

“As faculty, we have the privilege of helping students navigate around obstacles to find success, but that requires us to grow in our awareness and understanding,” said Laura Ackerwold, instructor in the School of Education, Counseling and Human Development.

The Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services provides funding for scholarships, faculty and staff workshops, and one-on-one coaching with Reagan Elrod, who is a graduate student working for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility. This coaching is interactive

training for students and helps develop skills and strategies to enhance social skills.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility said the turnout for the staff and faculty workshops was successful. Their asynchronous training included two videos. One geared toward people with little knowledge about the autism community, called Intro to Autism, had 98 registered. The second asynchronous video was for staff and faculty who had some knowledge about the autistic community, called Autism on Campus, with 80 registered.

Their on-campus training, earlier this month, consisted of two sessions. The morning session, Strategies for Supporting Autistic Students in the Classroom, had 24 faculty members attend. The afternoon session, Strategies for Supporting Autistic Students on the Modern College Campus, had a turnout of 32 staff members.

“Those who prioritized or took the time out of their days to watch those videos or to attend in person and participate, they’re going to have some good takeaways,” Bayer said.

Faculty said they hope to see more opportunities for the students. They have ensured their courses incorporate learning about the autistic community and adjust their learning material to teach students how to accommodate their future students in the classroom.

One conference that is provided for students is called Michael’s Journey. In the program, a married couple speaks about their child’s challenges with autism spectrum disorder. This conference instills the importance of developing knowledge of autism and creating an inclusive and accepting environment. This conference had 80 to 120 students in attendance.

According to Bayer, future workshops will be provided once every semester and focus on disability services, accessibility or neurodivergent learners.

Submitted Photo

The Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services partnered with Landmark College Institute for Research and Training to provide professional development opportunities.

SAM MOSER

Repoter

Thirteen students from the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences are “eager to impact and connect” as they assume their new role as CAFES ambassadors.

The CAFES ambassador team is primarily responsible for visiting high schools in the surrounding states and helping to recruit prospective students.

They also will assist with events on campus such as Junior and Senior Day. Ambassadors will typically serve in this position until they graduate.

This year there were 23 applicants to fill the roles of nine graduating seniors and to expand the team.

The newly selected ambassadors are Chiara Thompson, Rachel Teunissen, Emily Robbins, Megan Sanders, Braylee Wolff, Karissa Brunner, Keegan Lorang, Kyle Hamilton, Dustin Kolb, Brandon Gengler, Tanner Mathiowetz, Madison Melcher and Lexi Gloege.

Chiara Thompson is a sophomore from Forest City, Iowa. She is an animal science major with minors in animal health, chemistry, and ranch management. Thompson wanted to become a CAFES ambassador to deepen her understanding of campus, make meaningful connections and enhance her leadership and communication skills.

“As a CAFES ambassador, I’m eager to impact and connect with advisors and future students,” Thompson said. “I aim to be approachable, share my experiences, provide program information, and foster a positive atmosphere.”

Rachel Teunissen, a sophomore from Alvord, Iowa, is majoring in agricultural communications. Teunissen wanted to become a CAFES ambassador because she wanted to be one of the people for prospective students and give them confidence when entering their next step after high school. Teunissen is most excited to, “share the excitement and promote all the opportunities that SDSU and CAFES have to offer potential students.”

Thirteen sudents to assume new role as CAFES ambassadors

Emily Robbins is from Elkton, South Dakota. Robbins is majoring in agricultural business with minors in agribusiness marketing and accounting. Robbins wanted to become a CAFES ambassador because she wanted to share her knowledge of agriculture and SDSU with future students and strives to demonstrate the roles we can all play within the agriculture industry.

“As a CAFES Ambassador, I am most excited to get to connect with current students on campus and potential SDSU students,” Robbins said.

Megan Sanders, a sophomore from Oral, South Dakota, is majoring in agricultural business with minors in animal science, agribusiness marketing, land evaluation, and rural real estate.

“I wanted to become a CAFES Ambassador to promote the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences to high school students along with the extensive list of opportunities that fall within CAFES,” Sanders said. Sanders is most excited to network with high school students and match their interests and goals with the education and opportunities CAFES has to offer.

Braylee Wolff is a sophomore from Westfield, Wisconsin. She is majoring in animal science and agricultural science with minors in agronomy, agricultural business, and agribusiness marketing. Wolff wanted to become a CAFES ambassador to express her love and passion for the college to potential students.

“I am most excited to go on classroom visits and tell students about all of the great opportunities South Dakota State University has to offer from extracurriculars like swine club, Little International, and intramural sports to all of the different pathways you can take academically and career-wise,” Wolff said.

Karissa Brunner, a sophomore from Menomonie, Wisconsin, is majoring in ecology and environmental science with a minor in political science along with geographic information sciences and agricultural/environmental law certificates. Brunner wanted to become a CAFES ambassador because she believes it is the

best avenue for her to spread the word about all that CAFES has to offer. As one of the few ambassadors from the Natural Resource Management department, Brunner is excited to share her knowledge and experience with prospective students.

“I think we have a wonderful university and community, so being able to share my experiences with these students and possibly influence their decision and subsequently, their future is such an amazing opportunity,” Brunner said.

Keegan Lorang, a freshman from Morton, Minnesota, is majoring in agricultural systems technology with minors in agricultural business and precision agriculture. Lorang wanted to become a CAFES ambassador because he is passionate about advocating for SDSU and specifically the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences.

“I am excited to have a role here at SDSU that allows me to tell others about how great SDSU is,” Lorang said.

Kyle Hamilton is a sophomore from Hitchcock, South Dakota. Hamilton is majoring in agricultural science with minors in precision agriculture and agricultural business. Hamilton wanted to become a CAFES ambassador because he thought it was an excellent opportunity to get more involved on campus, network with others, grow as a leader, and a speaker, and meet other students interested in agriculture and SDSU.

“Agriculture is what connects all of us in CAFES and [being an ambassador] is a great way to continue to grow and learn more,” Hamilton said.

Dustin Kolb is a freshman from Belle Fourche, South Dakota. Kolb is majoring in agricultural education and agricultural science. Kolb wanted to become a CAFES ambassador to become more involved at SDSU and help prospective high school students decide if SDSU is the right fit for them.

“I am excited to visit schools in the surrounding states and share the opportunities SDSU has to offer,” Kolb said.

Brandon Gengler is a freshman from Le Mars, Iowa. He is majoring in agri-

cultural systems technology with minors in agricultural business and precision agriculture.

“I wanted to become a CAFES ambassador because the reason I came to SDSU was because of a CAFES ambassador,” Gangler said. “I would like to help other kids get to know what CAFES is and to help them get a better understanding of SDSU as a whole.” Gangler is excited to share with students all of the opportunities SDSU and CAFES have to offer for those who enjoy agriculture.

Tanner Mathiowetz is a sophomore from Morgan, Minnesota. Mathiowetz is majoring in agricultural business with minors in land evaluation and rural real estate. Mathiowetz wanted to become a CAFES ambassador to advocate for the college and try to recruit new students.

“I’m excited to share my knowledge and inspire young students to join our great college and watch them develop professionally,” Mathiowetz said.

Madison Melcher is a sophomore from Page, Nebraska. Melcher is majoring in agricultural leadership with a minor in animal science.

“I wanted to be a CAFES Ambassador because I want to spread the word of how amazing SDSU’s CAFES program is,” Melcher said. “I have been so lucky to have found a passion for my major because of the amazing educators in the CAFES department.”

Lexi Gloege did not respond to the Collegian’s media request.

Brad Blaha, Coordinator-Recruitment & Academic Services for the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences was a part of the selection committee.

“Having done the interviews for many years, I am always impressed by the quality of students that have applied for these positions,” Blaha said. “These students have big shoes to fill as we have a strong group of seniors graduating this May but I am sure these new ambassadors will be up to the task.”

The Second Annual Spring Market is coming back to Brookings

EMMA KEITH Reporter

Brookings Inn and Convention Center is hosting the 2nd Annual Spring Market event this Saturday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes for this and Tamra Misner is to thank!

Misner has been in the market for 25 years now. She started this event in Watertown with about five to 10 vendors. Local vendors liked how she ran things, so she decided to bring one closer.

“I wanted to help these people build and grow these home-based and handbased businesses,” Misner said. “They were lost and didn’t know what to do so we grew together. It has been a passion of mine for vendors and crafters to sell their goods.”

Misner usually uses social media and advertising to find these vendors. Facebook pages have also become popular to find people.

“Word of mouth is a huge way people find out,” Misner said. “People say that the event is very organized and fresh. Also, the mapping and the balance of it is what people like.”

From COVID to now, there have been vendors coming from Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado. Numbers have also gone up from five to 10 vendors to 50 to 100.

“Brookings has been packed every time,” Misner said. “There are about 45 vendors and a waiting list.”

Saige Wirkus, a senior at South Dakota State University, attended the Spring Market last year.

“I went last year with my mom, and I thought there was a great variety of things,” Wirkus said. “It was so fun to see all the different styles and products each stop had.”

Misner said they cater to all ages. Families, kids, college kids, etc. They have stuff coming from Kenya, different nationalities, cultures and Native American art.

“We have a variety for everyone,” Misner said. “It is unique and of great quality. I try to find what is trending and selling that year also.”

Abby Keith, a local in Brookings, said she started a crocheting business a couple years ago and would love to be part of the experience.

“I loved seeing everything last year,” Keith said. “I would love to bring my products there next year and get my feet in the door since I have heard such good things about his event.”

Misner will continue helping these people get started and grow in their businesses.

“I get very little financial gain from it, but it brings me happiness and joy seeing these girls come to these markets and walk away satisfied,” Misner said. “Sometimes they walk away not selling anything, but they have the experience and new ideas coming back.”

Going forward, finding venues that keep fitting is the main goal. Coming up is the women’s expo in Brookings on May 4 at the Outdoor Adventure Center.

Non-music majors prepare for upcoming piano recital

LINDSEY JUNKER Reporter

Not many non-music majors get a chance to show off their solo performance skills, let alone perform at a public recital, but SDSU piano studio gives them this chance.

Mark Stevens, director of Piano Studies at SDSU, believes that giving students the chance to perform in a public setting is important. He wants to give his non-majoring piano students an opportunity to perform solo.

Many non-music majors who take lessons do not have an opportunity to perform by themselves. Their opportunities usually entail performing in ensembles or groups, not solo. There are very few spots for pianists in ensembles because an ensemble may feature five or more of each instrument, but only one pianist.

“If you are not a piano major there’s no place for you to play except for your final exam and that seems like a shame to me,” Stevens said, who earned his doctorate in piano studies from the University of Oregon. “So we are going to

feature the studio in concert where they all get to play a formal recital.”

On Monday, March 25, the piano studio program at SDSU will be putting on a formal recital. The event is open to the public and people who attend can listen to the pieces the students have been working on for the past few months. Stevens said his students are excited to get a chance to showcase their hard work.

“I missed performing and I’m happy we get a chance to do it before we graduate because, otherwise, I probably won’t get a chance to do it again,” Alyssa Renken, a senior piano student, said.

Typically, a student majoring in piano studies will go on to perform, collaborate and teach after college, but non-majors usually don’t get a lot of chances to perform again. Stevens’ students are excited to have this opportunity many other colleges do not offer.

Stevens has been growing the piano studio for the past four years that he has been here and his students appreciate his enthusiasm, support and expertise he shares with them.

In the past three-and-a-half years, the program has “exploded with growth,” Thomas Tiegs, a junior piano student,

said.

Tiegs has been taking lessons with Stevens since his freshman year and has gone on to receive an honorable mention at South Dakota Music Teachers Association competition, a collegiatelevel piano competition.

Students take one lesson a week from Stevens and attend a class weekly. Along with that, many of his students aim to spend at least an hour a day practicing piano.

Jordyn Post, a senior piano student, said she finds that Stevens’ recommendations of pieces has allowed her to branch out and find new types of music she would not have played before. She said many teachers from elementary school to high school tell you exactly what to play, but Stevens allows them to choose what they want to play.

The opportunity of choosing their own pieces allows them to grow in their musical knowledge and helps the students connect to their pieces on a more personal level. They get to choose a piece that stands out or means something to them, or they personally like the sound of.

The program is different here, the

piano students said, and they attribute that to Stevens. They say he brings enthusiasm, talent, and passion to the program. He helps students to grow their skills and to deepen their love of music.

Students have seen the program grow in the past four years. Stevens’ teaching style has drawn students in, making the piano studio the largest it has been since he got here, they say.

The recital will feature a variety of pieces that the students have been working on for months. It is an opportunity to hear music, see a live performance and see what the performing arts are about.

Whether you can attend the recital or not, Stevens encourages students on campus to check out the Performing Arts Center in the future.

“This is just one example of 100 different opportunities in music that they can find if they come over here, and not only to make music but to come hear music, to hear theater and to see dance,” Stevens said. “There’s stuff going on in this building five nights a week and it’s this amazing resource for the whole campus.”

Submitted Photo

South Dakota State University’s piano studio members.

Alum hosts unique event

JORDAN ROEMELING Asst. Entertainment Editor

Aaron Toronto, a SDSU alum, hosted a release party in Downtown Brookings for his new EP “Illumination,” and a screening for the first episode of his sitcom, titled “Pizza Dude” on March 7.

People in the Brookings community and SDSU students and faculty gathered at the Old Fire Hall on 4th Street where the unique event was held, free of charge. It was sponsored by Ekern Plumbing and Heating.

Toronto said that he didn’t intend for the two shows to be premiered the same night at first.

“I’ve held premiere screenings of other films I’ve done so I wouldn’t say I’m a stranger to it,” Toronto said. “But to do both a music release and screening in the same night was definitely a new thing for me, so that was fun for me to do them together.”

During the first part of the show, Toronto performed his EP with band members who were also alumni and one current student from SDSU.

“When we hit the first chord, I just felt the music flow, and I was like this is gonna be great,” Toronto said. “I could tell the audience was into it…I felt like there was an immediate connection.”

Joseph Thvedt, an audience member from the Brookings community, said he enjoyed the concert.

“It was good,” Thvedt said. “It’s just fun to come to an event like this and see someone local that makes new music. It’s exciting to see that.”

Toronto said he was in a band called DSM in the early 2000s and held a release party for it but decided to focus on filmmaking for years, being a part of many projects. Now, he’s working on his solo music career along with his filmmaking.

After the music was performed, Toronto put on his pilot episode for “Pizza Dude,” which was projected onto the wall of the Old Fire Hall.

The sitcom, described by Toronto as a “combination of ‘The Office’ and ‘Breaking Bad,’ follows a pizza delivery man named Chester, who gets into interesting situations as he delivers pizza and films a documentary about it. The episode was filmed in Brookings and features George’s Pizza and a few fraternity houses on campus.

“There were laughs when I didn’t expect laughs,”

Toronto said. “I was like ‘That wasn’t meant to be funny,’ but people just roared at it, so I was like ‘Great.’ It’s always interesting to see what people like in the show.”

Toronto and various alumni and students were seen in the sitcom, including George Tsakiridis, a philosophy and religion professor at SDSU, who starred as Chester’s boss, George.

Tsakiridis and Toronto have been involved in many films together and were both producing ‘Pizza Dude’ for a few years before its release.

“It’s been really great having a collaborator and friend in town like Aaron because in Brookings, South

Dakota, for the size of [the] town, we have a decent amount of film going on but it’s not LA or Atlanta,” Tsakiridis said. “This was a really fun project, and I think it does have some promise, but we’ll see where it goes.”

Once the screening was done, Toronto invited cast members up to take a bow and answer questions from the audience about the episode and talk about the process of filming.

One audience member asked about more episodes and the future of ‘Pizza Dude.’ Toronto says he has summaries of more episodes but is in the process of pitching the sitcom to a few streaming services.

“What we’re going to do now is my manager is going to pitch it around,” Toronto said. “We have a few contacts with Netflix and Amazon that we’re going to pitch it to and see if they’ll pick it up.”

He isn’t getting his hopes up though, due to the challenges artists face in breaking into the industry. Despite this, Toronto plans to keep filming ‘Pizza Dude’ and creating other projects.

“Show-biz is a fickle mistress if you know what I mean,” Toronto said. “You just never know what some executive will like or not like…But I’m hoping with the proof of concept…that people will go ‘Wow, that’s funny, we want to pick that up and really develop it into a series.’ So, that would be an up highin-the-sky hope for the series, and if not I’m going to just write more episodes and keep making them.”

Along with the sitcom, Toronto is planning to play his music at more places in Brookings and Sioux Falls and is developing more film projects for the future.

“I intend to put out more songs and more albums and hopefully do more movies,” Toronto said. “I actually have kind of a horror film that I’m going to try and do here this summer.”

If you want to check out Toronto’s music, you can look up “Aaron Toronto” on any music service and his website, www.aarontoronto.com, for his music and film projects.

Submitted photo

Toronto and his band perform his new EP and screen his pilot episode for his sitcom titled “Pizza Dude.” Both projects included various SDSU alumni, students and faculty.

Farewell Frost Arena

RYLEE MARTIN Reporter

Frost Arena bid farewell to an era of athletic excellence earlier this month, as it hosted its final showdown before being transformed into First Bank and Trust Arena.

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits have called “Frost Arena” home since 1973. Frost Arena was named after previous Athletic Director, Rueben B. “Jack” Frost.

When talks of remodeling the now 51-year-old building began to arise, current athletic director Justin Sell said that the Jackrabbit community instantly knew that Frost needed to be remodeled for a better athlete and fan experience.

“I am excited to keep the history of Frost Arena alive,” Sell said. “But, at the same time, I am excited to add new amenities for our student athletes and fans.”

than just a basketball arena.

“I was thinking about how there were probably fans at the game who were in the stands watching Jackrabbit basketball 50 years ago,” Johnston said. “Hopefully they all got one good last memory in Frost Arena.”

Sell added that Frost Arena was a

Doug’s son jump into his arms… it’s my favorite memory of my coaching career.”

“You go back to the Division II days in 2003, we won a Region Championship and then went on to win a National Title,” Johnston said. “Then after that national title, we had a great welcome home where there were a ton of people

ence Room upstairs,” Sell said. “We will take the letters from the top of the building and put it in that room in honor of the previous name.”

They will also save the big “SD” from half court and put it in the main entrance in honor of the 51-year-old court. The overall look of the arena will make for a more comfortable fan experience.

Now that the 2023-24 athletic season closes for winter sports, Frost Arena is now under full construction. On March 3, the construction staff began to tear up the floor.

There have been many legendary players to walk through Frost Arena’s doors, along with coaches. Aaron Johnston, head coach of the women’s basketball team has led his teams to countless victories on the old yellow Frost floor. But for him, Frost means so much more

place of gathering, where people came together to root for the Blue and Yellow. He said that it was the people that made Frost so special.

Eric Henderson, the head coach of the men’s basketball team has also had his fair share of memorable moments in Frost.

“It was Doug Wilson’s senior day… and it just so happened that Doug Jr. his son was the Junior Jack of the game,” Henderson said. “Getting to watch

in Frost Arena just to welcome us back.”

Frost Arena has been able to cultivate an environment like no other and has allowed coaches, athletes, fans and administrators to share memories that will be carried for a lifetime.

Just because there will be a name change to the building, does not mean that pieces of Frost and the legacy will go away. Physical pieces of Frost will stay in the new building

“There will be a Frost Confer-

“The student athlete experience will be light-years better,” Johnston said. “This will be a big step forward for just the daily student athlete experience with everything that they do.”

First Bank and Trust Arena will be completed next fall for the 2024 volleyball season.

“This is an earned upgrade for our student athletes,” Henderson said. “This is a sense of freshness with the new arena and I am really excited about it.”

Frost Facts

First Game: Feb. 2, 1973

Named After: Reuben B.

“Jack”Frost

Record Attendance: 9,456 fans on Feb. 11, 1989

Renovation cost: $53.1 million

Collegian photo by EVAN PATZWALD

The before look of Frost Arena during a men’s basketball game before complete renovations and it becomes the new First Bank and Trust Arena.

SA senate says student workers pay may increase

AFSARA GAZI Reporter

A fi ve-year strategic plan from 20252030 was announced at the Students’ Association meeting held February 12, 2024. Along with a couple of other advantages, the plan aims to benefit the student workers by leading to a potential increase in the remuneration for their service.

The Students’ Association Senate acts as a representative figure of the students of South Dakota State University to vocalize their opinions and demands to the university administration and South Dakota Board of Regents. Since the Students’ Association is responsible for the allocation of student fee funds, the committee drafts a strategic plan for the General Activiy Fee (GAF) of South Dakota State University after every five years.

The GAF deals with funds that act as the backbone of student experiences related to co-curricular activities and organizations. It is a mandatory fee charged on all on-campus credit hours to support the smooth functioning of student organizations, athletics, the Miller Wellness Center, the Student Union and more.

The current General Activity Fee paid by students is $50.85 per credit. Unfortunately, this amount is not enough to support an increase in the wage rate of student workers. With this in consideration, the student senate opined in favor of increasing the GAF over the coming years in several phases.

According to the proposed plan, the total reserve for the fi scal year of 2025 funded by the GAF is expected to be $12,204,000.00. An additional $0.10 will be allocated for the Student Union operations with $0.09 for AV fund and $0.25 for student wages by the fiscal year of 2026. The total reserve for the same year would increase to $12,033,600.00.

With the additional $0.25 going into

the funds for student employee wages, the workers at food service stations and event management can expect a raise by next year. As of now, the proposed plan does not mention any changes in the funds allocated for the Wellness Center. Instead, the wellness services work group proposed to remove the $6.00 credit for the YOU@STATE platform. The Wellness GAF Replacement still remains $0.41, the same as the previous strategic plan. However, the total increase in GAF aims to improve the overall situation of student wages.

The initial rate of pay per hour for student employees is approximately $12.00. When inquired about student employee wages, one employee who works at the Student Union said,“I have been working as a part-time food service worker for four years now and I got a raise of $1 on my third year here.”

Although GAF increases are rather difficult to be approved by the South Dakota Board of Regents, the Students Association Senate proposed this policy to pave the path for a better remuneration of student workers.

Submitted Photo

A new plan was announced at the Students’ Assocation meeting that may increase pay for workers at Chic-fil-a and other student workers at SDSU.

Paige Meyer leads Jacks to Tourney berth

ISABELLA COX Reporter

Paige Meyer is currently finishing up her junior season as a guard for the Jackrabbits women’s basketball team. This season alone, Meyer has racked up a total of 444 points with 119 assists and 853 minutes played.

“This has been a special team,” Meyer said. “Winning the conference is exciting and shows all the hard work we have been through this season.”

The Jacks won the Summit League tournament and will now be moving onto the NCAA Tournament where in the first game they will be playing against Utah.

“I’m really looking forward to having the opportunity to continue our season,” Meyer said. “And to be able to continue to play with this group of girls.”

Toward the end of her freshman season, Meyer suffered an ACL injury which put her out for the rest of the season. With this injury, she wasn’t able to play in the Summit League Tournament.

“Injuries are a part of the game,” Meyer said. “There have been players before me that have gone through these things, although it was hard at the time and a process to get back, I was fortunate enough to have them help me get through the injury.”

Meyer spent that summer and half of her sophomore year doing rehab to try and recover so that she could return back to the court.

“Once my knee was ready to go it was about getting the basketball fundamentals back,” Meyer said. “As well as trying to find that confidence to play again.”

Meyer’s first game back after her ACL injury was against Oral Roberts last season, where the Jackrabbits won 83-80.

“Going into it at first I was a little nervous, because having had an injury, it was a mindset thing,” Meyer said. “But once I got up and down the court a few times I was more comfortable.”

Meyer has been a standout player this season starting in 26 games and sitting out three because of a stress fracture in her foot.

“I thought the best route would be to take a couple games off to let it rest,” Meyer said. “While it was only three games, having sat out half a season last year, I want to play in as many games as I can.”

Meyer was able to find a new perspective with having to sit out on games due to injury.

“You are able to see the game from a different side, especially sitting out my freshman year,” Meyer said. “I definitely learned a lot. It makes you appreciate the game a little more and not take those days for granted because you never really know when stuff like that is going to happen.”

Meyer’s injuries have also inspired her teammates to persevere when times get hard.

Senior teammate Tori Nelson said, seeing Meyer overcome her injuries has provided some extra motivation for the team to work hard and finish the season well.

“We have all witnessed Meyer’s strength and resilience she has displayed while dealing with her injuries,” Nelson said. “This has inspired us to play with a competitive edge and determination.”

The team when playing non conference games also likes to have a tough schedule to get them ready for what lies ahead in season.

“As a team we like to play a tough non-conference schedule,” Meyer said. “When conference season comes around, we like to set that goal of competing for a championship each year.”

The Jacks played against South Carolina during their non conference games where they lost 78-38. “They were definitely a very tough opponent for us,” Meyer said.

For the rest of this story and more Jackrabbit basketball log on at SDSUCollegian.com.

BRAYDEN BYERS Manging Editor

Jacks earn rare sweep on the road at Oral Roberts

South Dakota State led off the Summit League baseball season with a historic series sweep over Oral Roberts in Tulsa over the weekend.

The Jackrabbits went 3-0 over the defending conference champs to become the first team to sweep the Golden Eagles on their home field and, in doing so, got their record back to .500 at 10-10 overall.

@ Oral Roberts

The Jackrabbits’ success came behind the right-handed arm of Nic McCay who was named the Summit League Peak Pitcher of the week, which was announced Monday.

McCay started the series opener against ORU tying an SDSU Division I era single-game record recording 13 strikeouts. Brady Stover was the first to do it in a 2018 10-0 win over Fort Wayne.

The senior hurler carried a shutout into the eighth inning finishing the 5-2 win against the Golden Eagles with one earned run while allowing five hits and only two walks.

In the middle of the three game set, the Jacks jumped out to a 3-1 lead heading into a top of the sixth inning which saw five runs cross the plate including a three-run homer from Summit League Peak Performer of the week Cael Frost.

Frost finished 1-of-3 in the 12-7 win that secured the series victory putting the Jackrabbits up 2-0 over ORU.

Frost extended his hitting streak having safely reach base in 18 games straight. He also posed a .538 batting average, going 7-for-13, with two home runs, four runs batted in and eight runs scored last week notching

his second Peak Performer honor of the season.

Game three was a bit tighter as the Jackrabbits cored in only the first and sixth inning en route to a 6-3 win and a series sweep.

Cade stuff led things off with a double to center field to plate two runs in the first frame. The score remained 2-0 until Dawson Parry hit a grand slam in the top of the sixth to put the Jackrabbits up by six.

ORU attempted a comeback in the bottom of the ninth scoring off of a three-run shot from Ryan Blackwell, but SDSU pitcher Alex Clemons set down the next two to secure the win.

The Jackrabbits moved the alltime series against the Golden Eagles to 74-23 all time and moved to 3-0 in

Summit League play for the first time since 2017.

Up Next

The Jacks will continue on the road this weekend playing a threegame set against St. Thomas in the Twin Cities before kicking off their home slate against Northern Colorado.

Friday’s game against the Tommies will have first pitch at 3 p.m. while Saturday and Sunday’s games will start at 1 p.m. All three contests can be seen on the Summit League Network.

For coverage of the game against Creighton Tuesday night, log on at SDSUCollegian.com.

FIRST TEN HOME GAMES

3/28/24: Northern Colorado

3/29/24: Northern Colorado

3/30/24: Northern Colorado

4/9/24: Northwestern (Iowa)

4/19/24: St. Thomas

4/20/24: St. Thomas

4/21/24: St. Thomas

4/24/24: Dakota Wesleyan

4/26/24: Oral Roberts

4/27/24: Oral Roberts

Photo courtesy of SDSU Athletics

Jackrabbit pitcher, Reece Arbogast winds up before throwing a pitch to home plate. Arbogast pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings against Oral Roberts in the Jacks three game sweep.

Softball set for Summit League conference play this weekend

MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor

The Jacks have finished their non-conference schedule at 16-18 and look onto Summit League play starting on the road with a doubleheader on Saturday and a final game on Sunday against South Dakota.

Their first game against USD starts at noon on Friday, followed by their second game at 2 p.m. The first pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 11 a.m. All games can be streamed on the Summit League Network.

“I think this team is exactly where it needs to be,” said head coach Kristina McSweeney. “It has been quite a challenging, yet growth season so far. There have been moments that have been great and moments that have not been obviously but all and all, this team is ready to go.”

Non-conference overview

South Dakota State played their last of 34 non-conference games, going 3-0 in their last three, recovering from an 0-4 run just days before.

The Jackrabbits have taken the field against six nationally ranked softball teams, going 1-10 against them. Their sole victory came back in February against the No. 15 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks where the Jacks rallied from a deficit to win 7-3.

No. 3 Duke (March 8) and No. 3 Oklahoma State (Feb. 27) were the highest-ranked teams South Dakota State faced this season. SDSU lost both doubleheaders. Two total points were scored in all four games with both of them coming from game 1 against Oklahoma State. Duke and Oklahoma State scored a combined total of 31 times on the Jacks.

Currently, all six ranked teams (Missouri, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Duke, Florida State and Kentucky) all sit within the top 15 ranked teams in the nation. Duke and Oklahoma State are in the Top 10.

SDSU’s own Tori Kniesche has made her presence known on the mound this season. The senior has appeared in 15 games and has struck out 91 batters (16th most in the nation).

Catcher Brooke Dumont joins Kniesche as another Jackrabbit near the top of a stat line. In her 28 games, Dumont has thrown out eight runners attempting to

steal, which she ranks 15th in.

Summit League

The Jackrabbits sit second in the Summit League behind the Omaha Mavericks who have a record of 21-7. With their 21 wins, the Mavericks haven’t played a single ranked team this season.

“There is a little bit of vengeance coming into this Summit League play and a little bit of ‘alright let’s bring it’ that we are excited about,” said McSweeney. “We have been looking forward to this moment [Summit League play].”

KNIESCHE STATS

ERA: 2.78

WHIP: 1.19

IP: 68

W-L: 7-5

Strikeouts: 91

Walks: 37

Hits: 44

Runs: 29

Though owning a losing record, South Dakota State has rallied 161 total runs this season (86 more runs than 5-27 North Dakota). The 156 points scored against them are tied for the third most with rival to the north NDSU.

Four of the seven Summit League teams have over 10 wins in Omaha, South Dakota State, South Dakota and North Dakota State.

SDSU key players

Kniesche has been one of the most impactful players on this Jackrabbit team this season. The two-time Summit League Pitcher of the year is 7-5 on the mound this season and has 31 more strikeouts than Shannon Lasey (second most strikeouts on the team).

Lindsay Culver’s .385 batting average is the best on the team. In her 96 at-bats (4th most on the team), she has hit the ball 37 times, amounting to eight doubles, two triples and seven home runs (most on the team).

Mia Jarecki follows Culver closely with an average of .381 and has 40 hits, which is the most this season of any Jackrabbit. The Junior has six home runs, three triples and has scored 25 times (tied for first this season with Culver and Emma Osmundson).

In the field, catcher Dumont has 150 putouts to her name this season. The junior on first base, Alli Boyle has 103 to her name (second most on the team).

Photo from Andrew Pederson Catcher Brooke Dumont stands ready at the plate. This season, Dumont has a .258 batting average with 66 at bats.

Jacks wrestlers prepare for nationals, look to bring home hardware

BOSTEN MOREHART

Asst. Sports Editor

The SDSU wrestling team heads down to Kansas City with eight wrestlers for the NCAA Division 1 national wrestling championships.

Head coach Damion Hahn has confidence in the lineup they are taking down to the tournament and believes they will come home with placers. Bringing eight wrestlers to the tournament ties for the most in program history, three of those are top-ten seeds.

“Every single one of our guys are point scorers I believe, and we have a handful of guys that can make it deep into the tournament and come away with some hardware.”

At 125 pounds, Tanner Jordan placed fifth at the Big 12 Championships with a record of 3-2 to become an NCAA Qualifier. Jordan is the 23rd seed in the national tournament and will take on Eric Barnett of Wisconsin in the first round.

Derrick Cardinal earned a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 Championships at 133 pounds going 3-2 and claiming a spot in the national tournament. Cardinal is the 18th seed and will face off against Brody Teske of Iowa in the first round.

Clay Carlson placed fifth at 141 pounds with a record of 2-2 also securing a spot in the tournament. Carlson is seeded 30th and will wrestle Real Woods of Iowa in the first round of the tournament.

Although Carlson is the 30th seed, he should not be overlooked because of his seeding. Carlson is a two-time All-American and was set to wrestle in the NWCA AllStar Classic match at the beginning of the season before needing knee surgery.

Hahn has seen the hard work Carlson has done to make his way back to the tournament and knows even as the 30th seed he will be a competitor. “I feel bad for Real Woods, I do, because this is not usually a firstround matchup, this is a quarterfinal semifinal kind of deal,” Hahn said.

Alek Martin went 3-2 at 149 pounds in the Big 12 Championships, placed seventh and didn’t earn a spot in the tournament. Martin would later receive an at-large bid, he was one of four in the weight class to receive the bid. He is the 29th seed and will be taking on Caleb Henson of Virginia Tech.

Cael Swenson posted a record of 3-1 at the Big 12 and placed third at 157 pounds, making himself a National Qualifier. Swenson is the 15th seed and will take the mat

first with Vinny Zerban of Northern Colorado.

Cade DeVos went 3-0 and became a Big 12 champion earning his spot in the national tournament. DeVos is seeded second and will wrestle Michael Wilson of Rider University in the first round.

Bennett Berge went 4-2 and earned fourth place at 184 pounds becoming a National Qualifier. Berge will face off against Shane Liegel of Wisconsin as the ninth seed.

The final Jackrabbit who qualified for the national tournament is Tanner Sloan. Sloan also won the Big 12 Championship, going 4-0 at 197 pounds earning his spot in the tournament. Sloan is the third seed and will wrestle against Sam Mitchell of the University of Buffalo.

Last year Sloan was a finalist in the 197-pound weight class at the national tournament but fell short to Nino Bonaccorsi of Pitt by decision 5-3.

Although Bonaccorsi is not in the bracket this year, Sloan still has much competition with the top two seeded wrestlers being undefeated. But the loss from

last year is only motivation to make another strong run in this year’s tournament.

“I think the biggest thing is he (Sloan) was so close, so close last year and that kind of added some fuel to the fire,” Hahn said when asked how Sloan was approaching the tournament.

For three of the eight Jackrabbits, it is their first time wrestling in the national tournament. These wrestlers are Cardinal, Martin and Berge.

For Jordan and Swensen it is their second time attending the tournament. Carlson and DeVos will be wreslting in the tournament for the fourth time and Sloan will return for his fifth visit.

Wrestling will take place March 21 to 23 in the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The tournament can be watched on the ESPN family of networks.

Photo courtesy of SDSU Athletics

Cade DeVos and Tanner Sloan get their hands raised after winning the Big 12 Wrestling Championship at 174 and 197 pounds. DeVos defeated Gaven Sax of NDSU 6-4 and Sloan beat Rocky Elam of Missouri 1-0.

Something about the mens basketball team making it to the march madness tourney

JON AKRE Sports Reporter

The Jackrabbits are going dancing for the seventh time in program history and enter the NCAA “March Madness” tournament as a No. 15 seed, taking on the No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones.

This will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two teams with ISU leading the series 5-2, but the Jacks have won the last two meetings. Back in 2008, SDSU took down the Cyclones in Ames, IA, 65-58, and most recently knocked them off in the 2020 season, 71-68.

But this time around, Iowa State is a much better team than the Jacks saw in years past.

ISU was ranked at No. 4 in the most recent AP Top 25 poll and is one of the odds-on favorites to win the Big Dance.

Tip-off between the Jacks and Cyclones at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, NE, is slated for 6.35 p.m. Thursday and can be watched on truTV.

Iowa State

ISU heads into the NCAA tournament with a 27-7 overall record, led by a familiar face in former Jackrabbit men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

Otzelberger coached the Jacks for three seasons from 2016-2018, where he led them to two NCAA tournament appearances and one NIT tournament appearance.

Now as the head man of the Cyclones, coach Otzelberger gets a chance to face off against his former team, and his former assistant coach.

“Coach Henderson does a great job there,” coach Otzelberger said of SDSU’s season. “Won the league outright, won the tournament. To do that you got to have a good group, and I’ve watched them a fair amount through the season, just because obviously of my relationship with the coach.”

Heading into the Big 12 conference tournament as

the No. 2 seed, Iowa State avenged a loss to Kansas State just five nights prior by knocking them off in the quarterfinals 65-58.

In the semifinals, the Cyclones picked up a 14-point victory over No. 14 ranked Baylor to advance to the Big 12 Championship.

Now, hot off a blowout 69-41 victory in the Big 12 title game over the previously No. 1 ranked Houston Cougars, the Cyclones come in as one of the hottest teams in the tournament.

The Cyclones pride themselves on their defense, and it shows in the stat sheet.

ISU enters the tournament giving up 61.3 points per game, ranked the fourth best in all Division 1 college basketball. But they don’t just get stops on missed shots, they play lockdown defense and force turnovers.

The Cyclones average 10.4 steals per contest this season, only behind Texas-El Paso for the most in the nation. Six ISU players this season average over a steal a game, while sophomore guard Tamin Lipsey averages nearly three steals on his own.

Photo by: Evan Patzwald

SDSU men’s basketball team beat the Univeristy of Denver 76-68 on Tuesday, March 13 for the Summit League Championship. South Dakota State is set to take on Iowa State on Thursday at 6:35 p.m.

Iowa State’s scoring output is incredibly balanced, with seven players averaging six points per game or more.

Junior guard Keshon Gilbert leads the team in scoring averaging 13.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game.

Behind him, Lipsey pours in 12 points, five rebounds and five assists per contest, while freshman forward Milan Momcilovic averages 11 points per game as well.

MARCH MADNESS APPEARANCES

2022- Providence: 66-57

2018- Ohio State: 81-73

2017- Gonzaga: 66-46

2016- Maryland: 79-74

2013- Michigan: 71-56

2012- Baylor: 68-60

South Dakota State

SDSU has won multiple conference titles, advanced to six NCAA tournaments prior to this season, but there’s still one thing missing on the resume.

A win in the NCAA tournament.

All six former appearances were met with early exits, losing to teams such as: Baylor, Michigan, Maryland, Gonzaga, Ohio State, and most recently Providence in 2022.

But every season is different, and you never know

The six-foot-nine sophomore took things to another level in the conference tournament, throwing down multiple highlight-worthy dunks during the tournament.

Add in the Summit League player of the year in Zeke Mayo, averaging 19 points, six rebounds and four assists per game.

what can happen when March rolls around.

The Jacks have some experience playing in the March Madness tournament, with four of their five current starters having played in that 2022 loss to Providence. They know what it takes to play in March, it all comes down to execution.

The only starter that wasn’t part of the last trip to the big dance was this season’s Summit League Defensive Player of the Year and Conference Tournament MVP,

Guard play is going to be crucial against ISU, but when you have the veteran leadership of Matt Mims and Charlie Easley, and a rising star in redshirt freshman Kalen Garry, the opportunity for the biggest win in school history is right at your doorstep.

William Kyle III.

Collegian photo by EVAN PATZWALD William Kylle III jumping up to dunk the ball in SDSU’s game against Denver. Kyle III was named Summit League Tournament MVP.

Collegian photo by EVAN PATZWALD

Collegian photo by EVAN PATZWALD Zeke Mayo averaged 18.8 points and 5.8 rebounds this season. The Kansas native was also named Summit League Player of the Year.

This season Luke Appel has scored 399 points, which is third most on the team behind Mayo and Kyle III.

JACKS CHARGE INTO NCAA’S SDSU draws 15 seed, Utah in first round

Story by JORDAN RADDATZ • SPORTS REPORTER

\points a game.

“We’re getting excited to play in another NCAA Tournament,” head coach Aaron Johnston said. “It’s a great opportunity to write another, you know, chapter and keep our story going for our team.”

In the opposing corner are the at-large Utah Utes from the Pac-12 Conference, making their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Utes finished the 2023-24 season at 22-10 overall and a conference record of 11-7.

In the Pac-12 Tournament, the Utes earned the sixth seed, defeating 11-seed Arizona State before losing to third-seed UCLA in the quarterfinals. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance saw them reach the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in school history as they defeated 15 seed Gardner-Webb and 10 seed Princeton.

Alissa Pili led the Utes this season in scoring and averaged over 20 points a game, while also leading in rebounds and blocks. Kennady McQueen, who had half

the average scoring of Pili, led the team in three pointers with 62. Inês Vieira played the most minutes with 1049; that’s more than 17 hours.

The Utes have shot 47.6% this season and 37% from deep. They are 74% from the free throw line, averaging 10 free throws a game. They have averaged 78 points a game while giving up 61.8 points a game.

“Utah is a really tough opponent, they play in a great conference, they’ve got an incredibly talented roster, and

Collegian photo by EVAN PATZWALD South Dakota State advances to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament. This will mark the 12th time the Jackrabbits have been invited to the big dance.

points a game.

“We’re getting excited to play in another NCAA Tournament,” head coach Aaron Johnston said. “It’s a great opportunity to write another, you know, chapter and keep our story going for our team.”

In the opposing corner are the at-large Utah Utes from the Pac-12 Conference, making their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance. The Utes finished the 2023-24 season at 22-10 overall and a conference record of 11-7.

In the Pac-12 Tournament, the Utes earned the sixth seed, defeating 11-seed Arizona State before losing to third-seed UCLA in the quarterfinals. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance saw them reach the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in school history as they defeated 15 seed Gardner-Webb and 10 seed Princeton.

game, while also leading in rebounds and blocks. Kennady McQueen, who had half the average scoring of Pili, led the team in three pointers with 62. Inês Vieira played the most minutes with 1049; that’s more than 17 hours.

The Utes have shot 47.6% this season and 37% from deep. They are 74% from the free throw line, averaging 10 free throws a game. They have averaged 78 points a game while giving up 61.8 points a game.

“Utah is a really tough opponent, they play in a great conference, they’ve got an incredibly talented roster, and they play really well together,” Johnston said. “It’s going to be a good challenge, a good test for us, but one that we’re, you know, very anxious to do and excited to do.”

UP NEXT

9 p.m. Sunday

No. 12 Jackrabbits v. No. 5 Utes

TruTV/Jackrabbit Sports Network

SDSU v. UTAH

Series: Utah, 2-1

First Meeting: Nov. 28, 2007 (Utah 67-59)

Nov. 20, 2008: Jacks won 70-58

Last Meeting: Dec. 19, 2009 (Utah 62-58)

NCAA Appearances: SDSU - 12, Utah - 20

Alissa Pili led the Utes this season in scoring and averaged over 20 points a

The game will be taking place at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington, which is the home stadium for the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. Saturday and the game will be televised on ESPNU.

Collegian photo by EVAN PATZWALD

SDSU’s Paige Meyer, Summit League Championships MVP, charges past North Dakota State’s Abby Schulte during the Summit League title game Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center.