October 25, 2023

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GET YOUR HALLOWEEN SCARE AT FEAR ASYLUM. PAGE 5

REVIEW; SINGER JON PARDI BRINGS THE PARTY. PAGES 12-13.

THE PRIDE SEES STUDENTS GET A LITTLE ROWDY. PAGE 4

KSDJ RADIO ADDS NEW SONGS TO ITS LINEUP. PAGE 14

Collegian photos by JOCLYN HAVEN and ZOEY SHENTZEL(SHE/HER)

Hunter Dustman prepares to kick a field goal at Saturday’s game.

Grand Pooba Regen Wiederrich drives the Bummobile at Saturday’s parade.

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October 25, 2023

Hedge adresses the senate, 2 new clubs approved KENNETH REBELLO Assistant News Editor The Department of Academic Affairs addressed the Senate Monday regarding the assessment of academic affairs, program accreditations and Pathway to Premier 2030 at the weekly meeting.

Academic Affairs Report Dennis Hedge, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said, “So our team [Academic Affairs] is really responsible for providing academic leadership to the university and we work to promote, support and sustain student success and excellence in all aspects of our mission.”

Hedge said academic affairs also focus on teaching, advising, research and scholarship. Academic program accreditation in the university is one of the primary duties and responsibilities of Academic Affairs as it helps to provide federal financial aid for students in programs, Hedge said.

In addition to these, Academic Affairs oversee the curriculum and student success such as retention rates, along with faculty success.

Hedge presented his assessment on the academic perspective of the university with enrollment and retention numbers released earlier this fall. 83% retention rates among first-year fulltime students were recorded, which is a record high for SDSU. “Another really important number for us here at South Dakota State is academic program accreditations,” Hedge said. “We now have 65 accredited programs.”

Academic Affairs had previously targeted to have at least 60 accredited programs. Academic program accreditations are important as they portray industry level standards that basically set a threshold or a bar, Hedge said.

“We have this philosophy that if there’s any program that has a pathway to academic accreditation, we pursue

that here at SDSU,” Hedge said.

Hedge, along with Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Teresa Seefeldt, plan to continue focusing on refreshing academic programs by working with advisory council and industry leaders. They also look forward to reassessing important academic programs that students seek along with their critical needs.

Hedge also said plans to refresh the strategic plan of ‘Pathway to Premier 2030,’ focusing on four different steps of expanding access to educational opportunities at SDSU, identifying strategies to connect through technology, identifying innovative programs and increasing utilization of high impact practices.

With plans of becoming a R1 university, Hedge mentioned that from an academic perspective, the plan is a simple formula that consists of 10 different elements. The criteria would involve research expenditures and impact that an institution makes with respect to doctoral education.

A search for academic leaders is on-going within two core college departments, first, the College of Education in Human Sciences, and the College of Natural Sciences.

Seefeldt provided updates on the mental well-being team at SDSU and initiatives they have planned till the end of 2023.

“The mental well-being team is a collaborative group with administration, faculty, staff and student representation,” Seefeldt said. “We started last fall and really last year was taking an inventory on what was going on-campus, developing a resource guide for faculty and staff to increase their awareness of responses toward mental health concerns.”

The team plans to focus on two initiatives this year-- the first being community building, and second, professional development and training.

Seefeldt described having a podcast for

a variety of topics on mental well-being and is looking for student input on topics they would be interested in.

Hedge addressed Government Affairs Chair Michael Garofalo’s questions pertaining to the Board of Regents (BOR) scrapping the requirement of AHSS 111 class for students in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science (CAHSS).

“Back in 2017, that course basically became a requirement of most academic programs and now the amount of feedback they [BOR] have received to remove that course as a requirement was the decision they made,” Hedge said. “Once that decision was made, our office simply relayed the information though a memo that we sent to all the students at SDSU, as well as the faculty and staff.”

New Clubs on-campus SA senators approved two new clubs, the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) and the Tennis Club.

Lachhman Khatri, secretary of NOMAS and a master’s student in architecture, informed the Senate of the associations’ goal.

“NOMAS at SDSU hopes to provide a platform for collaboration, engagement and communication among architecture students within the department,” Khatri said. “NOMAS also wishes to foster diversity among the architecture community.”

Allie Weber, a freshman pharmacy major, recalled people informing her there was no tennis club on-campus.

Currently, the new Tennis Club has about 35 members and had its last meeting on Thursday, Oct.19, before halting games for off-season until weather conditions improve next semester.

“I decided to create my own tennis club and it basically is a group that meets every Monday and Thursday night,” Weber said. “Unfortunately, in terms of travelling, we need to be an

established group for at least a year before we get to participate in tournaments.”

Committee and Staff report •Chief of Staff Benjamin Connor announced that ‘Student Tailgating’ would start on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. in the student tailgating section in collaboration with the University Program Council (UPC) and SA. •UPC looks forward to hosting their ‘Do’s and Don’ts of Renting’ on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. in Rotunda D. •Sen. Kaitlyn Lorang said 3,452 deficiencies had been sent out last week after midterms. Lorang also informed the senate on termination of the bachelor’s degree in early education and care, an online undergraduate degree which saw only nine students graduate with that degree since 2017.

New Business The Senate voted to approve of $1,000 for the Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club, an organization for SDSU students who share common interests in cattle industry. They also approved $1,000 from the special allocation fund for the fishing club due to their positive approach to being active and participating in national fishing tournaments.

The Senate however rejected funds worth $10,600 for the Pakistan Student Association (PSA). Finance Chair Katie Neuhaus said that issues of the organizations sustainability and responsibility are questionable despite having wonderful intentions.

Neuhaus reported significant concerns about the lack of dates for events held by PSA and further suggested club leaders approach other alternatives for funding such as the International Relations Council (IRC).

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City might add roundabout to busy intersection on south side of campus

Brookings applies for grant that would help pay for $3.8M project DENESA WILLSON Reporter The Brookings City Council plan to improve pedestrian safety along Medary Avenue by including a roundabout at the south end of the campus.

The Brookings City Council signed and submitted a $3,810,000 Transportation Alternative Grant Program Application in September. This money would help pay for construction for a shareduse path and trail, traffic calming, and pedestrian crossing improvements on Medary Avenue.

Under the proposal, the project would be completed in 2025.

A section of Medary Avenue that connects Andrew Rasmussen Eighth St. and North Campus Drive has 14 crosswalks and can be challenging for pedestrians to cross. With multiple midblock crosswalks, students often cross without looking for motor vehicles. The road has a speed zone posted at 25 mph, yet motorists exceed this at times, particularly when traveling south. This creates a pedestrian safety issue.

The Transportation Alternative Grant Program (TAP) is a state grant initiative managed by the South Dakota Department of Transportation. TAP provides grants to communities to support the construction of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.

This grant would improve the Medary Avenue section by constructing a shareduse path, 8 feet wide along the east side of the street, narrowing Medary Avenue from 36 feet wide to 27 feet wide, adding enhanced lighting near crosswalks, and the roundabout at the intersection of

photo submitted by Chi Omega

Eighth St. and Medary Avenue.

Charles Richter, Brookings city engineer, developed and designed the idea for the pedestrian improvements.

“Roundabouts can typically handle quite a bit of traffic,” Richter said. “But this project is to help with pedestrian safety. Narrowing the road and adding the roundabout would provide traffic calming and help reduce speeds.”

Truck movement is the biggest concern Richter has for the roundabout. But he thinks they have minimized and will advise truck drivers to use other roads to drive around Brookings and SDSU. Council member and SDSU alumni Andrew Rasmussen likes the pedestrian improvements this grant will provide.

“We are looking at both traffic and pedestrian safety,” Rasmussen said. “This is a great step forward to address Medary’s concerns. I think they (roundabouts) are fun. They do take a little bit of getting used to, but Brookings already has a few, so I think this one will blow over very

well.”

The roundabout on campus intersecting University Boulevard and Jackrabbit Avenue near Frost Arena is a three-way roundabout, while the sketch graphic for the intersection of Medary Avenue and Eighth St. is a four-way roundabout.

But Rasmussen said that people should go and practice driving around the roundabouts to become more comfortable.

David Law, SDSU director of Project Management & Engineering, said the university and Brookings have some utility infrastructure that has to be replaced along Medary and has to be done in the next two to five years. Those got plans rolling with the Brookings city engineer.

“It got all of us talking about how to strategize what could be done to make it more pedestrian friendly,” Law said.

He says that the university fully supports this grant and its future plans. But one concern SDSU had for the construction was the Hobo Day parade.

“The university has expressed the desire to maintain that tradition (one day event) and the ability to maintain the parade,” Law said. So, anything we do on that road will accommodate the parade and the floats. When we do these projects, we typically don’t extend them into the school year at all. We might have to phase them into three summers to get this all done and have them open in some capacity levels when school starts.”

Brookings and SDSU will find out if the grant is approved next spring. If approved, the pedestrian improvement construction will coincide with the SDSU’s sewer construction scheduled in 2025.

This will minimize road closures and maximize construction cost efficiencies.

For more information or addressing concerns, please contact Charles Richter, Brookings City engineer, crichter@cityofbrookings-sd.gov.

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Pride band members say students have thrown booze bottles at them JORDAN ROEMELING Asst. Entertainment Editor The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band has been experiencing bullying from SDSU’s own student section this semester during football games.

Some students at the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium have been throwing alcohol bottles at the marching band and an instrument.

Last fall, for the first time ever, alcohol was sold to anyone who is old enough in the stadium, that will allow some students to buy alcohol and drink at the games.

This year the band has reported some problems related to alcohol sales.

“Last year, alcohol being allowed, like in the stadium being sold was more of a test also,” said Michael Garofalo, the government affairs chair of the Students’ Association who plays clarinet in The Pride. “This year, it’s common policy going forward, so maybe people are getting used to it and kind of bending the freedoms that allow a little bit, which is disappointing.”

The game that saw the most problems happened during the SDSU University of North Dakota matchup on Sept. 30.

Samuel Schauer, who plays an alto saxophone in The Pride, said that one of his friends, who is a tenor saxophonist, turned in a few empty alcohol bottles to the police.

“From what I was told, from that game alone, there were four instances of stuff being chucked at us,” Schauer said. “My friend picked up three shooter bottles, the little bottles and there was also an actual [bigger] plastic bottle that was chucked at us.”

Schauer went on to say that some students also vomited over the railing down the line where The Pride had to walk through, and a student poured alcohol into a band member’s sousaphone while they were away.

After the Sept. 30 game, the university stepped in to combat the issue by adding security officers to the student section for the Hobo Day game on Oct. 14., Trinity Peterson, president of SA said.

“The athletic department worked with the administration to get some safety officers just kind of in the student section,” Peterson said. “I think that almost entirely eliminated the problem.”

“I will say it was addressed for Hobo Day,” Schauer said. “Dr. (Kevin) Kessler was able to clear things up and

Collegian photo by Zoey Schentzel The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band performs during an SDSU football game this season. The band has been targeted by some students in the student section who have been throwing empty alcohol bottles at them.

we’ve been talking with the university. They’ve all been communicating how we do it, and pretty much, for Hobo Day, I think it went fine.”

Kessler, director of Athletic Bands, as well as David Reynolds, director of the School of Performing Arts, did not wish to comment for this story.

Garofalo said that a reason for these events could be because of the No.1- ranked Jackrabbits football success, which generates a lot of energy and causes more students to drink and act more unruly.

Garofalo said there would be consequences for students who cause more issues during the football games.

“I think you can certainly get ejected from the stadium for any number of just disorderly conduct things,” Garofalo said. “If things take off again, I would imagine that the band directors and athletics will probably have one or two permanent law enforcement officers posted

either in the band section or just near the railing just to keep an eye on things.”

Schauer said that the recent incidents could be one of the “unforeseen side effects” of alcohol being now allowed in the stadium, but they have gone too far.

“We’re just here to have fun, here to support the home team, give fun to the crowd of not just the student section but all around,” Schauer said. “We’re a band of 325 so we take pride that we’re one of the biggest bands, so it’s not that we’re asking for respect or anything, we’re just asking just to have a civil game day and not have bottles thrown at us.”

The next home football game is Nov. 4 where the Jackrabbits play North Dakota State at 2 p.m.

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A student’s guide for career fairs

SHELBY GREIMAN Reporter The SDSU Prexy Council held a networking social event Oct. 3 following the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science Career Fair. At this event, the Collegian spoke with several employers about what they are looking for in future employees and asked them how students should prepare for the event.

The Collegian had the opportunity to speak with Justin Rueter and Mckenzie Botin of NEW Cooperative, Mckenzie Dufrense and Sadie Vander Wal of Agtegra Cooperative, Lori Schultz of Mustang Seeds, and Alyssa Williams of Nutrien Ag Solutions. Here’s what they had to say: Q: What do you look for in an employee?

A: “Honestly, someone who shows up and tries even if they are unsure of what they are doing,” Botin said. “Someone who is willing to try and put in some effort is the first step of finding a good employee and from there you can teach them a lot of good skills. As well as being a good people person on top of that.”

“The interview and that whole process is just getting your foot in the door, once you’re there that’s when you need to show out and show what you are capable of and continue to do so,” Rueter said.

“As a college graduate you are just entering the workforce, you’re constantly learning and to think that you get out of school and you know exactly what you want to do is obviously unrealistic, but to be that lifelong learner and then also have that personality,” Dufrense said. “Someone who takes their job seriously as well as has fun at work. It is so much fun when you’re able to have fun with your coworkers.”

Q: What are the “Do’s and Don’ts” A: “Always bring your resume, always have an elevator speech about yourself and it’s as simple as what’s your name,

Submitted Photo Lori Schultz discussed how internships provide experiences for students to gain opportunities in their respective field of study. Students should not be afraid to try involving themselves in something new.

what’s your major, what year in school are you, and what are you looking for,” Dufrense said. “There’s nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do after graduation or what you want to do for an internship, but to walk up to an employer and be able to say ‘You know I don’t know exactly what I want to do but I’m interested in this and I’m interested in exploring this’ because it’s our job to help and find that for you. Use the employer, an internship is such a short commitment, you have an outdate.”

“Don’t discredit what your experiences are,” Vander Wal said.

“Put yourself out there and introduce yourself,” Rueter said. “Don’t walk into a room and be quiet and expect others to approach you.”

Q: Does how a person present themselves ultimately affect your decision on hiring them?

A: Williams said yes. “So, when I mean dress to impress it’s not to dress in the best clothes, it’s to show that you care,” he said.

“I judge on the fact of was effort shown,” Dufrense said. “Make sure you

feel confident, and you are able to sell yourself.”

“In today’s more casual business world, I’m less and less likely to let that make a major impact on that decision process,” Rueter said. “Oftentimes I still coach people to dress a step above what they would typically wear. Sometimes if it’s a very close decision it may come down to that. You can only make one first impression.”

Q: What is some advice you have for students to gain experience in their field of interest?

A: “Do internships. Don’t sell yourself short for the experiences you’re getting,” Shultz said. “Every bit of experience you get in an internship is useful. Don’t have a prejudgment and be open-minded.”

“Don’t be afraid to try new things, this is your chance to try it all. If you want to experience something else you have to speak up,” Dufrense said. “It’s your story and it’s your opportunity to write it the way you want to.”

“Putting oneself out there and not being afraid to step outside of your comfort zone because you won’t know

until you try, and if you don’t try you’ve already failed at that,” Ruter said.

Q: Do you have any advice for students on how they should proceed after the career fair?

A: “A follow-up is always really appreciated whether that be a short thank you in an email, I got a text message from a student this past weekend actually which I was not expecting, and it made an impression on me,” Rueter said.

“We meet many people in a short time so it’s important to make your impression,” Botin said.

Upcoming Career Fairs

- Management, Economics, and

Communication Career Fair: Nov. 1 12-4 p.m. at Club 71, Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium - Brookings Job Day: Spring 2024 - Geography and Geospatial Fair: Spring 2024

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sdsucollegian.com

October 25, 2023

Collegian Photo by ALLIE WEBER

Coffee house events return to Pierson GABRIELLE FINK Reporter Since 2017, Brian Dominguez, assistant director for Student Leadership and Learning, collaborates with the Residence Hall Association, the Residence Hall Programming Committee and the community assistants of Pierson Hall to put on free events for all South Dakota State University students to attend.

“Coffee Houses are done three times a year since 2017,” Dominquez said. “First in September with a musician, then in December with a winter wonderland. In the spring semester, we have a comedy coffee house in March, and we may do a dark roast comedy, roasting the audience, at the end of the school year.”

Since Pierson Hall was being renovated last school year, the Coffee House events had come to a halt. But now they are back and better than ever.

“In the past, we had to makeshift the

Hobo Hangout into a place for entertainment,” Dominguez said. “We would bring in sound systems and lights, but now the Hobo Hangout has been remodeled with sound systems and lights.”

Wednesday Sept. 27, they had the grand reopening of Coffee House events with $500 worth of prizes and musician, Kyle Knutson to provide entertainment.

Kyle Knutson is a former SDSU student and resident of Pierson Hall. This also isn’t his first time performing in the Hobo Hangout. “It’s neat to see Pierson Hall renovated,” Knutson said. “It makes me feel dated to come back and see all the new amenities, but it’s very nostalgic.”

Knutson graduated from SDSU in 2009 with a degree in music merchandising. He then went on to Nashville to continue chasing a career in music. Today, Knutson plays what he calls “front porch blues” for private events and he used to play in bars and high-end restau-

rants in Sioux Falls before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Not only does Knutson perform for various events, but he also does construction and some farming. “I’ve got irons in several fires,” Knutson said. “I’m a jack of all trades, master of some.”

The grand reopening of Coffee House events was a success. “This was very entertaining and had good music and food,” Linsey Schmoll, an attendee of the event, said. “The prizes are what drew me to this event.”

“The Hobo Hangout is a big and versatile space that everyone can utilize,” Ellary Jacoby, a community assistant in Pierson Hall, said. “It’s a positive thing for Pierson and the students. Having events down here helps bring students together and helps them realize they can utilize the space.”

“These events are good for students to come and relax,”Dominguez said. “The Hobo Hangout not only allows for bigger

events but creates another space for club meetings and for the students to have a bigger space for fun.”

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sdsucollegian.com

October 25, 2023

Associate professor awarded at South Daktoa Film Festival The Dean of South Dakota Broadcasting

ANDREW LEWNO Reporter Through the front door of Yeager Hall on campus lies a wall of commemorated journalists who greet those who enter.

An SDSU faculty member saw this and it sparked an idea that would ultimately award him an honor from the South Dakota Film Festival.

SDSU Associate Professor Rocky Dailey was awarded at the 16th annual South Dakota Film Festival held in Aberdeen, South Dakota for Best Rocky Dailey Documentary Short with his film “The Dean of South Dakota Broadcasting” in September.

“This is a part of a project I started a few years ago because my background is broadcast journalism,” Dailey said.

“When you walk into Yeager Hall you see the newspaper hall of fame and it got me thinking about, you know, ‘Where’s the broadcaster hall of fame? Where’s that content?’”

Using his background in photojournalism, Dailey selected a documentary to portray the stories of significant figures in the SD broadcasting scene.

“Documentary film is my favorite because it combines filmmaking and

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journalism; it’s a nonfiction narrative,” Dailey said.

Dailey’s expertise and passion for the film style, as well as a grant received in 2020 to pursue the project, aided in the development of what became an award winning production.

“It was a lot of fun! I was able to go [to the South Dakota Film Festival],” Dailey said. “I always kind of geek-out when I see it on the big screen because I’ve only seen it on my monitor.”

“The Dean of South Dakota Broadcasting” was not the first chapter of Dailey’s mission to bring SD broadcasting into light, nor was it his first submission to the SDFF. “The one that just won the award is the second episode so it’s a series,”

The Collegian is the independent student newspaper at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. The Collegian is published by and for South Dakota State University students under the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press.

Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration.

The Collegian is published weekly on Wednesday during the academic year of SDSU.

Dailey said. “I actually had submitted the first episode but it wasn’t chosen. I did a project with a student a few years ago that we submitted and also wasn’t chosen.”

With four episodes of the series, a SDFF award for best Documentary Short, and airtime on the South Dakota Public Broadcasting TV stations over the summer of 2023 all under his belt, Dailey has no intentions of slowing down the production of these documentaries.

“My goal is to do one episode a year.

Really, this could go on for 10 years or more,” Dailey said. “I’m pretty confident I can keep on that schedule and my goal is to get more students involved and maybe a student produces an episode on a person they’re interested in. There is no

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end in sight.”

With his goal to eventually collaborate with students on his project, Dailey offered some advice for aspiring filmmakers to achieve their own personal goals.

“Know your equipment,” Dailey said. “Even my older phone shoots 4k video. The equipment really does a lot of the things for you. You don’t want to do a topic you’re not interested in because then it just becomes work. My mother told me once, ‘You’ll never work a day in your life doing something you love, but if you’re ever so into something that hours go by and you don’t know, that is what heaven is like.’ Play around; shoot some things, edit some things.

It’s never been easier [to].”

Dailey was overall pleased by the success of his work and enjoyed seeing the impact it had on the locale.

“This project especially has an impact.

There is a local audience,” Dailey said.

“We’ve gotten feedback from South Dakota Broadcasting Association and the screening there, whereas some of the things you do as a professor, you write an article and it’s in a journal somewhere, but you never know who sees it or what they think about it. With this, I can see the impact and see that people are interested in it and it’s fun.”

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UPD Daily Crime Log

The following were included in the University Police Department daily crime log from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21: • • • •

• • • •

•

• •

SUNDAY, OCT. 15 12:15 a.m., 700 block of 11th Ave., DUI 1:06 a.m., Pierson Hall, disorderly conduct 1:10 a.m., Schultz Hall, domestic 2:30 a.m., 8th Street/Campanile Ave., liqour/possession/consumption 3:08 a.m., Medows South, liqour/ possession/consumption 3:24 a.m., 500 block of 20th Ave., DUI 3:40 a.m., Brown Hall, liqout/possession/consumption 2:04 p.m, SDSU Starbucks, lost property MONDAY, OCT. 16 3:15 p.m., Pierson Hall, ficticious/ false ID SATURDAY, OCT. 21 2:21 a.m., Eighth Street/12th Ave., liquor/possession/consumption 2:58 a.m., Lot 158, DUI 900 8th St.

sdsucollegian.com

October 25, 2023

Downtown watch party

Area Chamber of Commerce to host USD v. SDSU Main Ave. tailgate ZACH KRUZE Reporter The City of Brookings is expected to draw a large crowd. The Main Avenue Block Party, hosted by First Bank Trust and Daktronics, promises to be a memorable day for attendees of all ages.

The Main Ave. Block Party will take place on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The location of the event is the half-block between Skinners and Allegra in Downtown Brookings. The event will offer a variety of services and activities to make it an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Attendees can purchase food and drinks from Skinners, Pints and Quarts and Cubby’s. Porta Potties will be available for convenience. Plus, there will be a free bags tournament that starts at 12:00 p.m., with the winning team receiving $100 in Chamber Bucks.

Sophomore, Trista Baustian, is happy that the community can come together for a fun time downtown Brookings to enjoy the game. “The game will be a great chance to connect with friends and family while participating in fun activities and having a great set up to enjoy the game,” Baustian said. “Having an opportunity like this is so great.”

For the football game viewing experience, Sideline Productions will set up a 20-foot screen with surround sound in Downtown Brookings to ensure that all attendees can follow the game without any hindrance.

Morgan Gonnerman, who is a freshman at SDSU, is excited for the event.

“It should be a very great time hanging with friends while watching SDSU beat USD,” Gonnerman said. “We should appreciate the fact that we will be able to

watch a huge rival game while still being in Brookings.”

Organizers are anticipating a significant turnout for the event, with over 350 responses on the Facebook event “and still expecting more” according to Casey Stickland. The half-block on Main Street offers ample space to accommodate all attendees comfortably.

The Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce extends its gratitude to various sponsors who have made the event possible. Notable sponsors include First Bank & Trust, Daktronics, Avera Medical Group and more.

Local businesses participating in the event include First Bank & Trust, Skinners, Pints and Quarts, Cubby’s and Sideline Productions. These businesses, along with sponsors, are contributing to the success of the Main Avenue Block Party.

The Main Avenue Block Party is free to attend, ensuring accessibility for everyone. However, attendees will need to purchase food and drinks on-site as outside food and drinks are not allowed.

It is important to note that the event’s occurrence is weather-dependent, so attendees are advised to keep an eye on the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce’s

Facebook Page for updates.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating if desired, ensuring comfort while enjoying the festivities.

Downtown watch party 11 a.m. - Pre-Game Begins 12 p.m. - Bags tournament • No entry fee.

1 p.m. Kickoff • Broadcast on 20 foot screen with surround sound.

• • •

Entry to the watch party is free.

Event is subject to weather.

No food or beverage is allowed into or out of the watch party.

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sdsucollegian.com

October 25, 2023

New club’s meetings already attracting 100-plus students CASSIDY STROMMEN Reporter The Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club might be one of South Dakota State’s newest clubs, but it’s already one of the biggest.

The university is home to over 250 clubs and organizations, allowing students to gather and talk about shared interests, contribute toward a shared goal and volunteer. At Monday’s Students’ Assocation, Sen. Carter Howell told his fellow senators the CCC is already the second biggest club on campus.

Isaac Berg, a senior studying animal science from Pipestone, Minnesota, got the idea for the club after attending CattleCon in Houston, Texas, two years ago.

“I saw all these other cattlemen’s clubs from different universities participating in events at CattleCon,” Berg said. “I thought to myself, ‘why doesn’t SDSU have one?’”

After that convention, Berg started the process of creating the club. During the spring semester of 2023, he gathered members, spread word about the organization and created the founding documents. In February, the club was officially chartered.

The clubs very first meeting in March, about 100 students drove to the SDSU cow calf unit to tour the facility. For Berg, seeing that many students attend the meeting assured him that the future of the club would be in good hands.

“I felt like I succeeded,” Berg said. “To see how excited people were to join or even just to learn about the club leading up to the meeting was a really gratifying experience.”

On Sept. 14, the CCC hosted its first

meeting of the fall semester, serving ribeye sandwiches and listening to speakers from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. 130 students signed the attendance form, shattering the attendance record from the last meeting.

“Seeing 130 kids was pretty exciting,” said Mitchell Vander Wal, president of the Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club. “At the same time, I was kind of nervous. I wanted to give them a meeting that they were expecting.”

At that meeting, two speakers from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) talked to students about the work they do on a national level. Galle Waletich, NCBA’s manager of membership and affiliate services, presented on the benefits of becoming a member.

“I am very excited,” Waletich said.

“As a South Dakota resident and SDSU alum, I think it’s very important for the future of our youth industry to get involved at a young age and take advantage of the different opportunities.”

Waletich was also surprised at the number of students who showed up.

“The clubs I was involved in had maybe 10 to 15 people, 20 on a good day,” Waletich said. “People just kept coming and coming and I thought this had to be one of the biggest clubs on campus.”

The new student organization is currently thinking of ways to get students even more involved in the club while learning about the cattle industry in South Dakota. Vander Wal said the officer team is excited to potentially host an event next semester.

“We’re hoping to go on a spring trip,” Vander Wal said. “Our goal is to go west and look at some various parts of the cattle industry out there, whether it’s genetic advancement, large-scale production, seedstock production, commercial

Collegian photo by Lauren Weishaar The Collegiate Cattlemen’s Club was formed ealier this by Issac Berg to help students to help students learn more about the industry and also connect with industry leaders.

production and feedlot feeding cattle.”

The executive team would like to invite all cattle enthusiasts to the next

meeting, which will be on Nov. 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Animal Science 126.

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NEWS

October 25, 2023

FEAR ASYLUM

New Additions this Season MAKENZIE ALBERTS Reporter

The Fear Asylum haunted house in Brookings is scarier than ever this spooky season because of new additions, Sara Mack general manager Sara Mack says.

Located at 216 Sixth St. W, the Fear Asylum is in its 13th year of scaring. They are open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in October, Halloween and the first Friday and Saturday in November. Hours run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., depending on the day of the week, Mack said.

The Fear Asylum offers more than its Haunted Attraction, Mack said. Options like the B-Block Breakout and Abduction Escape Room bring more scary opportunities. Additionally, the company has an attraction called The Ride, where people can experience being taken in a hearse and buried in the ground alive.

When asked about what brought her to the Fear Asylum, Mack described the unique pathway.

“It was their second year open in 2011 and I went through at least a dozen times in one season,” Mack said.

Mack wanted to be a part of the Fear Asylum so much and she eventually ended up marrying one of the actors who connected her with the owner Buck Burdick to land her a job.

Before working at Fear Asylum, Mack went to cosmetology school and worked in Texas in retail and manufacturing for five years. She returned to Brookings and the Fear Asylum.

“I compare it to Monsters Inc.,” Mack said. “You know, we scare because we care.”

The Fear Asylum building used to be a hot tub store that Burdick owned and would transform it into a haunted house each Halloween. One year, he randomly decided to build a haunted house, which consisted of Burdick and six friends on a show room floor as actors.

There are about 35 to 40 people who play a role in the process. Technology,

lighting, build crew, programming, props, and the actors are just some of the crew Mack said.

They have a program they call “The Show,” that controls everything that.

They start makeup and getting ready for the night at about 4:30 p.m. each day.

Mack says the attendance rate this year has been on par with past years even though it has been a colder year. With one-fourth of the haunted attractions outside, the rain and temperature played a small factor in attendance.

New this year are a lot of different scenes Mack helped design. Some include a sewer, graveyard, an underground research facility and new additions to the C.E.C., or the Covert Experimentation Center, where the facilities staff has been turning patients into test subjects.

They offer three different admission costs. The Fast Pass for $40 includes the Full Experience with the 4D room and a guaranteed one-third of the wait time to the Haunted Attraction. For $55, the VIP pass will get people to the front of the line, into both escape rooms and the Last Ride.

General admission is $25.

Tickets can be purchased on their website or at the door and they take both cash and credit card, Mack says.

At times, they had the line down to the nearby Casey’s store, so they knew the wait time was past closing time making them sell out of tickets, Mack said. They will honor tickets purchased online to get in first. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to get through, depending on the size of the group.

Mack suggests not being the first one to walk in because the actors usually aren’t warmed up yet.

“They hit their crazy around 9 p.m.,” Mack said.

The most rewarding part of Mack’s job is hearing the actors go on about the great scares or the cool things they did after each show.

“I call them my haunt children. It’s a weird feeling,” Mack said.

Photo courtesty of Fear Asylum A variety of scary creatures are waiting to scare you at the Fear Asylum. The Asylum is located at 216 6th St. West in Brookings and is open from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. until Nov. 1.

Mack and Burdick credit the success of Fear Asylum to the actors because they are the heart and soul of the operation.

Past Fear Asylum attendee Jaden Weinkauf is a South Dakota State University Sophomore from Woodstock, Minnesota, studying animal science.

Weinkauf decided to go the Fear Asylum because she had overheard describing it as a fun time. The day she attended was also her birthday so she thought it would be fun to go.

Compared to other haunted houses, she had been to what she thought was great for a smaller area with limited space. She enjoyed how some of the rooms were almost hands on and they had to do a small task.

“I really liked how the characters kind of get in your face,” Weinkauf said.

Weinkauf advises people planning to go to order tickets online and wear good shoes since sometimes the ground is uneven.

Weinkauf is not too scared of haunted houses and normally laughs the whole time. That said, she rates the Fear Asylum level of scariness eight on a scale of one to 10. Weinkauf would recommend it to other students, especially if they are looking for something to do on the weekends.

Mack says people should go the Fear Asylum because they can make a night out of it. If people are not scared, they can expect to at least be entertained by the theme and the artistry built into the process.

sdsucollegian.com

OPINION A11

MOVIE REVIEW: A terrible day for an exorcism “The Exorcist: Believer” is an unmitigated failure

JACK MCCARTY Entertainment Editor How did we get here folks? 50 years after the release of one of the best and most iconic horror films ever made, they are still making sequels that not only fail to reach the bar that the original set, but also somehow manages to limbo dance beneath the earth’s crust right under it.

It’s almost admirable in a way. Think about it, most of us aren’t willing to do anything for as long as they’ve been making terrible “Exorcist” sequels.

A lot of you might not have known that there was even a sequel to “The Exorcist,” and even less probably know that the original “Exorcist” was part of a trilogy that ended in 1990. In the entire state of South Dakota there are probably less than five people that know about the two films that came out in 2004 and 2005, “Exorcist: The Beginning” and “Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist” respectively. That makes this film the sixth entry in the “Exorcist” franchise, and while it doesn’t live up to the legacy of the original, it does live up to the legacy of the sequels in the way that “The Exorcist: Believer” is downright unwatchable.

The first glaring issue with the film is one that I have seen too many films in recent years make. The movie is way too dark. Not that the subject matter is too scary or disturbing, this movie is a walkthrough Disneyland compared to the original in that regard. No, the lighting is too dark to see anything. My brother and I were both squinting for what felt like half the movie. This made it physically painful to watch at times.

The pacing is also a problem. To describe it as rushed would be an understatement. Where in the original there was a slow but meaningful build up to the final climactic exorcism scene, it feels like this movie is sprinting as quickly as it possibly can to the action as if it thinks

that if the movie doesn’t show you something spooky for two seconds, you’ll just leave the theater.

Another problem that this film, and so many other modern horror films have, is that its liberal use of jump scares. This has practically become my litmus test for any horror movie. If it feels the need to psych you out with five or six jump scares before anything scary happens, then the movie you’re watching probably isn’t worth your time. If it can’t earn a scare the right way through proper use of writing, tension, and all the other tools filmmakers have, then it’s less a movie and more akin to one of those lame haunted houses you find at the county fair. I guess that’s the one nice thing I can say about this movie; it is marginally more entertaining than a cheap carnival ride.

One slight issue I had with the original film was that I was a bit disappointed with how short the actual exorcism scene is. It only takes up about 20 minutes at the very end and I was hoping that we would get to see a bit more of the process.

“The Exorcist: Believer” shows why that would have been a terrible idea. This is because most of the film is taken up by the film’s mediocre attempt at an exorcist scene, and it is beyond tedious to watch.

My brother almost fell asleep during it, and if I were not in such stunned disbelief at the incompetency of the film, I probably would have as well.

That’s also why I said before that this movie barely even feels like a movie. It tries to make a proper introduction and set up, but then by the time the exorcism starts around the second act, it just gives up and becomes a bunch of people mindlessly screaming at two little girls strapped to a chair, and then the movie just kind of ends.

There is something that could be considered a payoff and a slight twist at the end, but by the time the movie wraps up it feels like nothing has even hap-

“The Exorcist: Believer” was released into theaters Oct. 6.

pened. It just left me with the feeling that the movie hadn’t even started yet, even though I had been sitting there for over two hours. It was incredibly surreal.

If I had to say anything genuinely positive about the movie it would probably be that the effects weren’t too bad. I didn’t really notice anything cheesy or blatantly fake, but with how everything else about the movie doesn’t even remotely come together I’m not sure how much that really matters.

I also feel bad for the actors because I think that they were honestly trying and giving it their all, but the writing and the direction was just so bad that it masks anything even resembling talent.

Collegian photo by JACK MCCARTY

Everything from its pacing to its writing, to its basic cinematography, this film somehow manages not to get a single thing right. Where the original works as a masterful dive and exploration into the uncanny valley, the only uncanny thing about “The Exorcist: Believer” is how little it seems to resemble a functioning piece of art. And while I love terrible horror movies, this movie isn’t bad the way movies like “Jason X” or “The Leprechaun” are, where it’s fun and doesn’t take it’s self too seriously. This movie is just boring and that’s the worst thing any piece of art can be. Save your money. This movie sucks, I give it a 2/10.

A12

OPINION

sdsucollegian.com

October 25, 2023

Jon Pardi makes his way to Brookings on his Saturday Night World Tour

CHRISTIAN LARSON Entertainment Reporter

California-born country singer-songwriter, Jon Pardi, brought his Mr. Saturday Night World Tour to Brookings on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2023. This marked one of 33 stops on the tour and Pardi’s first time performing in South Dakota since 2021.

Opening acts included rising country artist, Ella Langley, and established

country group, Midland. Langley, originally from Alabama, went viral on the social media platform TikTok with her song “If You Have To” and has continued to see success with songs like “That’s Why We Fight.” Midland, a Texas-based group, is one of the few successful country groups of the last five years, best known for their chart-topping single “Drinkin’ Problems.”

Pardi, who is best known for his trio of number-one singles from

2016’s chart-topping album, “California Sunrise,” kicked off the show with “Last Night Lonely,” the lead single to his most recent album, “Mr. Saturday Night.”

Throughout his hour-and-30-minute performance, Pardi performed a set that mainly consisted of songs from his most recent album, “Mr. Saturday Night” in addition to his most wellknown hits.

Pardi has always stood out amongst

his other male peers as he’s leaned into a more traditional country sound and image. He was at his strongest when performing those more traditional type of songs like “Head Over Boots” and “Heartache Medication” which had the entire arena on their feet. While the majority of the setlist consisted of high-energy songs, it could’ve benefited from spacing out more of the well-known songs to help keep the crowd engaged.

A13

OPINION

sdsucollegian.com

October 25, 2023

Collegian photo by CHRISTIAN LARSON A photo of legednary country singer Jon Pardi performing along side his fellow musicians at the Dacotah Bank Center on Oct. 18.

Crowd favorites from the show were “Dirt on My Boots,” “Head Over Boots,” and “Heartache on the Dancefloor” which were all chart-toppings singles from Pardi’s sophomore album, “California Sunrise.”

The stage design was simple, but effective for an artist like Pardi who’s on a small arena tour. The stage itself was

your typical stage but had a set of risers to elevate his band, creating a twotiered stage look. Behind the stage was a large screen that displayed a variety of visuals and live video footage of Pardi.

One piece that the stage could’ve benefited from was a catwalk into the pit which would’ve helped with the overall audience interactions.

It should be no surprise that Jon Pardi continues to be one of the more notable, consistent touring and recording acts in country music. With multiple chart-topping singles, a Grand Ole Opry membership, and award recognition from both the Academy of Country Music, and the Country Music Association, under his belt, it’s clear that Pardi isn’t

slowing down anytime soon.

Fans can expect new music as soon as Oct. 27, as Pardi is set to release his first Christmas project called “Merry Christmas from Jon Pardi.” The 12-track album is a collection of original material and covers of Christmas classics.

A14

NEWS

October 25, 2023

Are you ready to rock?

SDSU radio statio, KSDJ, purchases over 2,000 songs JACK MCCARTY Entertainment Editor Over two thousand new songs have been purchased for SDSU’s radio station, KSDJ, with the help of its senior advisor, Brian Stemwedel.

Stemwedel said that this was an important decision because “to my knowledge, there hasn’t been a significant investment into the music library case for probably 20 years or more.” and that “right now the music that we do have is mostly from the early 2000s through the mid 2000s and really no music other than a few anomalies from before that.

And so, we’re really trying to grow the student radio and bring back some excitement to it.”

The purchase cost around $2,500 and was bought from a company called Radio Musical which helps supply songs to local radio stations.

The songs that were purchased come from a variety of genres and decades.

There’s everything from pop, rock, and even some dance music.

Even though Stemwedel doesn’t think that this purchase is going to entice many more people to tune into the radio station, he still thinks it was an important purchase.

“You know, we just felt like it was a needed thing, like it hadn’t been an investment made in music in quite a while,” Stemwedel said. “And so, the scope of the music getting played was pretty narrow. College radio is more about giving students an opportunity to work in broadcasting, get some experience and just have fun.”

Stemwedel also has a few things he wants the community of SDSU to know.

The first thing is “We’re entering our 30th year of being an entity here on SDSU’ campus. We first went on air in Decem-

ber of 1993. So, we’re kind of coming up very quickly on that 30th anniversary,” Stemwedel said. “You know, the last few years had been rough. I think there has been a dip in student engagement with those that were taking the opportunity of working at the station. And then with COVID, you know, that really put a dent in things” and that in turn “we’re kind of building it back up.”

He also wants people to know that they are getting more, as well as a wide variety of, student programming. Some of this new programming ranges from podcasts, interviews, to even more sports.

Finally, Stemwedel wants students to know that “if you or anybody you know, has a desire to either be on air, either as an out announcer or an interviewer, or if they’d like to work in audio production or really in any of the capacities of just kind of running a a small radio station, they can contact us and, you know, we’d welcome them aboard.”

Collegian photo by BRAYDEN BYERS For inquiries about how to get started KSDJ Faculty Advisor Brian Stemwedel, left, teaches SDSU students Ben Anderson, center, and Katie at KSDJ please contact Brian Stemwedel Brenholt, right, about KSDJ’s automation and emergency alert systems. KSDJ is celebrating it’s 30th year of providing the SDSU community with music and information. at brian.stemwedel@sdstate.edu.

WAYS TO LISTEN TO KSDJ Radio: 97.1 FM Website: KSDJRadio.com Streaming: TuneIn.com or the TuneIn App Sports and live events: YouTube (KSDJ 90.7)

A15

SPORTS

October 25, 2023

Jackrabbits to travel to UND

BRAYDEN BYERS Managing Editor The Jackrabbit volleyball team only has one game this week, and it’s against regional rival North Dakota in Grand Forks.

South Dakota State has had a rough season up to this point, sitting at a 4-15 record going into last week before winning two games against St. Thomas, 3-0, and league leading Kansas City, 3-2 and dropping one to South Dakota 3-2 earlier in the week.

Outside hitter Sylvie Zgonc was rewarded for her efforts as Summit League Offensive Peak Performer of the Week which was announced Tuesday. The freshman led the league with 58 total kills averaging 4.45 per set helping the Jacks win two out of the three games on their schedule last week.

SDSU (4-6 Summit League) now sits at a much more favorable position in the conference standings at sixth.

One spot above their opponent this week.

The Fighting Hawks (6-16, 3-7 Summit) are coming fresh off a 1-2 week getting swept by in-state rival NDSU, losing to Denver pushing it to all five sets, and sweeping Collegian photo by EVAN PATZWALD Oral Roberts in their 50th Anniversary Celebration at the The South Dakota State volleyball team celebrates afer a point is scored during a volleyball match Thursday, Oct. 6, 2023 at Frost Arena in Brookings. The Jackrabbits will travel up I-29 Thursday for an intra-state showdown against UND. Betty in Grand Forks.

UND hit at a .255 clip limiting the Golden Eagles to just .068. Izzie McCormick paced the Hawks with before a Van Egdom kill tied it up. KC two aces while the team totaled five. then pulled away and held onto the lead Teagan Timperley, Maddy Hornyak and to win the set 25-23.

SDSU v. UND Eilzabeth Norris all had one.

In the fifth frame, Sydni Schetnan put After a close first set between North down a kill giving the Jacks an 8-6 lead.

Dakota and ORU, the Golden Eagles When/Where: 7 p.m.

Tied at 10, the Jacks tallied five of the jumped out to an early lead before Thursday at the Betty Enfinal six points to get the 15-11 set win and UND closed the gap. After an 8-0 run gelstad Sioux Center the match win advancing in the all-time in the middle of the frame, the Hawks series 13-12. found themselves up 22-19. Oral Roberts TV: Midco Sports The Jacks look to take their first confought off four straight points to tie the Streaming: The Summit secutive wins this season into the Betty set, but UND got the advantage off backin Grand Forks for a Thursday evening League Network to-back errors from the away team. matchup with first serve set for 7 p.m.

South Dakota State, meanwhile, Last Time: UND won 3-0 The next match for the Jackrabbits found a way to push Kansas City the last year in Brookings will be at the Bentson-Bunker Fieldhouse distance for their first five-set win this in Fargo against North Dakota State next Last Week: SDSU won 3-2 season.

The Jacks jumped out to a 2-set lead Stella Winterfeld (7) waits for a serve Thursday at 7 p.m. against Kansas City; UND over the Roos. They led 12-11 before during a volleyball match Thursday, won 3-0 against Oral RobKansas City went on a 5-0 run to put Oct. 6, 2023 at Frost Arena. erts them ahead. KC ended the set with eight straight points to turn the tide.

The fourth set was tight throughout until a 3-0 stretch put the Roos up 13-10. An error by Kansas City and a Faith Saewert ace helped the Jacks back into striking distance

A16

SPORTS

October 25, 2023

Jacks earn No. 2 seed after draw against Omaha

JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter

SDSU and Omaha ended their respective regular seasons with a 1-1 tie at Fishback Park in Brookings, South Dakota. The game, which was originally scheduled for Oct. 12 and postponed due to inclement weather, was delayed by two hours due to lightning in the area and started just before 6 p.m.

The game started off slow with no shots on goal until the 13th minute from Omaha. The ball went into the net, though the goal would be wiped clean by an offsides call against the Mavericks.

Katherine Jones scored the first goal of the game in the 42nd minute with an assist from Kaycee Manding. This was Jones’ third goal of the season, and the 36th goal for the Jacks this year. Omaha scored their only goal of the game with Alyssa Kellar making the shot after the assist

by Lauren Schmidt to tie it up in the 65th minute.

Both teams combined for 20 shots with each team splitting the total. Avery Murdzek led the Jackrabbits with four shots including two shots on goal. Jadenn Carrillo and Laney Murdzek both had two shots each, with Carrillo having two shots on goal and Laney Murdzek with one shot on goal.

The 10 shots made by SDSU bring their season total to 266 with an average of more than 15 shots per game. Shots on the goal for the Jackrabbits totaled 118, bringing their shots on goal percentage for the regular season to a little more than 44%.

Jocelyn Tanner made a total of three saves while five saves were made by Omaha’s Emma Konsmo. Tanner ends the regular season with 40 saves.

The Jacks outnumbered the Mavericks in corner kicks 7-1, bringing their season total to 120. It took Omaha until the 62nd minute to get their first corner kick.

Omaha’s Emilie Erland led the Mavericks with three shots while Sophia Green made two shots of her own.

Five other Mavericks made one shot a piece.

Omaha struggled with multiple calls made against them. A total of 12 fouls were called against Omaha, and a yellow card on Alyssa Kellar for unsporting conduct in the 74th minute. Offsides was called against the Mavericks a total of four times, including the one called on what would have been the first score of the game.

The Jacks finish their season 11-3-3. This was their 14th game scoring first this season and they have an 11-1-2 record in those games. Omaha finishes

Photo by Evan Patzwald Birna Bjornsdottir handles the ball for the Jacks during their match against St. Thomas at the Fishback Soccer Park.

Summit League Stat Leaders Shots: Sophia Green- Omaha (50) Shots on goal: Sophia Green- Omaha (22) Goals: Sophia Green- Omaha (9) Assists: Kennedy Langebartels- Oral Roberts (6) Game-winning goals: Jade Carillo- SDSU (3) Points: Sophia Green- Omaha (22) Goalie saves: Madi Livingston- UND (95)

their season with a 6-4-6 record.

The Jackrabbits will enter the Summit League tournament as the number two seed while Omaha will be the number four seed. The Summit League tournament begins on Friday, Oct. 27, and the Jackrabbits will host the winner of third-seed Oral Roberts versus sixth-seed Kansas City on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m at Fishback Park. The game can be watched on Midco Sports Plus.

Katherine Jones inbounds the ball in their 3-0 victory on Oct. 15.

A17

SPORTS

October 25, 2023

Ex-Olympian uses experience to help his athletes succeed on track, in life RUTHANN HOLMES Reporter

SDSU Cross Country and Track & Field coach Rod DeHaven has experienced a challenging and rewarding running career and is showing students not to give up.

The men’s and women’s cross-country team has been doing well this season with several top-10 placings throughout the season. The Jacks will be hosting the Summit League Cross Country Championship on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 11 a.m. and DeHaven is looking forward with confidence for the championship.

DeHaven was born in Sacramento, California and at the age of 4, he moved to Huron with his mother. His running career began in middle school running in track meets. He started running long distance at the Jackrabbit 15 Road Race. In high school, he competed in cross country and track, earning a state championship in cross country his senior year and gaining the 1,600- and 3,200meter state track titles.

DeHaven attended South Dakota State University, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science and ended his collegiate career as one of the most decorated runners in Jackrabbit history. In cross country he won: •20 North Central Conference individual titles •4 top- 10 at the NCAA Division II National Championships •16 All-American titles •7 school records in middle length events (four currently stand) After college, DeHaven moved to Madison, Wisconsin to work as a business systems analyst. He still ran competitively and set a goal of running in the Olympics. It was seven years after graduation when DeHaven qualified to run in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, but due to “little injuries that hurt at the time,” he dropped out.

“The biggest thing is always timing,” DeHaven said.

However, the 1996 Olympic Games were not his last chance to run on the biggest stage. DeHaven described himself as being in good shape and uninjured when he qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney,

Australia.

Traveling to Australia the marathon runners had to leave 20 days earlier because it was the last flight the Olympic committee was sending. While staying in the Olympic Village, DeHaven was not prepared for the living arrangements. “At 33, sleeping in a bunk bed on the upper level was bizarre,” DeHaven said.

Staying in the village was a communal experience but due to the flu, there were not as many athletes present.

After a week in the village, he went to New Zealand on advice from some other competitors, and when he got back to Sydney, he stayed with members of the shooting team in a construction trailer.

DeHaven unfortunately experienced some trouble before the race.

“Race day came and unfortunately I had some intestinal problems off at the wrong time, it was a struggle, but I got the race done,” he said.

The 2000 Olympics didn’t go as planned, but it is notable that DeHaven was the only U.S. Olympian running in the race and he says he was lucky to have that experience.

After the Olympics, coaching became a possibility for DeHaven and SDSU encouraged him to speak at and be at SDSU events. The tipping point for DeHaven to become a coach was when Paul Danger encouraged him to think about coaching after he was inducted into the NCAA Division II Cross Country Hall of Fame. They believed it was important to have an alumni in the room.

In 2011, DeHaven was hired as the coach and since then has won conference Coach of the Year 13 times while leading both the men’s and women’s team to multiple Summit League titles in 12 of those seasons.

As the director of track and field and cross country for over 17 years, he wants all his runners to succeed and “understand that they’re capable of doing a lot more than maybe they think in terms of being a student athlete,” and to leave confident. He strives for his runners to have academics and their family as their top priorities.

Emma Gonzalez is a sophomore distance runner who competes in the 1,500-meter run at South Dakota State.

She said DeHaven teaches his athletes to “lay the bricks of our futures even when things are difficult.” Having the season being the entire school year as a team, they develop a family-oriented and supporting atmosphere.

WORLDWIDE COMPETITIONS 1991: 19th IAAF World Cross Country Championships: 12k-37:34-194th 1994: 7th IAAF World Championships: Marathon -2:19:6-24th 2000: Olympic Trials: Marathon- 2:15:30-1st 2000: Olympic Games: Marathon- 2:30:4669th 2000: Naples Half Marathon: Half Marathon- 1:3:12-1st 2001: Chicago Marathon: Marathon -2:11:406th GoJacks.com

GoJacks.com

A18

October 25, 2023

SPORTS

Collegian Photo by JOCLYN HAVEN Jackrabbit runningback Isaiah Davis breaks a run to the outside and scores a touchdown in SDSU’s 28-3 victory against USD last October at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. That game attrcted 19,332 fans, and this year’s matchup scheduled for 1 p.m. at the DakotaDome has generated new interest in the rivalry. Fan unable to attend can watch the game on Midco Sports, ESPN+ and listened to on the Jackrabbit Sports Network.

SoDak Showdown No. 1 Jackrabbits face resurgent No. 9 Coyotes

MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor The battle for South Dakota comes back once again this year as the No.1 ranked South Dakota State Jackrabbits travel to Vermillion, SD to take on the No. 8 University of South Dakota Coyotes on Oct. 28 at 1:00 pm.

These two South Dakota teams have met on the gridiron a total of 114 times, with the first time being the inaugural year of South Dakota in 1889 which ended in a 6-6 tie. Since then, SDSU owns the board sitting at a 56-54-7 record against the only other FCS school in the state.

The last time the Coyotes had home field advantage

ended poorly for the Jacks, as USD completed a last chance Hail Mary to win the game. Though a disappointing memory for SDSU, they got the last laugh in the 2022 season as they walloped South Dakota at the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium 28-3.

To head coach Jimmy Rogers, preparation is key when going into rivalry games.

“The guys know who we are playing, will there be a height of sense of urgency and energy? Yeah, that’s what a rival game is about,” Rogers said in his weekly press conference.

Univeristy of South Dakota

The University of South Dakota has been a team to watch this season under head coach Bob Nielson. Last year, the Coyotes finished with a gruesome 3-8 record and walked into the 2023 season unranked. Currently, USD fought their way to the 4th seed on the Stats Preform FCS Top-25 and 9th in the coaches poll after getting national attention when they beat No. 2 NDSU in week four.

The Coyotes are 6-1 with their only loss this season to FBS opponent Missouri. USD and SDSU are the only teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference without a conference loss.

Leading the offense for USD this season is former Iowa State quarterback Aidan Bouman who has thrown

sdsucollegian.com for 1,359 yards this season and 10 touchdowns, throwing just under 70% on the year. He currently sits 8th in the nation for completion percentage.

Bouman’s favorite target has been the impressive Carter Bell. After the departure from last year’s leading receiver Wesley Eliodor, Bell took up the reigns and hasn’t looked back as he has 478 receiving yards this season and seven touchdowns.

With Bell, Jack Martens and JJ Galbreath have been reliable targets for this offense as well. Galbreath sits at 287 yards and four touchdowns this season while Martens 259 and a score.

Junior, Travis Theis, has been successful in his rushing attack up to this point, running the ball for 568 yards this season and four touchdowns on 112 attempts.

Nate Thomas and Charles Pierre each have over 200 yards of their own this season as well, with Thomas at 262 and four touchdowns and Pierre with 214 and three scores.

Stephen Hillis has been a focal point on this 21st ranked defense. The senior linebacker has recorded 115 total tackles this season with 57 of them being on his own.

Hillis also has four sacks, eight tackles for loss and two force fumbles.

“Their defense is really well-rounded,” Rogers said.

“They do a good job of keeping the cup on the football and keeping leverage on the ball and they do a good job just being in passing lines.”

Though Hillis isn’t the only impressive linebacker on this defense. Brock Morgensen has also broken the century mark in total tackles this season with 106, seven quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery he took for 37 yards.

USD has six interceptions on the year with three of them coming from defensive back Myles Harden. The Florida native has 44 tackles on the season with a sack and a fumble recovery.

SDSU After a close 17-10 win against Southern Illinois, the Jackrabbits walk into the DakotaDome 7-0 on the season.

In 2023, South Dakota State has outscored opponents 39 points per game to 12.57 points allowed.

Mark Gronowski and company have led this impressive offense to the 9th ranked in the nation. Gronowski has 1,321 total passing yards this season, throwing for 16 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 69.23% (14th in the nation).

Along with his impressive air attack, the Illinois native has rushed for 137 rushing yards and six scores on 39 attempts.

The skill positions on the offense have proven to be very effective all season with five players over 100 receiving yards. Jaxon Janke sits at the top of the receiver list this season due to the 26 catches and 365 yards he has this season, in which he leads both categories. He also has three touchdowns this year.

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Collegian Photo by JOCLYN HAVEN Isaiah Davis fights off five Coyote defenders. Davis finished the game with 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries.

Griffin Wilde has had an impressive freshman season so far, catching the ball 13 times for 267 yards and four scores. His 20.54 yards per catch average is the highest on the team. Tight end Zach Heins has been a redzone threat all season, with four touchdowns on 17 catches for 223 yards.

Jadon Janke missed the first two games of the season due to injury but has exploded in his last five games. The senior from Madison, SD has 180 yards, three touchdowns and 14 catches on the season.

The one-two punch of Isaiah Davis and Amar Johnson has been almost unstoppable this season. Davis has 98 carries for 685 yards and eight touchdowns while Johnson has 68 carries for 444 yards and one score.

SDSU’s dominant defense has been led by Saiveon Williamson who has pulled in 47 tackles this season as well as two forced fumbles. Fellow linebacker Jason Freeman has been a force to be reckoned with in 2023 too, adding 41 total tackles to the 5th ranked defense in the nation.

State’s seven total interceptions this season have come from all different players with their most recent from Dalys Beanum against SIU. Beanum has 17 tackles this season with fellow defensive back Dyshawn Gales bringing in 20.

Up Next The Jacks will be back at the Dana next week for the Dakota Marker game against North Dakota State University, a rematch of the 2022 FCS National Championship. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Nov. 4.

Collegian Photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL Quarterback Mark Gronnowski throws the football in their 2022 win against USD. Gronowski finished the game with 179 total yards and a touchdown.

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October 25, 2023

JACKS. JACKS. COYOTES. SATURDAY. STORY, PAGES 18-19

Photo by Zoey Schentezel

Photos courtesy of goyotes.com