February 1, 2023

NFL BOUND

Drag Show Controversy

Legislation targetting drag shows and Board of Regents policy introduced after LBGTQ event on campus last month.

Story, PAGE 4

eSports Lounge Opening

After years of development, the eSports club gets a new lounge to call home.

Story, PAGE 5

Tucker Kraft prepares for NFL scouting combine Story, PAGE 12

Collegian photo by JOCLYN HAVEN (She/Her)

JACOB BOYKO News Editor (He/Him)

At the January 30 Students’ Association meeting, SDSU’s vice president of external aff airs and 2022 Hobo Day Grand Pooba presented their “longgame” strategy to boost SDSU’s numbers amid population changes and declining university enrollment across South Dakota. The Senate also passed resolutions in support of Pierre legislation and nominated a candidate for Students’ Association president.

Vernon Brown, vice president of external affairs and former Collegian editor, and Regen Weiderich, SDSU Connect coordinator and 2022 Hobo Day Grand Pooba, presented SDSU Connect. The initiative aims to give SDSU a larger presence in Sioux Falls through their media, district legislators, middle schools, high schools, city government, county government and businesses.

Brown, who joined SDSU last fall, previously worked for KELO-TV, SDN Communications and has served on the Sioux Falls City Council.

Weiderich graduated in December with a degree in communication studies and previously worked as an admissions ambassador at SDSU.

“Because Sioux Falls now makes up 30% of the population in South Dakota, we have about 30% of the seats in the legislature too,” Brown said. “So it’s important as the biggest, most comprehensive university in the state to be forming relationships with Sioux Falls legislators as well.”

Weiderich overviewed the strategy SDSU Connect is implementing in area middle schools.

“Right now, there are six middle schools in the city of Sioux Falls,” Weiderich said. “Three of those are with the Promising Futures Fund, coming to campus for tours of SDSU, [University of South Dakota], [Augustana], and [Dakota State University]. But President Dunn and SDSU really want to expand that to all middle schools in the Sioux Falls metro area.”

The Promising Futures Fund is an organization that helps economi-

STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION BRIEF

cally-disadvantaged children receive a better education.

“We’re also helping promote graduate school,” Brown said. “There are 2,000 teachers in Sioux Falls, and education is one of the last areas where [employees] are paid by their education level. There’s this pool of potential graduate students in the Sioux Falls School District.”

Another aspect of the plan is to help “elevate” SDSU President Barry Dunn’s exposure to Sioux Falls businesses, Brown said.

IRC

International Relations Council announced their annual International Night has been moved from January to March due to lack of communication with SDSU’s dining services provider, Sodexo.

Abigail Dejong, vice president of the Armed Forces Association, also updated the Senate about work the association does. According to Dejong, AFA has provided security during Swiftel Center events, has helped with food drives, and raised money and food for the Brookings Domestic Abuse Shelter and the Jack’s Cupboard food pantry.

Bills:

The Senate discussed Resolution 22-16-R, which “requests the addition of a scoreboard on the north side of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium across from the student section.”

“I think we all understand how annoying it is to turn around and see the score, so I’m not going to elaborate on that,” Trinity Peterson, senator for the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences, said. “But one of the most important things I think this resolution addresses is the fact that it’s not really ADA accessible.”

Peterson said the wheelchair seating in the student section wouldn’t allow for students to easily turn around to see the score. The Senate unanimously approved the resolution.

Resolution 22-17-R, which supported HB 1031, was tabled because of unclear language from the legislature.

HB 1031 makes “an appropriation for the revised construction costs of the dairy research and extension farm at

South Dakota State University, and to declare an emergency.”

The Senate and faculty advisors were not sure if HB 1031 will repair the existing building or fund a new one.

The Senate unanimously approved Resolution 22-18-R, which supports House Bill 1032 appropriation “for the demolition and reconstruction of agricultural-use structures at South Dakota State University, and to declare an emergency.”

Structures damaged during the May 12th Derecho include two experiment hoop sheds, the monoslope horse building, the sheep unit commodity building and the beef breeding north barn.

The last resolution, 22-19-R, supports HB 1055. HB 1055 will “allow the maximum award possible to increase by $1,000 from $6,500 to $7,500.” The resolution passed with unanimous support.

Colegian photo by JACOB BOYKO (He/Him) SDSU Connect Coordinator, Regen Weiderrich addresses the Senate with Vernon Brown, right, vice president of external affairs..

GRACIE TERRALL Co-Editor-in-Chief

(She/Her)

A woman driving a pickup truck Friday morning crashed her vehicle into the side of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, resulting in a shattered front window, damaged patio area and structural damage to the southwest corner of the building.

Ann Park, the store owner, said the accident caused no injuries and there was no disruption in service.

The driver was heading west on sixth street when the vehicle slid into the side of the smoothie restaurant located at 1461 6th Street.

The incident occurred around 8:15 a.m., and the the police were called shortly after to make a report and help pick up debris.

Pickup hits Tropical Smoothie

No injuries, thousands in damage costs

Stephen Heesch, a Tropical Smoothie employee, was at the store during the accident.

“I was walking up front and the truck

came and smashed into the building,” he said. “But she (the driver) said some-

Tropical Smoothie Hours

Tuesday 7 a.m.–9 p.m.

Wednesday 7 a.m.–9 p.m.

Thursday 7 a.m.–9 p.m.

Friday 7 a.m.–9 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m.–9 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

Monday 7 a.m.–9 p.m.

body was turning into her lane and she was honking and I think she lost control and slid into the building.”

According to Park, the crash caused thousands of dollars in damages, which the driver will be responsible for paying.

“The window is about $1000 and the patio tables are probably about $400,” she said. “There is some structural damage to the building that I haven’t gotten a quote on yet.”

Bullet found in Yeager Hall

suspicious and is in possession of that round,” Lockrem said.

A piece of ammunition was found in Yeager Hall Friday, Jan. 13 and was removed by University Police Department officers, according to university officials.

Mike Lockrem, University Marketing and Communications director, said the

According to South Dakota State University’s policy on dangerous weapons and fi rearms, “possession of fi rearms or other dangerous weapons and ammunition on University premises is prohibited unless authorized by the University President, or designee.”

UPD offers firearms storage services but does not accept ammunition.

There have only been four weapons

law violations at SDSU

“UPD came over, removed the ammunition, looked around the building, found nothing

since 2019 according to the 2022 Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports. All four violations took place on public property adjacent to campus.

Lockrem said there are no suspects tied to the stray ammunition and believes it was a “random incident.”

“There’s nothing to indicate that it wasn’t that,” he said. “Again, nothing suspicious. (UPD) did the sweep … and ensured everyone’s safety.”

University Police Department

Contact Information

Non-emergency number 605-688-5117

Email address

sdsu.upd@sdstate.edu

UPD services

Firearm storage, jumpstart service, safety escort, conflict control, self-defence classes

JORDAN RUSCHE Co-Editor-in-Chief (She/Her)

ZOEY SCHENTZEL (She/Her)

A bullet was found in the hallway of Yeager Hall Friday, Jan. 13. There are no suspects currently tied to

the ammunition.

Collegian photo by GRACIE TERRALL (She/Her)

Tropical Smoothie was hit by a vehicle Friday morning, damaging the windows and exterior of the building.

Board of Regents and state House write legislation against drag shows

SERENA DAVIS Asst. Lifestyles Editor (She/Her)

The South Dakota Board of Regents is in the midst of creating a new policy regarding events involving minors on campus.

The change came about after a controversial drag show on campus was advertised as “family friendly.” State lawmakers soon-after expressed their outrage by taking to social media.

The Board of Regents held a special meeting in December which led to all events hosted by South Dakota’s six public universities to be approved by the Regents in order for minors to attend.

“We want our campuses to be safe and welcoming places for students, staff and visitors of all ages, to provide our universities and campus organizations with guidance on events where minors are invited, we have directed staff to expedite the formation of a ‘Minors on Campus’ policy,” said Board of Regents President Pam Roberts in a press release.

Shuree Mortenson, director of communication for the Regents, said the approval method was only temporary until they could get a policy in place.

“We are in the rough draft stages of the policy that will safeguard minors. It will hopefully be able to gain approval in March,” Mortenson said.

If the new policy is adopted, it will pertain to all

events on campus including ones sponsored by the universities and by student organizations. The policy will have details on the protocol for events with minors on campus.

The Board of Regents aren’t the only ones making changes. South Dakota lawmakers have proposed two bills that would prevent future events like the drag show. Republican Rep. Chris Kerr proposed House Bill 1116 which bans any university or technical college under the state’s control to use public money, state owned facilities or property to host, fund or promote any “lewd or lascivious content.”

“Lewd and lascivious content” is stated later in the bill as any program, event or literature that includes:

(1) Any specific sexual activity, as defined in § 11-12-1;

(2) Any specifi c anatomical areas, as defi ned in § 11-12-1;

(3) Nude or seminude adults, as defined in § 11-12-1;

(4) Adults who remove clothing for the entertainment of one or more individuals; or

(5) Any physical human body activity, whether performed alone or with other persons, including singing, speaking, dancing, acting, simulation or pantomiming, where a performer exhibits a gender identity that is different from the performer’s biological sex through the use of clothing, makeup or other physical markers, for the predominant purpose of appealing to a prurient interest.

House Bill 1125 was introduced Wednesday, Jan. 25 by Republican Rep. Scott Odenbach as an act to expand provisions regarding the protection of minors from certain exhibitions.

At the Jan. 23 Students’ Association meeting, the Senate voted on Resolution 22-12-R, which states the Students’ Association’s continued support for the Gender and Sexualities Alliance (GSA) in opposition of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

GSA Ex-Offi cio, Matthew Albritton, said that this resolution is a way to show support in a time where there is legislation being passed that is not in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Adonai Ghebrekidan, president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA), chimed in saying that campus organizations like BSA, GSA and LASA are here to help students feel comfortable.

Madeline Brink, a Students’ Association Senator-atLarge, was one of the many individuals in attendance at GSA’s drag show.

“The environment was so loving and accepting and everybody was just having such a great time,” Brink said. “I feel like that’s something that as a body we should be working to preserve.”

Collegian photos by BRINA STURM (She/They)

DEVONDRA SHAKERS

VALENTIN GEORGETTE-SHAKERS

The Collegian will continue to cover development and university statements on the drag show.

Gaming lounge opens for students

JACOB BOYKO News Editor

South Dakota State University unveiled its new eSports lounge today, with the space offering students free access to cutting-edge PCs, game consoles and “finally” a home for eSports clubs.

“It’s finally somewhere where people in eSports Club have a place to meet up and [can] share a common area,” eSports Club President, Reece Mahatoo said.

The lounge looks compact from the sidewalk on 11th Street--the only hint of its existence being a small trifold in the window--but inside is a team-sized computer lab with 12 PCs, three wallmounted flat screens, two new Xbox Series consoles, a Nintendo Switch and

two Oculus virtual reality headsets.

“Our goal was to be inclusive to everyone as far as competitive gaming and recreational gaming,” Chance Wiarda, graduate assistant of competitive sports, said. “Our PC lab is kind of our competitive-based gaming … and we have our console-based games out here in the console area. That’s going to be a little more of a casual vibe.”

Shari Landmark, SDSU’s director of recreation and fitness, said there’s still more to do after the grand opening.

“One of our virtual reality rooms, hopefully one day, will be a broadcast room, and that will really be for the club if they want to broadcast some of their competitions,” Landmark said.

The eSports lounge will also have PlayStation 5 consoles in the near future,

according to Landmark.

Courtney Forrette, SDSU’s coordinator of competitive sports and camps, assisted in designing the layout of the space and researching equipment.

“We know there are a lot of people interested in video gaming,” Forrette said. “We have the anticipation that we’re going to grow out of this pretty quick, but we’re also pretty excited to at least be able to offer this to our students.”

The Alienware brand computers feature Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics cards, 12-core Intel Core i7 processors, 16 gigabytes of RAM and solid state drives. The computer mice and keyboards have customizable RGB lighting, and each station has a Secretlab brand gaming chair.

Landmark estimated about $100,000 was spent on the lounge and the equipment inside.

“It’s taken a long time for this to happen,” Landmark said. “We did tour [Dakota State University] and they did have the first lab in the state. Then [University of South Dakota] built

theirs. [South Dakota School of Mines and Technology] is building one.”

Mahatoo, a senior psychology major, says the eSports club at SDSU has grown since he joined as a freshman in 2019, making the space essential for members.

“We were pretty much just the League of Legends team,” Mahatoo said. “Then the club kind of grew a lot, and we branched into Counter-Strike, Valorant, Rocket League and we got [Super Smash Bros.] eventually … We also got [Call of Duty], Rainbow Six (and) Overwatch.”

Right now, there’s about 300 students in the club, according to Mahatoo.

Any student, no matter their skill level, is welcome in the space to play, relax or do homework. Students may also bring their own games to play on the systems.

“You’ll see throughout the building there’s just spaces [where] students can sit and do some homework and just kind of have a social and chill area, which was really kind of intentional,” Landmark said.

The eSports lounge will be open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m Thursdays through Saturdays, and 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. The lounge is at 1175 Medary Ave. across from the Agricultural Heritage Museum.

Collegian photos by JACOB BOYKO (Left) The computer lab features 12 stations with dividers. (Bottom) Reece Mahatoo plays Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo Switch.

Black History Month celebrated with soul food, Step Show

SDSU honors Black history with month full of events

Copy Editor (She/Her)

February is recognized as Black History Month and South Dakota State University is hosting multiple events in the coming weeks to celebrate and remember Black history.

According to Adonai Ghebrekidan, Black Student Alliance (BSA) president, Black History Month is a time to educate students on the past and celebrate the cultural impact the Black community has had on modern times.

“Black History Month is great because it’s a history that isn’t really as educated or isn’t as clear as people think,” Ghebrekidan said. “A lot of the things that we have learned in high school are just mere facts to the whole story… It’s a great time for everybody to educate themselves about the actual Black history.”

The first of these events is a collaboration with the Brookings Public Library to support Martin Luther King Week. Students from local schools will partake in a drawing contest and the submissions will be posted in the Volstorff Ballroom for the duration of the month.

The next event will be recognizing Cleveland Abbott, a 1916 Black SDSU graduate who went on to serve in World War I, coach Olympic athletes and hold multiple sports titles. According to Multicultural Student Success Adviser Jay Molock, Abbott won at least seven national championships, coached track teams and paved the way for women to get involved in sports. Doug Wermedal, associate vice president of student affairs, will be speaking at the event.

The next event will be a Red Cross Blood Drive hosted by the Multicultural Center and sponsored by the pharmacy school, BSA and athletic department. The blood drive will be Feb. 15-16.

Soul food will be served at the next event Feb. 23 in the Multicultural Center. The authentic southern soul food will be catered from Sioux City and is meant to educate people on the origins of the food. “Soul food” originated from southern states like Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. Molock said this cultural food was the result of slaves making innovating dishes out of slave masters’ leftover foods.

“Slave owners didn’t cook, they had slaves to do the cooking,” Molock said. ‘What the slaves in the house couldn’t cook is what the white people didn’t want, so they will take the entrails out of

Black History CALENDAR

February 1

MARTIN LUTHER KING WEEK

pigs or cows, today it’s called chitlins or brains. People who were working outside of the house in the field figured out how to turn the master’s trash into the slave’s treasure.”

To close out the month, the annual BSA Step Show is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, March r in the Performing Arts Center. This year will be the first show after a brief hiatus last year due to COVID-19.

Ghebrekidan said that he is thrilled to close up his senior year with the show, as he is looking forward to seeing the guests and viewing the high energy.

Stepping is a form of African dance that was originated from nine national historically Black sororities and fraternities. Three of the groups will be flying to Brookings to perform in the show, including Omega Psi Phi and Zeta Phi Beta from Minnesota and Omega Psi Phi from Nebraska.

BHM History

According to Molock, February is deemed Black History Month because of its founder Carter G. Woodson. Woodson became the second Black person to graduate from Harvard after WEB DuBois.

When Woodson completed his doctoral program, his thesis was on recognizing African Americans for what they had done in history. By the time he left, people had started to celebrate and recognize the holiday.

As the 70s approached, Woodson’s words gained national attention and recognized Black athletes, actors and celebrities. Then, Molock said, Woodson began producing detailed research and compiled lists of what Black people have done throughout history.

Amilynn Hirschfeld, a freshman nursing major, said that it’s a month to feature various individuals while valuing, appreciating and honoring those who contributed and influenced others within our history and community.

Molock said that by celebrating diversity and recognizing history people are coming together and building connections.

Opi Oulla, BSA’s treasurer, said she hopes to see everyone at the Black History Month events in the coming weeks.

“It’s so our community grows … we want to celebrate diversity, history and to share our stories,” she said.

Where: Brookings Public Library

What: Elementary students drawing contest submissions on display in VBR.

February 15-16

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

Where: University Student Union parking

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What: Blood drive sponsored by the pharmacy BSA and athletics department.

March 4

BSA STEP SHOW

Where: Performing Arts Center

When: 7 p.m.

What: Dancers from historically Black greek organizations produce complex rhythms and sounds mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and

ANDREA HUETE

History Month CALENDAR

February 1

CLEVELAND ABBOTT RECOGNITION

Where: Club 71, Dana J. Dykhouse

When: 7 p.m.

What: Abbott was a 1916 black graduate who fought in World War 1 and coached Olympic athletes. Abbott Hall is named after him.

Permanent jewlery booth opens this weekend

SERENA DAVIS Assistant Lifestyles Editor (She/Her)

pharmacy school,

February 23

SOUL FOOD LUNCHEON

Where: Multicultural Center, 2nd floor of Union

When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

What: Authentic soul food reflecting cultural cruisine from southern states like Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. organizations through a m hand claps.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated early this year with a pop-up shop in the Old Sanctuary Banquet Facility Saturday, Feb. 4 starting at 10 a.m. One of the newest booths at the event is Midnight Spark, a permanent jewelry business out of Sioux Falls.

Permanent jewelry functions similarly to regular jewelry, but instead of a clasp, the metal is welded together with a jump ring.

Caitlin Mullen, founder of Midnight Spark, said the name comes from the spark when the two pieces get welded together. Mullen describes it as more of a service than anything because everything is customizable.

“We work with clients to select the color of the chain ranging from silver, gold, rose gold and connector pieces to add creativity [and] customize the size of the chain as well,” Mullen said. “We have over 25 chains to choose from, and we offer help with the design process. Birthstones are our most popular stones as well as our natural ones. For charms we have metal hearts, simple circles, initials, crosses, infinity symbols and much more.”

Bracelets are the most popular form of perma-

nent jewelry and depending on the customization, prices usually range from $65 to $75. For all other jewelry, prices range from $45 to $115.

Mullen’s sister, Kelley Walsh, said some of the benefits include already having your jewelry on when you wake up, and because it’s sterling silver and real gold, it’s water resistant and good for everyday wear. Walsh said the best part is the easy removal. With a pair of strong scissors or nail clippers, the weld is easily cut and Midnight Sparks will reweld it for free.

Students were also excited about the arrival of the new small business, especially since it’s based out of Sioux Falls. Sophomore Morgan Pfarr said she thinks the idea is “super cute” and “practical for everyday use.”

Along with the product, Pfarr said she’s excited to be able to support small businesses that have pop-up shops.

“Being able to support a business that supports the community is the most important part to me,” Pfarr said.

Midnight Spark holds pop-up events every month along with other vendors. The store also does private parties such as bachelorette parties and girls’ nights.

Hemp crops gaining traction in South Dakota

GRETA GOEDE Assistant News Editor She/Her

Next week there will be metings designed to educate farmers about hemp. It’ll help them decide whether they want to jump onto a bandwagon on one of the state’s newest crops in Coleman and Flandreau.

The South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association (SDIH) will be holding informational seminars Feb. 9 to teach farmers about the new opportunity to grow the crop. The seminar will include information about pricing, how to get a license to grow hemp, growing methods and field preparations.

Hemp production became legal in South Dakota in 2021, making it the 49th state to legalize it. In 2022, South Dakota became the second-biggest hemp grower in the nation, right behind Montana. There were around 40 growers in the state last year, according to John Peterson, owner of Peterson Hemp Farm.

“I see this as a crop that would get into farmers’ current rotations very easily. You don’t have to go buy specialized machinery,” Peterson said. “South Dakota farmers are geared up to start growing it.”

Last year, 2,540 acres of industrial hemp were planted in the state according to SDIH. The hope for this year is 10,000 acres to be planted, Peterson said.

Most of the acres planted used dual purpose grain/fiber varieties of hemp, which can grow up to 10 feet tall. Bast fiber and hurd are the two main components of the stalk; this is what many of the hemp products are made from.

Large acre farms are ideal for grain/ fiber hemp growth, and there are no herbicides authorized to use on hemp plants.

Hemp grown here is used for hempcrete, a bio-composite made of natural material that can be used in construc-

tion, animal bedding and eventually hemp textiles and wood. These materials are not currently used in the state.

“We are in a really sweet spot on the globe,” Peterson said. “It works very well with the hemp varieties we are bringing here.”

Hemp is a short season crop that is planted in May once soil temperature reaches 50 degrees; there could be a decrease in stalk size/grain production if hemp is planted later than that, according to the SDIH. The crop has a 100-day maturity and it also fits nicely in rotations.

“You should be able to have it out by Labor Day,” Peterson said.

Once the crop is harvested, it is sent out of state to a hemp seed processing plant.

There is not a hemp processing plant in South Dakota currently, but planning is underway.

Most farmers don’t want to switch from corn and soybean to hemp, Peterson said, but hemp is currently a valuable crop that out performs corn and soybean prices.

The price-per-bushel was $24.20, and for grain/fiber it’s $210 to $240 per ton depending on the variety and acres planted.

Ken Meyer, president of SDIH, said he hopes to see universities around South Dakota get involved in hemp research since a bill passed for universities to apply for a license.

Other universities like Texas A&M have already created programs for research. Meyer thinks SDSU will be soon to follow.

“The future of industrial hemp is really strong,” Meyer said.

The license process takes two to four weeks and requires a background check. For more information on hemp growth, visit the South Dakota Industrial Hemp Association website, www. sd-hemp.com.

Collegian graphic by MARA WHEATON (She/Her)

Your Career At

Wrestling team on 10-dual winning streak

SKYLER JACKSON Sports Editor (He/Him)

The South Dakota State wrestling season is winding down with three duals left this season, two of them against nationally ranked opponents before the Big 12 Wrestling Championship.

Despite competing in one of the toughest conferences in the nation, the Jackrabbits have put together a successful season and have momentum as they get closer to the conference championship.

SDSU has won 10 consecutive duals this season after the victories in Colorado last weekend against Northern Colorado and Air Force. They haven’t lost since December in a narrow defeat to Nebraska, now ranked No. 10 in the nation. It’s just the seventh time in program history the Jacks have had a double-digit win streak and the first since their school-record 14-match win streak in the 2017-18 season.

“This is what you want in a program,” coach Damion Hahn said. “Winning is contagious, winning is fun and I think these guys not only experience it, but they see what’s happening from a team aspect and a culture aspect. It reconfirms what we’re doing and the direction the program’s going, so that’s awesome and I’m happy for these guys.”

They are 11-2 overall this season and 5-0 in the Big 12. Two of those wins came on the road last weekend against Northern Colorado and Air Force.

In the dual against Northern Colorado Friday, the Jackrabbits started slow, losing their first four matches. But they finished strong by claiming the final six matches to pull away for a 23-13 victory. The only pin recorded in the dual was from Tanner Sloan in the 197-pound matchup. It was Sloan’s second pin in a row and fourth of the season.

“(Sloan) has been wrestling really well, he’s in a good place right now,” Hahn said. “I think what he’s been doing as far as training and where he is from his mindset, it’s never been better. He’s performing like a national champion.”

After the hard-fought win against the Bears, SDSU then took on Air Force Sunday. Unlike their previous dual, the Jackrabbits got off to a fast start. They

REMAINING SCHEDULE

Feb. 10: Oklahoma State vs SDSU at Frost Arena at 7 p.m.

Feb. 12: Oklahoma vs SDSU at Frost Arena at 1 p.m.

Feb. 19: SDSU vs NDSU at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse at 2 p.m.

March 4-5: Big 12 Wrestling Championships in Tulsa, Ok.

won their first three matches, including a pin from Cade DeVoss in the 174-pound matchup.

Later on in the dual, Tanner Jordan recorded the second pin for SDSU in the 125-pound matchup. From there, it was a back-and-forth contest, but the early start propelled the Jackrabbits to a 26-16 victory over the Falcons and their 10th-straight dual win.

SDSU won its first dual of the season Nov. 18 against Augustana, then lost their next two duals against Minnesota (Nov. 27) and Nebraska (Dec. 18). Since then, the Jacks haven’t lost. They dominated in their next six duals before beginning their conference schedule. After that, SDSU notched two more wins at home against Utah Valley and Wyoming before their wins in Colorado last weekend.

Many wrestlers have contributed throughout SDSU’s winning streak. Sloan and freshman 157-pounder Cael Swensen have both won every matchup during the win streak. At 285 pounds, A.J. Nevills is 11-1 in duals this season.

Hahn believes that many of them are developing a national championship mentality.

“They believe it and they’re living it,” Hahn said. “You can see it in their performances, and I think that’s important and for a lot of our guys, that is what’s happening right now.”

Looking ahead, the Jackrabbits will have their next dual Feb. 10 at Frost Arena against No. 11 Oklahoma State. They will then host Oklahoma two days later before heading to Fargo Feb. 19 to take on No. 16 North Dakota State in their last dual of the season.

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL (She/Her)

South Dakota State’s Clay Carlson in action in a Big 12 wrestling dual against Wyoming Jan. 22 at Frost Arena. The 141-pounder has a 9-4 dual record, including four pins this season.

MEN STRUGGLE ON ROAD

MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Reporter

After going 1-2 on the road in their last three games, the South Dakota State men’s basketball team returns to Frost Arena this weekend to face North Dakota and North Dakota State.

The Jacks (12-11, 7-4 Summit League) suffered close losses to both Western Illinois and St. Thomas last week before narrowly defeating Kansas City Monday.

“We put ourselves in some tough situations three games in a row on the road,” Jacks coach Eric Henderson said. “To put ourselves in positions to win each and every one of those games, I was really really proud of our guys.”

SDSU is now in third place in the Summit League standings with seven games to play before the confrence tournament.

They now hope to rebound Thursday against UND. The Fighting Hawks (7-16, 1-9) are in last place in the conference standings. They are sixth in the conference in both scoring offense (69.3 points per game) and scoring defense (72.6 allowed per game).

Their leading scorer is B.J. Omot with 11.2 points per game, their leading rebounder is Tsotne Tsartsidze with five boards per game and their leader in assists is Jalun Trent with 2.7 per game.

After Thursday’s matchup against UND, the Jacks will then host NDSU Saturday. The Bison (9-13, 6-4) are in fourth place in the conference standings this season after finishing as the conference runner-up in the tournament last year.

They are fifth in the Summit League in points per game with 72.7 and seventh in points allowed per game at 73.7. Grant Nelson leads them in scoring, averaging 17 points a game and leads in rebounding, averaging 7.8 per game. Their assist leader is Boden Skunberg with 1.7 per game.

Before their matchups in Frost Arena this weekend, the Jackrabbits came off

three hard-fought games.

The first game was in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Jan. 26, where SDSU fell to St. Thomas (14-10, 5-6 in Summit League).

Zeke Mayo led the Jacks with 23 points and five rebounds, shooting 8-13 on the night and 5-8 from the arch.

Matt Dentlinger proved effective in the paint, going for 15 points along with eight boards on the night. However, the other five Jacks who played put up a total of 16 points for the game.

St. Thomas took advantage of the SDSU seven-man active roster by scoring 16 points from off the bench while the Jacks could not muster a single point from off the bench.

“Going in a little short-handed, the chemistry our team had, the connectivity that we grew throughout the week was pretty special,” Henderson said.

The Tommies also proved effective on points off turnovers, scoring 18 while the Jacks trailed behind them with 11 of their own.

South Dakota State sent St. Thomas to the free throw line multiple times throughout the game, which they took advantage of, making 11 of 12 free throws.

After that loss to the Tommies, the Jacks traveled to Macomb, Illinois, to face Western Illinois in a closely contested game that went to overtime.

At the end of the first half, The Jacks held a 39-22 lead before the Leathernecks had a 47-point second half to defeat the Jacks in overtime.

Henderson explained that the team “lost their edge” in the second half of the game, leading to the 17-point comeback.

Mayo once again led the Jacks, this time with 29 points on the night while Dentlinger had 19. Matt Mims improved from his six-point outing in the previous game, shooting 4-for-8 on the night while ending the game with 11 points, four rebounds and an assist.

Trenton Massner took charge for the Leathernecks with an impressive stat line of 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Jesiah West led Western Illinois in a season-high rebounding performance with 13. The Leathernecks finished with 17 more rebounds than the Jackrabbits, including seven more offensive boards, leading to their impressive 17 second-chance points.

ZEKE MAYO Last 5 Games

• Jan. 19 vs. Omaha:

31 pts, 5 ast, 5 reb

• Jan. 21 vs. Denver

25 pts, 5 ast, 7 reb

• Jan. 26 at St. Thomas

23 pts, 2 ast, 5 reb

• Jan. 28 at West. Ill.

27 pts, 3 ast, 3 reb

• Jan. 30 at Kansas City

24 pts, 1 ast, 5 reb

After back-to-back losses, the Jackrabbits faced Kansas City on the road in a rescheduled game originally planned for Dec. 21.

With eight lead changes throughout the game, South Dakota State escaped Kansas City, with a win by a point.

Mayo gave the Jacks a one-point lead with 12 seconds left on the clock with a clutch free throw. The Roos went with an inbound lob with one second left to play in the game to guard Shemarri Allen which rolled around the rim before exiting, giving the Rabbits a victory.

Both William Kyle III and Mayo finished with over twenty points while Dentlinger and Mims finished with six each.

Kyle III and Dentlinger topped off in the rebound category, both with seven and Mims had three assists, the most of the night.

The Jacks shot well from the arc, going 6-15 (40%) while the Roos struggled from three, shooting 3-19 (15.8%).

Allen finished the game going 23-5-5 while teammate RayQuawndis Mitchell had 19 points. Mitchell shot nearly half of the team’s threes throughout the game going 1-8 with Allen shooting 1-5.

Allen David Mukeba had close to a third of his team’s boards, finishing with ten and putting up eight points of his own.

South Dakota State was not at its best from the free throw line, going 13-21 due to a disappointing 58% from the line in the second half.

Collegian photo by JOCLYN HAVEN (She/Her)

Zeke Mayo drives against an Omaha defender in the Jacks’ 84-61 win Jan. 19 at Frost Arena. Mayo has scored over 20 points per game in his last five games and is averaging 17.3 ppg on the year.

SKYLER JACKSON

Co-Sports

Editor (He/Him)

The South Dakota State women’s basketball team’s undefeated conference record is on the line this weekend with two road games ahead against North Dakota and North Dakota State.

The Jackrabbits (18-5, 11-0 Summit League) are coming off double-digit wins against two teams at the bottom of the conference standings. They will face tougher competition this weekend, against two of the top five teams in the conference.

“We had another good weekend,” Jacks coach Aaron Johnston said. “I thought we played well in both games. We were just balanced enough to make enough shots to get a couple of wins.”

Their first game will be against UND Thursday in Grand Forks. The Fighting Hawks (12-8, 5-5) have had an up-and-down start to their Summit League schedule. They started off 2-0 before losing three-straight games to NDSU, USD and SDSU. Against the Jackrabbits at Frost Arena, the Hawks lost by 33 points in a 105-72 blowout.

The Fighting Hawks are 10-0 at home this season, including an 82-73 win over the second-place Bison Saturday.

They are third in the Summit League in scoring offense, averaging 72.6 points per game and are fifth in scoring defense, allowing 68.6 per game. Their scoring leader is Kacie Borowicz, who also leads the conference in scoring averaging 21.1 points per game. She also leads

JACKS REMAIN PERFECT

the team in assists (4.6 per game), while Joli Daninger is their leading rebounder (5.5 per game).

Following Thursday’s matchup with UND, the Jackrabbits will travel to Fargo Saturday to take on NDSU.

The Bison (13-7, 7-3) started their conference schedule strong with a 6-1 record. The one loss was a 31-point loss to the Jackrabbits Jan. 5 at Frost Arena.

They’ve since lost two of their last three games, both on the road against Oral Roberts and UND. Like the Fighting Hawks, the Bison are also undefeated at home this season at 8-0.

As a team, the Bison are averaging 71 points per game on offense, which is fourth in the Summit League. Defensively, they are third in the conference (66.8 points allowed per game) and overall, they are second in the conference, behind the Jackrabbits, in scoring margin (4.2 per game).

Their leader in points and assists is Heaven Hamling with 15.8 points per game and 3.7 assists per game, while their leader in rebounds is Emily Behnke with 6.8 per game.

“Now we switch gears, and we’re heading north for a really important road trip,” Johnston said. “Both North Dakota and North Dakota State have played well this year and they both do some things that cause us some problems. They’ll be a couple of good tests for us.”

Leading into their games this weekend, the Jackrabbits are coming off with dominant wins over St. Thomas and Western Illinois respectively.

The first win came Thursday at Frost Arena against St. Thomas. In that game, the Jackrabbits shot 65% from the field and 64% from the 3-point line, both season highs and four Jackrabbits scored in double-figures as

they ran away with a 99-57 win.

They then hosted the Leathernecks two days later. The Jacks only led by six after three quarters but pulled away in the fourth quarter. They shot 58% from the field and went 6-for-8 from 3-point range in that final quarter, as they outscored WIU 32-15 to win by 23 points.

They are second in the conference in points scored per game (77) and first in points allowed per game (63.3). They are also first in the conference in field goal percentage (47%), which is also in the top 20 in the country.

Leading scorer and conference player of the year candidate Myah Selland scored 22 points against St. Thomas on 7-10 shooting and 18 points against Western Illinois. Her best performance of the season came in SDSU’s last game against UND Jan. 7. She matched her career-high of 30 points on 10-for-12 shooting and hit seven 3-pointers.

Paiton Burckhard also had a big night in that game against the Fighting Hawks, scoring 19 points on 8-for-10 from the field. Against Western Illinois last week, Burckhard suffered an early injury but came back to finish with 12 points in 15 minutes.

After two more Summit League wins, the first-place Jackrabbits remain unbeaten in the conference with a chance to finish the conference season without a loss for the second time in three years. But Johnston said that it’s not the team’s focus at this point in the season.

“Even then I don’t think we talked about it,” Johnston said. “I think we really tried to stay focused more on each week and try and approach it that way. I really don’t think that will creep into our mindset at all right now.”

(Left) Guard Dru Gylten dribbles the ball in the Jacks’ 81-58 win over Western Illinois Jan. 28 at Frost Arena.

(She/Her)

is their leading rebounder (5.5 per game).

JOCLYN

SDSU’s women’s basketball team sits undefeated and in first place in the Summit League at 11-0.

JON AKRE Sports Reporter

South Dakota State’s All-American tight end Tucker Kraft didn’t have much time to celebrate the Jackrabbits’ firstever FCS National Championship.

“I was on cloud nine there for a couple days, but I didn’t take a break,” Kraft said in describing SDSU’s 45-21 title game win over rival NDSU Jan. 8. “We played the game on a Sunday, I got on a flight on Monday, and I started my combine training on Tuesday.”

Kraft, the 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end from Timber Lake, officially declared his name into the NFL draft in November. But now that the confetti has fallen and the college football season is over, he has turned his focus toward the NFL. While all the other members of the football team were celebrating their historic season, Kraft didn’t have much time take it all in.

The NFL draft is April 27-29 in Kansas City, Missouri, and Kraft says he will have a very busy schedule until then. Kraft is a projected top 50 pick in this year’s draft.

While Kraft is ready to move on to bigger things, he says he will always be proud of being a Division I national champion.

“Not a lot of people can say they won a national championship, and I’m never going to let someone take that away from me either,” he said.

Kraft will be in Nashville, Tennessee, for the next five weeks, training for NFL Draft Combine.

“Still keeping my goal in mind of getting drafted as high as I possibly can, and then I’ll have my pro day with South Dakota State, and then it’s just continuing to work out and stay in football shape,” he said.

Kraft says NFL teams may invite him to come and do a workout after the combine, but with the combine so far out yet, it’s still all an unknown. Kraft received his NFL draft combine invite last week after everyone else because he is leaving South Dakota State early to pursue the NFL. Players that still have years of eligibility get their invites after everyone else, which is why Kraft got his invite later.

“I’m leaving school in my pursuit for football. This isn’t like me taking things as a chance like ‘oh, I’ll give it my best,’” Kraft said. “I’m trying to play in the league for a decade, like I’m leaving

KRAFT PREPARES FOR DRAFT

Former Jackrabbit tight end is projected top-50 NFL pick

school knowing that this is my shot, and I’m going to give it everything I have and I’m telling myself I’m going to succeed.”

There is no doubt, Kraft has the mindset to play at the next level.

Newly retired head football coach John Stiegelmeier knows Kraft’s game will translate well into the NFL.

“Guys like him are hard to find because he is a complete tight end,

which means he can put his hand in the ground and block and is very good at it,” Stiegelmeier said. “And he can run and catch and has very good speed, which a lot of pro scouts say is rare to find nowadays.”

The Jackrabbits have some history of high-level talent at the tight end position in the NFL. Steve Heiden was a thirdround pick back in 1999, and Dallas

KRAFT BIO

Name: Tucker Kraft

Sport: SDSU football

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 255 pounds

From: Timber Lake, SD

Awards: 2021 FCS

All-American, two-time

All-MVFC first team (2021, 2022), 2022 FCS national champion.

Goedert was drafted 49th overall to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 and is now gearing up to play in Super Bowl LVII Feb. 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Stiegelmeier sees similarities in Kraft and Goedert.

“A huge similarity is their work ethic,” Stiegelmeier said. “They’re smalltown student athletes who know how to work.”

The Jackrabbits’ heavy rushing attack was one of the biggest contributors to their success in the playoffs, averaging roughly 250 rushing yards a game and almost seven yards per carry. Kraft was a huge part of that heavy running scheme along with other the tight ends like Zach Heins and Michael Morgan. While most would assume the best chance of winning is to give your NFL-caliber tight end the ball, offensive coordinator Zach Lujan sees the underrated side to Kraft’s game.

“While it’s easy to see when obviously he’s catching it and making plays downfield, what people don’t see is how dominant he is in the run game and how much of a difference maker he was at the point of attack,” Lujan said. “And you watch most of our big runs in the playoffs, most of them were right behind him at the point of attack, making the key block.”

With many teams looking for tight ends in the NFL, expect Kraft to be making a huge impact to whichever team picks him. Kraft ends his career with the Jacks as an FCS All-American, twotime All-MVFC first team and as an FCS national Champion in 2022. He finished his collegiate career with 99 catches, 1,211 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

Collegian photo by JOCLYN HAVEN (She/Her)

South Dakota State’s Tucker Kraft ran with the football in a game against Illinois State Nov. 12 at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. This game was the last regular-season game of Kraft’s collegiate career.