February 8, 2023

Photo by University Marketing and Communications Rodeo Roper

STORY, PAGE 5

Pierson Reno

STORY, PAGE 6

Graduation ceremony moved off campus

SERENA DAVIS Assistant Lifestyles Editor (She/Her)

South Dakota State University’s Spring Graduation will be held off campus at the Swiftel Center for the first time ever due to construction on Frost Area.

“Our top priority with commencement is to ensure that every SDSU graduate has a great experience when they receive their diploma and celebrate their academic achievements with family and friends,” Dennis Hedge, SDSU provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, said in a press release. “The spirit and tradition of SDSU commencement will be on full display in the Swiftel Center, and we will ensure many of the unique and special landmarks, places and spaces that make our university so special are represented.”

Jamison Lamp, university events coordinator, said many locations were considered when officials knew Frost Arena wasn’t going to be available, but it landed on the Swiftel Center, primarily because

of its indoor location and opportunity for a consistent experience for all students.

The 2020 ceremony was held outdoors, but with the added stress of weather and temperatures, an indoor location was the way to go, Lamp said. He added that the ceremony and commencement day are going to be similar to when it was held in Frost Arena and that officials will be transparent with the plans of the ceremony as they develop and will keep students informed.

“We’re working really hard to have that next big set of details by spring break,” Lamp said. “We know that’s when families and students really start making plans.”

Attendance at ceremonies are limited based on capacity, and each student will receive up to six tickets for their guests. Before the renovations, Frost Arena could hold about 5,000 people, while the Swiftel Center has a capacity of about 4,500. Once complete, Frost Arena will have a lower capacity than before, Lamp said.

Mike Lockrem, director of University Marketing and Communications, said

they don’t see any problems working with the city of Brookings to host the graduation ceremonies at the Swiftel Center.

Right now, officials are working on livestream plans considering the livestream has about as many people watching internationally as from the United States. University officials are committed to making it a “tremendous and wonderful day” for all graduates and families, Lockrem said.

“We’re talking about a number of ways that families and graduates can experience campus,” Lockrem said. “They are going to have a lot of unique and special opportunities for those graduates and those families to be on campus prior or after the ceremonies to really enjoy what the university has to offer.”

Graduating seniors have mixed emotions about the off-campus commencement.

Cora Harris, senior studio art painting major, said she feels like she’s losing out on tradition because all ceremonies have been on campus, including the 2020 outdoor ceremony.

Graduation Ceremonies May 6:

10 a.m

College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering

2 p.m. College of Education and Human Sciences and the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions

6 p.m.

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Nursing and the College of Natural Sciences

Griffin Korbel, a senior communications major, said as long as he is able to walk it doesn’t really matter where the ceremony is.

“To me it’s not about the location, it’s about the achievement,” Korbel said. Both Harris and Korbel thought restricting to six tickets was unfair to those with big families.

STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION BRIEF

Senate discusses Rabbit Ride, Little International, Jack’s Cupboard

JACOB BOYKO News Editor (He/Him)

At the Feb. 7 Students’ Association meeting, senators heard reports from student organizations and voted to support the dairy barn repairs.

Student Organizations

Mariah Weber, assistant director of programs and development, spoke to the Senate about Rabbit Ride. The Rabbit Ride program, which aims to help SDSU students, visitors and community members, has operated since 2006. This year, the rides are available Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. until 3 a.m.

“It is a successful program on campus,” Weber said. “Last year we had over 20,000 riders. We’re projecting about the same this year.”

Weber credits the boost to the recent smartphone app.

Rabbit Ride uses funds allocated by SA to pay for student monitors on the rides and to fund the app.

Rabbit Ride used to offer Wednesday night service, but that was cut several years ago due to funding problems, Weber said. With more funding, Wednesdays could return to the schedule. The organization is also looking at ways to add a third bus.

Emmett Bickett, treasurer for Little International addressed the Senate about the 100th Little International event. The event, which will be held March 31 and April 1 at South Dakota State University, is a livestock exhibition featuring contests and shows. Ag mechanics is one of the new competition categories this year. Bickett expects to host between 1,500 and 2,000 high school students this year. Little International uses SA funds for printing, catalogs, rulebooks, posters, technology and livestock.

Students interested in showing livestock can attend a raffle Wednesday, Feb. 8 in Rotunda D at 6:30 p.m.

“There’s a raffle system … and there’s different levels from novice to experienced,” Bickett said. “So even if you’ve had no show experience, no

equipment … [you] can come show expense-free and get that opportunity.”

Lexi Barbush, president of HEROH (Helping Everyone Reach Optimum Health), spoke about initiatives the club is working on.

The club, which Barbush says is the biggest “wellness-encompassing” club at SDSU, has four committees: the nutrition and physical activity committee, the sexual health committee, the alcohol and drug committee and the social mental health committee.

The club’s activities are supposed to educate students about wellness, Barbush said. Past events include 5k runs, volleyball tournaments and sexual

health trivia. SA funds support these events. According to Barbush, most of the club’s money comes from care packages parents buy for students.

Jack’s Cupboard club founder Nicole Schilling spoke to the Senate about the resources the club provides for the on-campus food pantry. Jack’s Cupboard is struggling to keep food on shelves and have volunteers to run the location and had to shorten the time it’s open to two days per week.

About 80 to 90 students use the cupboard weekly, Schilling said. The pantry is also looking to become a 501 c3, which would grant some tax exemptions.

The Senate voted unanimously to

approve the club constitution.

Resolution:

Last week, the Senate tabled resolution, 22-17-R to support a bill in Pierre. House Bill 1031 allocates funds to help SDSU recover after a fire last spring damaged part of the dairy facility. The Senate amended the resolution following clarification from administration to read, “House Bill 1031 would allow for the repair of the damaged facility.” Previously, the language of the resolution would have supported a replacement.

Graph showing the Rabbit Ride ridership over the last three years. Rides are available Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. until 3 a.m.

SDSU represented at national cattle trade show

JAYCIE

FORBES Reporter

The Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show took place Feb. 1-3 in New Orleans, Louisiana. This three-day convention hosted many industry relevant meetings, presented influential guest speakers and is home to over eight acres of trade show vendors.

South Dakota State University originally planned to be in attendance with a booth at the trade show. Unfortunately, due to unfavorable weather conditions in Texas, the four Animal Science Ambassadors and their adviser, Natalie Hoyes, were unable to make their connection at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

SDSU was still represented by Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Feedlot Specialist, Warren Rusche, Assistant Professor, Zachary Smith and SDSU Animal Science student, Teigen Hadrick. These individuals happened to be attending this event on their own time and each had positive feedback pertaining to the convention.

NCBA is one of the largest trade shows in the country, so it was important for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science to have representatives at the event. Rusche said it was an opportunity for students and the university to expose themselves to different individuals and companies.

“It keeps our name in front of stakeholders and industry leaders,” Rusche said.

The tradeshow is also a good networking opportunity for students within the cattle industry. With over 300 booths, it’s a chance for college students to find an internship and meet future employers.

“This is a great opportunity for networking,” Smith said. “If they do go, they need to treat it like a job. They need to actively work, go around with business cards and work to meet people that they might want to work for one day.”

Events as busy as this convention can often be intimidating for many college students, but professors stressed the importance of attending these events and seeking out opportunities similar to what NCBA offers.

“I think it is important to expose yourself to new

ideas and experiences, whether that is professionally related or just something for fun,” Rusche said.

Hadrick found that attending the convention was a great experience for young beef producers, just like himself. He believes everyone needs to experience this event at least once, and hopes to get more SDSU students to attend in the future.

“NCBA is an amazing convention that brings cattle producers from around the United States to one central location,” Hadrick said. “By attending the convention, I made so many valuable connections that if I had not gone would have never happened.”

Smith said that attending this event can be a huge monetary commitment, but students should attend if they get the chance. He hopes to take one of his lab groups in the future.

In 2024, The Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA trade show will be held in Orlando, Florida, Jan. 31 through Feb. 2. SDSU students will have the opportunity to attend this convention as well.

Warren Rusche Asst. Professor & SDSU Extension Feedlot Specialist

Zachary Smith Asst. Professor of Animal Science

Teigen Hadrick Animal Science student

Warren Rusche, Zachary Smith and Teigen Hadrick attended the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans Feb. 1-3. The convention had over 300 of cattle industry experts and companies. Photos SUBMITTED

Freshman roper ready for 2023 season

2023 Rodeo Schedule

March 30 Rodeo Banquet

March 31- 1 Brookings, SD

April 28-29 Spearfish, SD

May 5-6 Lincoln, NE

June 11-17 Casper, WY

that knew more than I did and I was able to learn more. One thing led to the next and I started winning in the rodeo world.”

At SDSU, Gaikowski studies agricultural business and is looking forward to continuing his success in the upcoming season that will kick off March 30, 2023.

Prairie Retzer, a senior at SDSU and a member of the rodeo program, remarked on her perspective of roping with Gaikowski.

“Seth always has a smile on his face and is willing to help anyone in the practice pen,” Retzer said. “He has been an asset to our men’s team as a point earner and a role model, it will be exciting to watch him this spring season.”

Ron Skovly, the rodeo coach, also had good things to say about Gaikowski.

SHELBY LANG Reporter

The young cowboy waits patiently in the box. Gathering a plan of action and success. His nerves are intense. His mind is focused. Then nods his head and it’s game time.

Time starts ticking. Every second counts against him. The name of the game is speed and technique.

Introducing Seth Gaikowski, a freshman at South Dakota State University and a member of the rodeo team where he competes in tie-down and team roping.

In tie-down roping, a cowboy will rope the head of a cow, then dismount to flip the cow and tie three legs together in a timely manner. In team roping, two participants must rope both horns and both back legs of a steer, ensuring he is caught.

Gaikowski’s success from high school has trailed into college, making his current standing 2nd in the region for team roping and 14th in tie-down. This

has earned him a total of $1333.50.

For Gaikowski, the sport is about family, connections and learning. Gaikowski grew up with a support

system that helped him progress in his passion. The spark of interest derived from his uncle, Glenn Gaikowski.

“My uncle Glenn was a big role model for me,” Gaikowksi said. “He started my interest in rodeo and helped me learn the first things about roping.”

His parents did not rodeo, so he did not grow up with the sport, but rather was inspired by other family members to start.

“My siblings and I took on rodeo at a very young age out of inspiration from our older cousin,” Gaikoski said. “She started entering the small rodeos and we followed her.”

Gaikowski has had a lot of success with the sport throughout the years. He says he continues to grow as an individual while advancing in his career. However, he was not always as successful as he is today.

“When we were younger, we were terrible,” he said. “I was never any good and I always looked up to the older kids at the rodeos, trying to get better. My parents introduced me to people

“His focus at rodeos is defi nitely a strength,” Skovly said. “I don’t think he takes his past rodeo experiences any diff erently than he does here. He is willing to do anything that is asked, whatever it may be.”

Skovly highlighted Gaikowski’s success as a freshman on the team.

“The past 12 years, I have had at least 3 to 4 freshman standouts for work ethic and determination,” Skovly said. “Seth is definitely one of them.”

Looking ahead to the College National Finals, Skolvy is confident that Gaikowski will make the cut.

“He will be at the CNFR. If not this year, but the next couple based on his work ethic,” Skovly said.

Gaikowski left words of advice for future rodeo riders while remeniscing on his start to the sport.

“If you really want to get better, you have to ask questions and get advice from those better,” he said. “Work hard at it, set goals and keep your head on straight, and you’ll be all right.”

Photos SUBMITTED

Seth Gaikowski, a freshman on the rodeo team, competes in tie-down roping and team roping. Gaikowski is 2nd in the region for team roping and 14th for tie-downs.

Seth Gaikowski

Seth Gaikowski sweeps in HS division, prepares for collegiate competition

Students anticipate Pierson Hall reopening

$11 million overhaul includes new elevators, kitchen, laundry, basement

GRACIE TERRALL Co-Editor-in-Chief (She/Her)

Pierson Hall has been under construction since the summer of 2021 to renovate the building’s student living spaces.

Once the construction is complete in July, the updated residence hall will include a new elevator, HVAC system, windows, paint and room doors as well as a renovated basement, said Douglas Wermedal, the associate vice president for Student Affairs. But perhaps what student’s are most excited about is a new kitchen, lounge space and laundry that will be added to each floor.

“We really only had one kitchen and the appliances were not good in it,” Anna Karels, a junior precision ag major who lived in Pierson her freshman year, said. “I don’t think I cooked any food in it. I think that would be a big update and also a place for people to meet and for people to actually cook.”

The building will be wheelchair accessible and remain as the Agriculture Living Learning Community (LLC). While Pierson is under construction, students have had to live in alternative residence halls, many choosing Brown and Matthews. Rebecca Peterson, the director of Housing and Residential Life, said the university had to reopen Wenneta Hall on the west side of campus to accommodate for lost space during the first few weeks of school, but said currently all of those students have transitioned back into permanent rooms.

Blake Pulse, the Students’ Association president and former Pierson Hall resident, said he’s excited to see the updates, but is sad he wasn’t able to live there after the renovation.

“I know that some of the freshmen I’ve talked to who live in the Ag LLC are really excited to get back to Pierson,” he said. “Nothing against Brown, but I think Pierson feels a little more like home.

The basement, called the “Hobo Hangout,” will also receive updated study spaces and a stage for performances.

“This is the only building with a full basement,” Bryan Bisson, assistant director for housing facilities, said. “One portion is for the Hobo Hangout and the other portion is the technical side.”

The project was originally quoted at $9.7 million, but that amount has since been raised to $11 million. Although the remodel included a lot of cosmetic and structural upgrades, officials had to cut some aesthetic projects for the building.

“There are many things that were cut from the budget because they were more design choices that we will not have time for,” Wermedal said. “We imagined there would be an abstract outdoor art piece and some lobby treatments, but they were too expensive.”

Taylor McMartin, a senior ag communications and journalism major, lived in Pierson Hall from fall 2019 to spring 2021. McMartin is currently a student engagement ambassador for the SDSU Foundation, and part of her job is notifying alumni about changes to campus. She said she’s spoken with past alumni who lived in Pierson, and they are also excited about the renovations.

“They’ve said to me, ‘yeah, I’m pretty sure that building hasn’t been updated since I lived there and even then some things needed to be fixed,’” McMartin said. “They’re all very happy that Pierson is getting the updates that it needs and deserves.”

Peterson said that if the Pierson Hall renovation goes well, it will serve as a model for halls like Young, Binnewies and Mathews down the road.

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL (She/Her)

(Above) Pierson Hall construction began in May 2022 and will finish July 2023. (Below) Floor plans of renovated Pierson Hall.

Petition: Aztecs vs Jackrabbits

San Diego and South Dakota fans ask for deciding SDSU game

ZACHARY SIMON Reporter

Are you ready for an SDSU vs. SDSU smackdown?

Judging from an online petition, there’s an appetite for it.

Over 1,100 people have signed a petition created recently by Change.org user “The Real SDSU,” which urges South Dakota State University to schedule a football game Sept. 2 against San Diego State University.

“Two SDSU’s playing for bragging rights? Yes, please,” one commenter on the petition said. Another added, “This would be an awesome match-up! Go Jacks!”

Unfortunately for signers of the petition, San Diego State, a member of the Mountain West Conference, recently filled their Sept. 2 opening and will play Idaho State. But it was that brief opening on both schedules that got people talking.

The petition comes after ESPN mistakenly showed San Diego State football highlights while discussing South Dakota State’s run defense during their coverage of the FCS playoff game between North Dakota State and Incarnate Word in December.

That mistake isn’t the first public mix-up between the two schools, as ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt misidentified the school abbreviation as San Diego State in 2016. Van Pelt amended his statement by wearing Jackrabbits gear during a later broadcast, but the mistake frustrated many Jackrabbits fans.

There have been plenty of the mistakes on various networks over the years, and many Jackrabbit fans have had enough.

“They’re obvious mistakes,” said Hannah Van Stedum, a freshman at SDSU. “It’s frustrating they can’t get it

right after so many years of SDSU being good at football.”

But, according to Justin Sell, South Dakota State director of athletics, there have not been any talks with San Diego State about scheduling a game. College football schedules typically have 11 games, eight of which are conference games and three of which are non-conference games.

“It’s challenging in a short amount of words to describe the scheduling process,” Sell said. “It’s complex and there’s more nuance than you could duly explain.”

This fall, the Jackrabbits begin their conference schedule at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium Sept. 30 against North Dakota.

Non-conference schedules are decided by the individual schools, and are more complex to create than conference schedules, Sell said. Sometimes, one school pays another to play at its field. Other times, teams agree to play at one school’s field one year and the other team’s field the next year. Teams can also elect to play at a neutral site, which the Jackrabbits are doing next season when they head to Target Field in Minneapolis to play Drake Sept. 16.

Scheduling decisions involve other factors too, including the makeup of the team and strength of schedule, among others, and are often made years in advance. But the scheduling ultimately comes down to putting the team in the best position in the postseason.

“My responsibility is to help craft a schedule that the football coaches feel really good about and will help us get into the playoffs,” Sell said.

Because of the complexities in the schedule building process, it’s difficult for a petition to influence immediate schedule decisions. But the athletic department prioritizes giving the fans a

SDSU vs SDSU

11,331

Students

Founding 1881

35,723

President 1897

Barry H. Dunn Adela de la Torre

Notable alumni

Gov. Kristi Noem

Sen. Tom Daschle

Adam Vinatieri

great game-day experience, which includes creating matchups fans will be interested in.

“It’s good to know what interests fans,” Sell said.

According to Jamie McConeghy, San Diego State senior associate athletic director of communications & media relations, the Aztec’s athletic department is not aware of the petition.

“We wouldn’t be opposed to playing FCS schools,” McConeghy said. “All the best to South Dakota State.”

Although it seems unlikely the two schools will play any time soon, they do have a brief athletic history. Between 2004 and 2006, the schools played two basketball games against each other. San Diego won both games by at least 15 points.

“It’ll be cool to see how we play coming off of a national championship and the confidence we have,” Van Stedum said.

Ellen Ochoa

Tony Gwynn

Gregory Peck

Jackrabbit Football Schedule 2023

• Sept. 9 vs Montana State

• Sept. 16 vs. Drake at Target Field, MN

• Sept. 30 vs. North Dakota

• Oct. 7 at Illinois State

• Oct. 14 vs. Northern Iowa

• Oct. 21 at Southern Illinois

• Oct. 28 at South Dakota

• Nov. 4 vs. NDSU

• Nov. 11 at Youngstown State

• Nov. 18 vs. Missouri State

Library hosts Black Media is Beautiful series in February

MARIA ATKINSON Reporter

The Brookings Public Library is hosting an event series called ‘Black Media is Beautiful’ honoring African American creators during Black History Month.

Mikaela Neubauer, the community services coordinator at the library, said that since the library started the Black History Month presentations in 2020, people have become more engaged in exploring different sides of black history.

“People come together, we have food, fellowship, activities, presentations and it’s just an all-around really fun event,” Neubauer said. “Last year we doubled our attendance, this year who knows where we will go from there.”

The events cover a range of media including music, film, visual arts, literature and food. The event Feb. 1 displayed black media in music, especially contributions to the genre of jazz. Honored at the event was Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and other contributions to jazz.

The presenter of the night, Yiqun Chen, a professor in jazz studies, said that learning about jazz history as a student exposed him to how important black musicians are to jazz.

“Contributions of African American musicians and composers to the art form

Black History Month Library Events

Feb. 16 @ 6:30 p.m.

“Aaron Douglas: Visual Artist of the Harlem Renaissance.”

Presentation by Peggy Jones

Feb. 23 @ 6 p.m.

African American Read-in

Feb. 28 @ 6 p.m.

Black History Month Celebration

is unique to our country,” Chen said. “Their contributions are super important.”

Amanda Fickes, an attendee of the event, described it as a great opportunity in Brookings to expand ones’ ideas.

“It’s definitely great to have so much going on because it makes me more aware of this month and more thoughtful about the history,” Fickes said. “It’s cool to have opportunities like this in Brookings to expand your knowledge.”

This reaction is exactly what Neubauer is hoping to achieve with these events.

“It sparks something and all of a sudden you want to know everything about jazz, you want to know everything about

black filmmakers, so I hope that it leads to further engagement with black media and a further interest in black history,” Neubauer said. “Getting people here and interested will allow people to continue that interest in other parts of the year.”

Last year’s event series was disrupted by a group of “zoombombers” that drew lewd images and racial slurs on the screen while shouting and eposing themselves during a presentation from Negro League Baseball historian Phil Dixon. This year, technological measures have been taken to avoid a similar incident.

“We learned from last year that what we do is so much stronger than any prej-

udice and hate we may face,” Neubauer said. “Instead of deterring us, I think it has spurred us on because we are obviously doing something that is worth people getting upset about.”

The ‘Black Media is Beautiful’ series is hoping to inspire the people of Brookings to seek out and engage with black media throughout the entire year. Neubauer hopes that this excitement for learning will promote further interest in these topics.

“This is more than a month, black media exists all the time – it’s every day, every month of the year and we need to acknowledge that and engage in that.”

Photo SUBMITTED

Yiqun Chen, a professor of jazz studies at SDSU, leads the presentation on influential black musicians at the Brookings Public Library.

Softball faces high expectations this year

SKYLER JACKSON Co-Sports Editor (He/Him)

Expectations are once again high this season for the South Dakota State softball team.

After winning the Summit League tournament and making the NCAA Regionals the last two years, the Jackrabbits expect to have another successful season, which starts Friday in Texas against Houston and Big Ten champion Nebraska.

“We’re going to be tested right away,” coach Kristina McSweeney said. “I’m ready for this team to put their best foot forward and for the softball world and for people to see that there’s nothing that’s going to bring this team down.”

But this year’s team will have a different look than teams in the past. McSweeney is taking over as head coach after Krista Wood, the winningest coach in program history, left for Creighton at the end of last season.

McSweeney coached the previous 10 seasons at Division II program Arkansas Tech, where she posted a 356-184 career record. She helped the Golden Suns win four Great American Conference tournament titles and won conference coach of the year twice. Joining McSweeney on the coaching staff is Josh Bertke, who coached alongside her at Arkansas Tech for seven seasons.

This season will be McSweeney’s first coaching at the Division I level, but she said the transition to Brookings has been an easy one.

“I feel like I was supposed to coach here my entire life,” McSweeney said. “The most exciting part of the transition is being able to work with the higher-level athletes I’m working with. And being able to coach them and see them develop, taking them from what they were last year and watching them add to their game.”

Despite changes to this year’s roster, there are also many key returning players. One of which is junior infielder Rozelyn Carrillo, the reigning Summit League Player of the Year.

Last year she led the conference in both hits (69) and runs scored (47). She

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Season Opener: Feb. 10 in Houston, Texas vs Nebraska at 12:30 p.m. and Houston at 3 p.m.

Home Opener: April 7-8 vs Omaha.

also batted .381 with 11 home runs and 48 runs batted in. She won conference defensive Player of the Year, after not giving up an error in conference games.

After that successful season a year ago, she looks to keep that momentum going heading into this season.

“I think just continuing to focus on what I do best and not trying to think too much of things,” Carrillo said. “Awards and all that doesn’t mean too much, things change from year to year. So just focusing on me and what I can do best for my team.”

Other key returners for the Jackrabbits are Carrillo’s sister Jocelyn, senior catcher Allison Yoder, junior infielder Cheyanne Masterson and junior pitchers Tori Kniesche and Grace Glanzer.

Both Kniesche and Glanzer were named to the All-Summit League first team last year after combining for 41 wins and over 400 strikeouts. Glanzer also won conference pitcher of the year after posting a 21-7 record and a 1.85 earned run average.

While McSweeney expects the pitching to remain dominant this season, she said a main focus of the offseason has been the team’s offensive approach.

“The pitching is what got them to where they were at,” McSweeney said. “Our big focus has been pushing that offensive approach, a different offensive approach than what they’ve had, and I think that has resonated with them.”

The Jackrabbits looked to keep improving throughout the offseason as the expectations they set for themselves continued to grow.

“Even practice from day to day, it’s not

about being stagnant,” Glanzer said. “It’s about ‘How can we get better every single day? How can we get better from the day before?’ And if we do have a setback, we find a way to be resilient and come back that next day to keep growing as a team and individuals.”

SDSU went 43-8 overall in 2021 and lost only once in the Summit League on their way to the conference title. They followed that up with a 41-13 season and another conference title. In both years, they failed to make it out of the NCAA Regionals.

Their next goal for this season is making it to the Super Regionals and then possibly the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

“When (McSweeney and Bertke) got here, it was all about ‘We’re not just a Summit League team, we want to be an OKC team, we want to be a team that can make it to the World Series,’” Glanzer said. “And we can do that, but it’s about putting our mind to it and training like that every single day.”

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL (She/Her)

South Dakota State’s Grace Glanzer pitches the ball in a softball exhibition game against St. Cloud State Sept. 25 at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium.

EVAN PATZWALD Co-Sports Editor (He/Him)

The South Dakota State wrestling team needs to power through some tough opponents if they want to keep their 10-dual win streak alive. The Jackrabbits host Big 12 opponents Oklahoma State Friday and Oklahoma Sunday at Frost Arena.

The No. 16 Jacks current double-digit win streak is the first since the 2017-18 season, where they won 14 matches in a row and seventh double-digit win streak in program history. They currently sit 11-2 overall and 5-0 in the conference.

Coach Damion Hahn knows it’s a big weekend but says it is not season-defining and appreciates the opportunity to wrestle in the Big 12.

“I think we are very fortunate to be able to wrestle the schedule that we do wrestle,” Hahn said. “How many other sports are competing week in and week out against the perennial power five schools? Us being in the Big 12, we’re going to see a lot of that competition.”

Last week, the Jacks didn’t have a dual matchup, but some of the team participated in the Don Parker Open

JACKS FACE TOP-10 OPPONENT

in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Redshirt freshman Roman Rogotzke took the 197-pound title, with Cody Donnelly placing third in the class as well. Rogotzke went 3-0 on the day, with Donnelly going 2-1.

Leading into Friday’s matchup at 7 p.m., the Jackrabbits will face a top-10 opponent in Oklahoma State. The No. 7 Cowboys have won two duals in a row and eight of their last nine matchups. Their two most recent wins were both top-10 victories, beating No. 6 Michigan Feb. 3 and earning a tiebreaker over No. 8 Missouri Feb. 5.

“The history there is one of the best in the absolute country,” Hahn said about Oklahoma State. “It could shape up to be an amazing duel. Matchups are key. There are some weights that are favored, and they have weights they’re favored in winning and then there are some toss-ups.”

Following Friday’s matchup with Oklahoma State, the Jacks will then host Oklahoma Sunday.

The Sooners haven’t been as successful in conference matchups this season as they currently sit at 1-4 in the Big 12 with their lone dual win coming against West Virginia Jan. 20. Most recently, Oklahoma snapped their three-match losing streak Feb. 5 in a 24-10 win over

Rider on Senior Day.

For the Jacks, Tanner Sloan is undefeated in duals this season at 11-0 in the 197-pound weight class. He has an overall record of 46-4 in duals in his career. A.J. Nevills, in the 285-pound class, was unbeaten at 11-0 in duals before losing to Wyatt Hendrickson of Air Force Jan. 29. Cade King has won nine matches in a row, most recently over Noah Blake Jan. 29.

The Cowboys and Jacks will face off at 7 p.m. at Frost Arena Friday before matching up with the Sooners Sunday at 1 p.m. Their final dual of the season will be Feb. 19 on the road against North Dakota State.

The Big 12 Wrestling Championships will be held March 4-5, while the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will be March 16-18. Both championships will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Hahn knows how important playing this weekend’s matches at home will be.

“How wrestling is appreciated here in our community and our fans, it is not like that around the country,” Hahn said. “We live in an amazing part of our country for our sport, and we need those fans to be there to help us do what we want to accomplish.”

Collegian photo by ZOEY SCHENTZEL (She/Her)

South Dakota State’s Cael Swensen celebrates a match win in a Big 12 dual against Wyoming Jan. 22 at Frost Arena. The Jackrabbits carry a 10-dual winning streak into this weekend’s matchups. During that winning streak, the 157-pound redshirt freshman didn’t lose a match he faced, going 10-0 during the streak.

Wrestling team has tough schedule ahead with three duals left

BRAYDEN BYERS Sports Reporter

After extending their win streak to 13 games, the Jackrabbit women’s basketball team will wrap up their threegame road swing this Saturday against rival USD.

South Dakota State also took down North Dakota to start off the road trip 75-57. The Jacks only led by four at halftime but scored 25 in the third to push past the Fighting Hawks to stay unbeaten in conference play. Haleigh Timmer put up 16 points to lead SDSU, while Paiton Burckhard finished with 14 and Myah Selland with nine.

Selland needed only 10 points heading into their next matchup with North Dakota State to reach the 2,000point mark.

Five SDSU student athletes scored in double figures in the 82-54 win over NDSU. Timmer led all players with 16 points, while Paige Meyer and Selland each had 15 and Tori Nelson totaling 12. The Jacks held the Bison to only three points in the second period after giving up 23 in the first.

“I thought our team played really tough,” coach Aaron Johnson said. “They were really focused and really did well I thought with our off ensive and defense execution.”

Selland would join Macy Miller as the only other Jackrabbit to achieve the 2K point milestone while becoming only the fourth between the men’s and women’s basketball programs.

“That’s just a remarkable accomplishment, and it’s not surprising considering her talent and her ability and just how hard she works.” Johnston said of Selland.

South Dakota State (20-5, 13-0 Summit League) has now won 26 straight regular season conference games. They have also eclipsed 20 wins in a season for the 12th year in a row and the 17th time in the Division I era.

The Jacks now have a week to prepare for another rival in the USD Coyotes. This will be the first of two games featuring the Jackrabbits and the Yotes on Saturday as part of the South Dakota Showdown Series.

The two teams matched up earlier this year at Frost Arena in a game where the Jacks shot lights out, connecting on 17 3-pointers in the game.

SOUTH DAKOTA SHOWDOWN

SHOWDOWN

In total, the yellow and blue scored 118 points while only allowing 59 from USD.

“You just don’t do that very often, on the flip side, having the other team not shoot it as well as they typically do because they are an elite shooting team too,” Johnston said.

The Coyotes (11-13, 7-6) are currently fourth in the conference behind NDSU, Oral Roberts and SDSU. They sit an even six games behind the Jacks as well as 1.5 games behind the other two.

Grace Larkins leads the way averaging close to 18 points per game while shooting 41% from the field. She is also dishing the ball well, getting almost five assists a contest.

“[Larkins] is really aggressive for one,” Johnston said of the sophomore guard. “Every team needs different players to do different things and right now they need her to do a lot. And she is doing a lot.”

Madison Grange is also averaging double-digits at 11 per game, shooting 56% from the field and 61% from 3-point range. Carley Duff ney is right behind with 9.8 points along with 20 minutes per game.

For SDSU, junior forward Kallie Theisen has been a key piece coming off the bench, averaging six points, but making her presence known in the paint.

“She’s one of the better defensive post players I think we really have ever

had.” Johnston said of the Plymouth, Minnesota native. “Such a good rebounder, and she is able to guard post players a lot of times just one on one.” This will be the 98th meeting between these two programs with SDSU

leading the way on a 62-35 record. The women’s game will tip at 1 p.m. while the men will begin at 6 p.m. in Brookings. Both will be televised on Midco Sports Network as well as streamed on Midco Sports Plus.

Collegian Photo by JOCLYN HAVEN

Guard Paige Meyer passes the ball in the Jacks’ 81-58 win over Western Illinois Jan. 28 at Frost Arena. Meyer had 12 points and four assists in the win.

MAYO DROPS 41 Jacks beat rival Bison, prepare for Coyotes

MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Reporter

After going 2-0 at home last week, the South Dakota State men’s basketball team looks to finish its three-game home stint against in-state rival South Dakota.

“Our guys are getting more comfortable with the way we are playing, and it’s been a little bit different than years past,” coach Eric Henderson said. “We try to create opportunities for all of our guys and create that confidence in them and have them understand that we believe in them.”

The Jackrabbits (14-11, 9-4 Summit League) currently sit in second place in the Summit League standings, behind 12-0 Oral Roberts and in front of 8-5 Western Illinois.

The Jacks currently average 69.9 points per game with star sophomore guard Zeke Mayo averaging nearly twenty of those points (18.1).

Mayo was named the Lou Henson National Award Player of the Week for his performances last week. The Kansas native dropped a career-high 41 points against the Bison Saturday in SDSU’s 90-85 win.

“I try to play off my teammates,” said Mayo in a post-game press conference on Saturday. “In practice, they (coaches) try and install into my head ‘we want the ball in your hands,’ so I work on stuff like this but at the end of the day it’s all trust from my coaches and teammates.”

Mayo and the Jackrabbits now look ahead to USD. The Coyotes (11-14, 6-7) are currently seventh in the Summit League after losing to last-place North Dakota by 14 points in their previous outing.

They currently average 68.9 points per game, while allowing 73.8 points per game and have been outscored by their opponents all season.

Kruz Perrott-Hunt leads them in scoring, averaging 14.1 points to go along with 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists

per game. Damani Hayes leads in rebounding with 6.9 a game while AJ Plitzuweit has the most assists per game with 2.5.

The two teams last played Jan. 14, where the Jacks outscored USD in both halves, winning the game 82-64.

Before their matchup with the Coyotes, the Jacks played North Dakota Feb. 2 in Brookings where the Jacks never let the Fighting Hawks take the lead, with the final score being 96-73.

Wisconsin-transfer Matthew Mors led the Jacks in scoring with 24 points, going 8-9 on field goals.

“It’s as relaxed as he’s looked,” Henderson said of Mors after the game. “I thought he took advantage of the opportunities that North Dakota was giving him.”

Mayo showed his versatility on both sides of the ball during the game, leading SDSU in both rebounds and assists, finishing with six assists and 10 rebounds to go along with 14 points.

The Jackrabbits shot well throughout the game, with a field goal percentage of 61.7% while shooting an impressive 58.3% from the three-point line.

For UND, Tsotne Tsartsidze not only played the most minutes but also led the team in rebounds with 10 and points with 18. B.J. Omot finished the game with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists while shooting 6-12 on the night.

But the Fighting Hawks struggled throughout the game, shooting 43.8% on field goals, 31.3% on three-pointers and 63.6% from the free-throw line. The Hawks also struggled with rebounds, getting out-rebounded 37-25.

Following their blowout win, the Jacks hosted North Dakota State two days later in a more high-contested game.

In a game with seven lead changes, the Jackrabbits edged North Dakota State 90-85. The Bison are currently tied in fifth place with Kansas City in the Summit League standings with an even

record of 6-6 in conference play.

Along with the 41 points, Mayo played all 40 minutes, shot 56% from the field and 6-9 from behind the arc. He also hit seven of his eight free throws.

Matt Dentlinger finished with 17 points and five rebounds shooting 7-12 from the field while William Kyle III shot 6-6 from the field and had eight rebounds and three blocks.

SDSU took advantage of NDSU’s 10 turnovers by converting them into 16 points, while the Jacks only had a pair of turnovers coming from Kyle III and Dentlinger.

NDSU’s Grant Nelson led the Bison with 27 points, 15 rebounds and two assists. A pair of Bison, Damari WheelerThomas and Jacari White, both scored in double figures.

The Bison got their team involved, with 15 assists throughout the game with nearly a third coming from Wheeler-Thomas.

Though they led at halftime, the Bison could not hold on to their slim lead for the rest of the game, allowing the Jacks to score 49 points in the second half.

“What a fun weekend we had in Frost Arena beating North Dakota and North

Dakota State,” Henderson said. “On to the next and we’re super excited to have another great environment and bring in the Coyotes.”

Collegian photos by JOCLYN HAVEN (She/Her) Zeke Mayo drives past Jacari White in the Jacks’ 90-85 win over the Bison Feb. 4. Mayo had a career-high 41 points, shooting 14-of-25 from the field, 6-of-9 from 3-point range and played all 40 minutes.

William Kyle III goes up for a dunk in the Jacks’ 90-85 win over the Bison Feb. 4 at Frost Arena.