March 1, 2023

SCOOTERS SOON?

The Students’ Association approved a resolution that would bring electric scooters to campus.

STORY, PAGE 2

Quarter Scale Tractor

SDSU’s quarter scale tractor team gears up for another year competing on the international level.

STORY, PAGES 8-9

Summit League Bound

Men’s and women’s basketball prepare for the Summit League Tournament March 3-7

STORIES, PAGES 13,14-15

Photo courtesy of SPIN

Electric scooters coming to campus

ZACHARY SIMON Reporter

The SDSU Students’ Association approved a resolution Monday that offers support for an electric scooter rental operation on the SDSU campus and in the city of Brookings.

SA Sen. Nick Grote, the resolution’s author, said the next step is to schedule a meeting with SDSU administration and city officials to discuss the implementation of an electric scooter operation.

“Currently, we don’t have a timeline,” Grote said. “When we have that meeting we’ll know more.”

The program would fill a need for cheap transportation in Brookings, Grote said.

According to the Transportation Work Group, in the 2019 General Activity Fee Report, just under 10% of SDSU students do not have access to transportation. Many of these are international students who rate a transportation system as a high priority.

Most electric scooter companies charge a flat fee of $1 for each ride, plus an additional 15 to 33¢ per minute of riding, Grote said. This is charged automatically to the user through an app that they must download before riding. Some companies do not require users to have a smartphone to operate a scooter.

“This means of transportation is very affordable,” Grote said. “A ride from the farthest corners of campus would cost maybe two and a half bucks, and that’s at the max.”

Because the scooter operation would be run by a third party, it would not cost SDSU anything to implement. A specific company has not been chosen, but SA supports a competitive bid process for the operating agreement.

Grote added that because electric scooters are micro-vehicles, a scooter operation would reduce carbon emissions and road congestion.

Sophomore Brandon Reuss said that adding a scooter rental service would give students something to do around Brookings, as it makes it easier for them to travel.

“People living in Hanson and Meadows would have a huge advantage because it would lower their commute times,” Reuss said. “It would help add to the college experience.”

The idea started when Grote attended a leadership event in Tampa, Florida.

“While I was there, I rode these scooters from my hotel to the conference,” Grote said. “I thought it would be a great thing to implement at SDSU.”

To ride a scooter, users would first have to create an account through the app, which requires them to fill in their personal and payment information, and scan their driver’s license. The app also requires users to accept the terms and conditions, which legally protects the university in the case of an accident.

Scooter rental services would allow for SDSU to restrict certain areas, which would be designated in the app, Grote said. If users ride into those areas, the scooters would slow and beep at the users until they turn around.

SDSU could also designate areas as “lowered-speed zones” which cap the maximum speed of the scooters, as well as designate either mandatory or preferred parking areas. Under preferred parking, users can park the scooters anywhere, but receive a discount if they return them to a designated area.

B Wilson, a sophomore who uses his own electric scooter to travel across campus, says that a scooter rental service is a good idea.

“I don’t think it would cause problems,” Wilson said.

During winter months, SDSU could store some or all of the scooter fleet.

“These scooters have pretty good tires so they normally can run in the snow,” Grote said. “If there’s a bad snowstorm, we can contact the company and they can shut off all scooters.”

There are also options to mitigate against drunken drivers, Grote said. SDSU could shut off the scooters after a certain hour, and could even require users to pass a reaction time test on their phone.

“There really aren’t many downsides,” SA Vice President Anna Shane

said. “I’m really excited by the idea.” SDSU is entering a competitive bidding process that will allow administration to decide which company best fits with SDSU’s needs.

According to Students’ Association President Blake Pulse, Spin and Lime are two companies that have expressed interest in providing an e-scooter service at SDSU.

Submitted photo E-scooters, like the one seen here from Lime, offer convenient and cheap transportation for populations without access to vehicles or in areas without nearby parking—like a university campus.

STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION BRIEF

Senate discusses GAF spending, electric scooters, Rabbit Ride

JACOB BOYKO News Editor (He/Him)

At the Feb. 27 Students’ Associations meeting, senators discussed GAF spending, debated electric scooters and a Rabbit Ride expansion and nominated students for awards.

Jennifer Novotny, senior director for the University Student Union, overviewed how general activity fees, or GAF, is used to support the building’s operations. For the 2022-2023 school year, GAF is set at $50.85 per credit hour. According to the breakdown of GAF spending on SDSU’s website, the Student Union receives $15.19 per credit hour. Therefore, a student enrolled in a 12-credit semester with on-campus classes contributes $182.28 each semester for the Student Union’s operations.

Novotny further broke down specific GAF spending in the Student Union. $5.24 is allocated for the “overall Student Union,” $1.40 for operations, $2.58 to cover the bond and insurance for the building, $3.69 for maintenance and repair, 12¢ for career development GAF replacement and another 67¢ for orientation GAF replacement.

Operating expenses include lights, water, garbage, and salary and benefits for staff and student workers.

“We do get metered,” Novotny said about the Student Union’s utility expenses. “We do share a portion of our natural gas with our food service partners because they use primarily a larger portion than the regular throws of the buildings.”

The Senate unanimously approved the constitution for the American Institute of Architecture Students. AAIS “aims to promote excellence in architectural education, training and practice,” “foster an appreciation of architecture and related disciplines” and to combine students’ “efforts to advance the art and science of architecture,” according to the club constitution.

The SDSU chapter will be part of the larger nationwide coalition. The

club will collect local membership dues as well as national dues.

The Senate also unanimously approved the constitution for the Pakistan Students’ Association. The club plans to host events featuring sports, food and entertainment from Pakistani culture.

Resolutions:

The Senate debated and eventually approved a resolution to support the implementation of electric scooters on campus and within the city of Brookings. The Senate debated the safety of the scooters, plans for winter operation and preventative measures to decrease the number of potential DUIs.

Sen. Nick Grote, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the goal is to provide affordable transportation for those who may not have access to it.

“We want to keep this affordable to pretty much everyone,” Grote said. “It’s about a $1 fee … then about 15¢ to 30¢ per minute after.”

Sen. Abhinav Kubal supported the resolution, but cautioned the Senate about the risks of the scooters around town.

“I’ve taken my scooter to Walmart, but I would not advise anyone else to do that,” Kubal said. “It’s dangerous because you are on your tiny scooter with huge SUVs on the road that can flatten you … Brookings is a very pedestrian-friendly city until it snows.”

The Senate debated and tabled Resolution 22-28-R, which requested University President Barry Dunn fund Rabbit Ride with discretionary funds from alcohol sales from athletic events.

The resolution was tabled to produce an estimation of the cost of adding an additional night to the Rabbit Ride service.

Other Business:

President Blake Pulse announced a new scoreboard implementation committe. The committee will work with university administration to put up a scoreboard visible from the student section at the Dana J. Dykhouse stadium after Sen. Trinity Peterson brought up

concerns about ADA accessibility with the current setup.

Communications Chair Garrett Satterly announced the communications committee has decided on a theme for the SA 2023 election.

“Your Vote, Your Voice,” Satterly said. “This is really our effort to get at least 10% of the student population to vote in the 2023 election.”

The election gear will be branded with the campaign, Satterly said.

Diversity Liaison Harley Fischer proposed her position be a paid role in the next student administration.

“Diversity is an essential component of our university,” Fischer said. “If we want to continue to provide a welcoming environment at SDSU and a place for all our students to call home, I think we need to look at fully funding the executive position of diversity liaison … I am truly disappointed in the decision of the finance committee choosing to disregard SDSU’s core mission.”

Adonai Ghebrekidan, president of the Black Student Alliance, expressed support for Fischer’s proposal later in the meeting.

The Senate also opened up nominations for the Senator of the Year award. Vice President Anna Shane nominated Senator-at-Large Hayden Bentz.

“Senator Bentz … came in as an ambitious freshman with a really ambitious platform early in the fall and was ready to take on whatever came his way,” Shane said.

Sen. Hunter Eide nominated Fischer for the award.

“I think we can all attest to [her] impact throughout this past year, creating a welcoming environment and doing a phenomenal job of setting up a great start to the first year of the diversity liaison position,” Eide said.

Satterly nominated Senator-atLarge Hannah Dayaget.

“Senator Dayaget came in as a freshman during our at-large process (when seats were left vacant in some academic colleges and are filled by the

members of the general student body), and really kind of jumped in and got to know the students of SDSU and got to know the process of the Students’ Association,” Satterly said.

Sen. Will Kessler nominated College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Sen. Michael Garofalo.

“He’s a really hard worker and has been here a really long time and knows how the whole system works,” Kessler said. “Whenever anyone comes into the Students’ Association office wondering what’s going on and asking questions, I kind of panic, and I look to the side and Michael’s there and he always has the answers.”

The Senate also nominated ex officios for the Ex Officio of the Year Award. Peterson nominated Joseph Ulloa, the ex officio for the Latin American Students’ Association.

Fischer nominated Ghebrekidan, BSA’s ex officio.

Kessler nominated Matthew Schwarz, ex officio for the Genders and Sexualities Alliance.

Feb. 15 Issue Corrections

“Officials are hopeful for Bold & Blue campaign...”

• The four main categories donors can make a gift to are people, places, traditions and innovations.

“Brookings hospital is smallest in state...”

• The hospital is called Brookings Health System.

• The two operating nurses’ names are Allie Luoma and Cassie Schneider.

• The da Vinci Xi robot was acquired in 2013. The Mako robotic arm was acquired in 2018.

• There were some spelling errors within the story.

Rise of AI promotes discussions in higher ed

Writing engines raise questions about plagiarism, future curriculum

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

Artificial intelligence (AI) writing engines are gaining traction in higher education as universities and colleges increasingly seek innovative ways to enhance the student learning experience. These advanced software programs use natural language processing and complex algorithms to generate high-quality written content, enabling students to produce assignments, essays, and research papers with greater speed and efficiency.

AI writing engines have the potential to transform the way students approach writing, providing a tool for educators to help develop critical thinking and communication skills. As the use of AI in higher education gains momentum, it raises important questions about the future of writing and the role of technology in shaping the classroom experience.

If those fi rst two paragraphs weren’t convincing enough as it is, they were also generated by ChatGPT, one of the newest AI writing tools online created by OpenAI. ChatGPT creates responses based on whatever questions, commands or writing prompts the user inputs, like the one used for this article, “write a lead about AI writing engines in higher education in Associated Press Style.”

But along with the benefits of AI writing, universities like South Dakota State University have also raised ques-

tions about the ethical dilemmas of using ChatGPT on school assignments.

Nathan Serfling, an English professor at SDSU, said programs like ChatGPT have prompted some concerns because it can promote plagiarism.

“If I’m worried about it, and I think it should be to a certain extent, because we want our students to do their own work,” he said. “We don’t want them to go in and have ChatGPT generate whole essays for them.”

Jason McEntee, director of the School of English and Interdisciplinary Studies, said students in his classes are already having discussions about AI and its uses, though not all for the same reasons.

“For our English classes, our students are more interested in it because of what it does and what it can do,” he said. “I think in our other classes, for example, the state composition classes, those conversations are a little more, shall I say, diversional, like we’re encouraging you to really not use it to write your papers.”

Educators can also face challenges determining if an essay is AI generated. Current anti-plagiarism technology like Turnitin often can’t detect if an assignment is written by AI since it relies on finding already published language, which ChatGPT-created writing is not.

This kind of technology is also relatively new. ChatGPT was released in November 2022 and has already gone through multiple updates since then.

“We’re aware of AI writing software, but … since November when ChatGPT was released, it’s having this kind of tsunami ripple effect,” said Daniel Justice, a learning designer for SDSU’s

Instructional Design Services (IDS), which helps with electronic and technology-based learning on campus.

But even with these concerns, many educators are trying to embrace the new rise in AI writing engines.

Serfling said the university is encouraging faculty and educators to look for ways to incorporate AI into their lessons and assignments, instead of completely trying to stop students from using it.

“It can be a useful tool for brainstorming,” he said. “You know, back in the day when Wikipedia first came out, everyone was like, ‘don’t use Wikipedia, it’s awful,” but now I think … a lot of us go to Wikipedia to get background information.”

AI-generated writing can help students with revision work, outlines and other planning stages of the writing process.

McEntee also said administrators have had conversations about AI, and programs like teacher education have begun planning on how to incorporate AI programs into their curriculums to teach future educators how to use the software.

“(AI’s) immediate impact is so profound that it’s being immediately imported into curriculum,” he said. “That’s something that’s unique about this, is that it usually takes a while. Academia moves slow.”

With all these benefits and positives, however, Justice said some instructors are still worried about an overreliance on this kind of technology because of its quick, easy use.

“Some of the best learning happens

when we’re forced to work through a problem and figure it out, to do that with the guidance and feedback from our instructors,” he said. “So obviously, there are concerns about how the technology will be used and (they) are really trying to encourage students to make responsible decisions for their own learning.”

But Serfling said these programs also allow educators to examine their own teachings and assignments to find ways not only to discourage plagiarism but also to use AI like ChatGPT in ethical ways.

“I think a lot of times when students are more inclined to find shortcuts and find end-arounds to the work that they’re doing in class or the work that their instructors ask them to do, it’s because they’re maybe not engaged with the work, and maybe it doesn’t seem as relevant as meaningful,” he said. “So, I think that’s one strategy that we can bring into this, is how do we give students things that they want to write about, that they want to explore?”

While the rise in AI writing engines is still fairly new, Serfling, McEntee and Justice are all interested in where this technology will go from here and what role it might play in higher education in the future, with McEntee saying he plans to try out some of these engines over spring break.

“I’m kind of excited to see what it can do,” he said. “With the current class that I’m teaching, I’m going to go in and enter some of my prompts and see what it cooks up.”

Youth diversion program lowers underage charges

GRETA GOEDE Asst. News Editor (She/Her)

The Brookings Youth Diversion Program has helped over 500 students expunge minors off their records since the program started four years ago.

The program is an opportunity for students to get underage drinking citations off their records. Dan Nelson, the Brookings County states’ attorney, started the program to give students a second chance rather than just charging them with a crime.

“I thought we could set them up for success rather than failure,” Nelson said. “But also do it in a way that still holds them accountable.”

The program requires students to do 10 hours of community service and a 3-hour class in a 30-day period to get the charge dismissed. Students must also stay crime free for 13 months to then get the arrest expunged from their record.

As of 2021, there were four times fewer cases of underage consumption than when the program started in 2017 which reported 348 minors. The amount decreased over the years from 336 in 2016, 205 in 2019, 81 in 2020 and 87 in 2021, according to data from Brookings County states’ attorney office.

Over 5,000 community service hours have come out of this program. Students can do their community service

hours at various places around Brookings like United Way, Humane Society and the Great After-School Place (GAP).

Heidi Gullickson, executive director of United Way, said in 2022 they had over 275 hours of community service from diversion students. Students help clean new buildings, hang up posters around town, put together care packages and other projects.

“It helps them out to focus on programming and fundraising,” Gullickson said.

“Diversion students help [nonprofits] get stuff done faster.”

The program has made a positive impact and response from the community since it started. Nelson said he has seen more SDSU students get engaged in the community through this program. It has allowed students to give back to the community, which has built the relationship between Brookings and SDSU, according to Nelson.

“These are successful college students that got caught

drinking underage, so these kids are very welcomed by these nonprofits,” he said.

Gullickson said all the students who have helped at United Way have been wonderful, respectful volunteers. She said many of the students come back after their community service hours to volunteer again at these nonprofits.

“It opens their eyes on how they can make an impact while getting their education,” she said.

The program is entirely

funded through participants. The cost is $120, which is sent to The Ivy Center- Brookings Behavioral Health and Wellness. Well over $50,000 has been sent to the center from this program.

“Since they’re a nonprofit, that’s obviously a really big deal,” Nelson said. “We want to make sure we are funding the mental health providers in our community.”

Nelson said he sees a successful future for this program. He thinks more community stakeholders will get involved to make this program better and as the university continues to grow, more students will go through the program.

“It certainly has been successful, and I think it will continue to be successful in the future,” Nelson said.

There is a similar program offered in Brookings for marijuana charges. Students who participate in this program must also take class but must complete 20 hours of community service.

Students learn about and get the opportunity to take these programs at their court dates for their charges. Gullickson said she thinks this program gives students a second chance and encourages them to use it.

“We are thankful to be able to be a part of the program and appreciate the help students have been able to give us,” she said.

Collegian graphic by MARA WHEATON (She/Her)

Underage consumption charges dropped by over 250 since the start of the Brookings Youth Diversion Program in 2017.

Boss’ Pizza opens in Brookings, owner hopes for community support

BROOKLYN MAUCH Reporter

A new Boss’ Pizzeria and Sports Bar opened in Brookings this November after the former one closed downtown in 2011.

Boss’s Pizza opened their new restaurant at 2515 6th St. attached to the Econo Lounge, and have averaged about 1,000 customers a week and 100 pizzas a day. Along with food, the Brookings location off ers dart nights, karaoke, pool and a casino.

Owner Darren Newboarg said he is excited about re-opening the pizza joint in Brookings.

“The fi rst month has really exceeded my expectations,” he said. “I wish we could have had more business later at night, but I think the fact that people have a place to go on this side of town is a nice option for

them to have.”

With the success of the store’s opening, Boss’ Pizza is planning to expand their market and add a loyalty program after growing their staff.

The former Boss’ Pizza operated downtown from 2008-20011 and closed due to issues with parking. Newboarg said he plans to combat that problem with the new location and have a delivery option available.

Newboarg also said that all servers and bartenders are current South Dakota State University students.

“Our manager always ensures students have time to go to school and do homework,” Abby Hanson, an SDSU student and Boss’ Pizza employee, said. “I’ve never served before and they make it super easy to learn here.”

Boss’ Pizza is open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. every night.

Newboarg said he plans to stand out amongst the

15 other pizza restaurants in town by adding a “by the slice” option in the future, joining DoorDash, running food trucks in the summer and adding a sand volleyball court.

The restaurant’s menu features items such as “The Guideo,” a supreme-like pizza with Canadian bacon, shrimp, black olives, mushrooms and bacon. They also have a “Superboss” pizza which is a spicy dish that includes buffalo sauce and jalapenos. Boss’ Pizza also has pasta and chicken options on its menu.

The company spans across the Midwest region, but started in Clark, SD by Jeremy Seefedlt.

“I really appreciate the support of the community and people giving us a chance,” he said. “I want to continue connecting to the community and hope we can bring a great place to Brookings.”

Transfer student enrollment trends upwards

TORI SCHULZ Reporter

In the fall 2022, 464 new students transferred to South Dakota State University.

At SDSU, there are multiple common trends that can be analyzed among students for their reasons for transferring.

“Enrollment of transfer students often follows economic trends,” Ryan Vande Kieft, assistant director of admissions, said. “As labor markets become more competitive, especially during more challenging economies, individuals pursue education to elevate their credentials or possibly shift their chosen career choice.”

Officials say students are looking to enroll in schools where their credits transfer and allow them to earn their degree at an affordable price and in a timely manner.

The top trends in transfer students include changes in career interests, financial circumstances, opportunities in athletics and overall experiences.

Lauren Pick, a sophomore at SDSU who transferred from Northeast Community College, said she had to

transfer to pursue her nutrition and dietetics degree.

According to Shawn Helmbolt, director of admissions, the degrees most commonly pursued by Fall 2022 transfer students include animal science, business economics, psychology, human biology, medical lab science and nursing.

Within these degrees, there are also common occurrences between the ages of students that are transferring to SDSU. Based on the enrollment figures from fall 2022, the largest amount of transfers were 20-21 years old.

As far as challenges that SDSU faces with transfer students, there are two main concerns: engaging the students before they decide to transfer and organizing past credits to remain on track for future goals.

Transfer students handle the application process more independently, and universities are typically unaware of a student’s interest in the school until they have applied. Because of this, it is difficult to engage them in the school prior to the application process.

The other common issue that occurs with transfer students is organizing all previous classes to align with their future goals. With possible credits from college-level courses in high school and credits from

the previous college, it is a challenge to guarantee all classes are organized.

“Collaboration between the student and advising points on their current and future campuses is often required to ensure their courses transfer as positively as possible,” Vande Kieft said.

As for the students, it is a huge change to go to a new school, and since most transfer students are still recently out of high school, there is a lot to consider when it comes to the campus locations, technology and its community. Universities set up orientations and work to make the transition smoother for the students. There is even a living-learning community on campus specifically for transfer students.

“I am in a dorm with a floor full of transfer students, so it made me realize I am not doing this transition alone, and I can talk to people who may be experiencing the same things as me,” Pick said about the living-learning community.

Once arriving in Brookings, many transfer students say SDSU has a great campus and community. Pick said that even though it is intimidating at first, everyone is willing to help and is always friendly.

Photo by GRACIE TERRALL (She/Her) Boss’ Pizza opened in the Econo Lounge last November. There hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Office of International Affairs hosts second edition of the Global Achievement Awards

KENNETH REBELLO Reporter

South Dakota State University’s Office of International Affairs recognized 11 people and the Department of Animal Science at its second edition of the Global Achievement Awards Monday at the SDSU Alumni Association’s Woster Celebration Hall.

The Global Achievement Awards were hosted to honor the faculty, campus staff members and students of the community who help to support international students as well as study abroad education.

“Today’s program is to mainly recognize individuals for their contributions to internationalize South Dakota State University,” Dennis Hedge, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, said.

Hedge thanked and congratulated the honorees of the award and the Office of International Affairs for their contribution toward the international community at SDSU.

“I think it shows our appreciation toward them for the hard work put in because many of our recipients are interacting with international students on a daily basis,” Kirsten Linke, international student adviser for the Offi ce of International Aff airs and International Relations Council, said.

This year, the Global Achievement Awards witnessed fewer honorees compared to its inaugural edition. Last year, 30 honorees were awarded with the Global Achievement Award, while this year 12 honorees were awarded.

“We were intending to host the first annual global achievement awards in 2020 and then we all know what had happened (COVID-19),” Linke said.

“Last year, we had honored three years’ worth of honorees including 2020, 2021 and 2022.”

Faculty members have a long history of leading educational trips abroad. They help students achieve global mobility and understanding of how things would be in a different country.

Staff members help students in a variety of ways. They collaborate alongside the Office of International Affairs to achieve goals for the student.

Students who contribute to the international community mainly have participated in a higher level of different opportunities on-campus such as leadership positions of an executive board and/or any of the eight organizations recognized by the university, and their involvement with the Office of International Affairs.

“When you talk about internationalization, which is a very common term in international education, we don’t mean to imply

that we’re trying to make everything on-campus international,” Jon Stauff, assistant vice president for International Affairs, said. “What we’re trying to do is to work to integrate the university and the community with as many global connections as possible.”

Besides the recipients for the Global Achievement Awards, the International Relations Council and all the international student organizations on-campus were recognized for their contribution to the campus’ internationalization.

The winners of the 2023 Global Awareness Awards pose for a photo. They are as follows in no particular order: the Department of Animal Science; Jose Alvarez, School of American and Global Studies; Stephanie Bebensee, College of Nursing; Michael Gonda, Department of Animal Science; Tracy Greene, Office of General Counsel; Tonya Hohenthaner, Human Resources; Rajesh Kavasseri, Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering; Michelle Kuebler, Admissions Office; Ashley McConnell, Department of Biology & Microbiology; Kay Trooien, Records & Registration; Mark Venhuizen, University Student Union and Greg Wasberg, Miller Wellness Center.

Students ‘upscale’ career potential in Quarter Scale

Tractor Club

by ELLA

Students in South Dakota State University’s champion-level quarter-scale tractor club are not only internationally competitive with their machines, but excel above their peers with real-world industry experience.

“I wanted to build things while I was here at college, and the quarter-scale tractor club was the perfect opportunity to also hang out with other ag kids,” Phillip Black, the quarter scale tractor club president and junior ag systems tech major, said. “We’re very hands-on and get things done.”

The nearly 20 members of the quarter-scale tractor team are respon-

sible for complete design, fabrication and production of quarter of the size of an industry standard tractor during year. The competition to test their work alongside schools the world takes place June 1-5 in Peoria, Illinois. For SDSU bers, this contest is a multi-year tradition, and they have tional wins. In 2018 and 2022, SDSU had the overall champion and took home both a permanent and traveling trophy.

Douglas Prairie, the club’s adviser and lecturer in the ag and engineering department, said faculty primarily act as a support for the students to help acquire materials and interest new

Story

STIEFVATER

“When you tell employers you were on the quarter scale tractor team, it usually gets a reaction,”

Logan Turgasen, Quarter scale tractor member

a tractor the during the school from around SDSU team mem- two internachampion tractor and biosystems support system new members.

“The direction of the design of the tractor is by the club members, it’s not like an academic exercise – it’s more like a hobby that you can put on your resume,” Prairie said about why students should join the club. “It can take a fair amount of time but has become a fraternal type organization within our department.”

At the start of the year, all ‘A’ teams are supplied with the same engine and two back tires to start the playing field even. After that, the students must finish all aspects of creating the best machine. There’s also an ‘X’ team that brings back its tractor from the previous competition year with any modifications they made to make it better.

Before the contest begins, contestants must have their tractor approved by a tech inspection which measures all the safety features of the machine. If the tractor is denied, the students must fix whatever safety shortage that was identified and bring it back for re-evaluation before continuing in the contest.

The pulling portion of the contest is worth the most points. Not only does the tractor need to weigh less than 900 pounds on contest day, but one of its challenges is to pull 1,100 and 1,600 pound sleds in a race for the most distance pulled.

The next highest score in the contest is assigned to a 25-page written report and presentation.

Students must write about the ideas they generated and include designs and pictures of the entire process. The idea behind the presentation is for team members to “sell” their tractor to a panel of potential buyers made up of industry leaders.

Other factors of the tractors’ success are measured in their durability and maneuverability. These competitions include a track designed with lots of speed bumps that the tractor must race as many laps around as possible, and another course with poles for the driver to either avoid or specifically knock over.

All aspects of the International Quarter-Scale Tractor competition are representations of real industry needs in farming equipment and is hosted by the American Society of Ag and Biosystems Engineers.

Many students recognize the value of participating and learning these skills while in college and those individuals stand out to companies looking to hire.

“The point [of the contest] is to get relevant industry experience,” Sam Meyer, a sophomore agriculture and biosystems engineer major, said. “We’re literally doing what we’d be doing at our future jobs.”

Students have the opportunity to see their designs, whether good or bad, be brought to life

in a real working machine, with equipment and parts supplied by their department and a variety of sponsors.

“The coolest part is we’re not only designing it but building it from the ground up,” Meyer said. “[By writing the paper] you have to justify your designs and explain why someone should buy it.”

Wisconsin native and SDSU student Logan Turgasen personally testifies to the importance of the quarter scale tractor club experience after his first internship at Sage Ag, which set him up for a summer position with John Deere in Moline, Illinois.

“When you tell employers you were on the quarter scale tractor team, it usually gets a reaction,” Turgasen, an ag and biosystems engineering major, said while talking about his experience with industry professionals.

This year, the members are excited to use a 3D printing machine for the first time to improve fabrication of several parts and test their ideas before using the actual material.

The team will again be competing in the international competition in June with high hopes for their new designs to continue the champion tradition.

(Left) Logan Turgasen works on a quarter scale tractor to prepare for the international competition. (Above) The SDSU Quarter Scale Tractor club with their winning tractors. SDSU won overall champions in 2018 and 2022.

Photos SUBMITTED

COLLEGIAN PHOTOS BY JOCLYN HAVEN (She/Her)

MASA SCHEIERMAN Sports Reporter

William Kyle III first caught South Dakota State coach Eric Henderson’s attention while playing in a club basketball tournament two years ago.

Now, everyone in the Summit League knows who this true freshman from Bellevue, Nebraska, is thanks to a powerful debut season for the Jackrabbit basketball team.

Kyle and the rest of the SDSU men’s basketball team will be on the court this Saturday in the Summit League Tournament in Sioux Falls. They await the winner of the No. 7/No. 10 matchup Friday between Kansas City and Omaha.

Kyle is averaging 9.5 points per game, 5.0 rebounds a game and is shooting over 50% from field goal range. He has also blocked 38 shots so far this season.

“Defensively, his rim protection is something we haven’t seen here in a long time,” Henderson said. “Offensively, his versatility and his growth, playing with his back to the basket and his ability to pass the basketball is probably what surprised me the most.”

Being new to the Division I level required Kyle to mature faster. There is a big difference between high school and college basketball and the skill, technique and physicality that is needed for the top level is something that usually comes with time.

Luckily, Kyle had the summer to adjust to the quickness of the college game. By working on basic development, getting stronger and gaining weight, Kyle found it easier to hold position and dictate what he wanted to do on the court. Which, at the beginning of summer

training, was difficult.

“When I would play this summer I would get punked a little bit just because the other guys were bigger and more experienced than me,” Kyle said. “As I’ve put on a lot more weight, gotten stronger and worked on different moves to score, I definitely got a lot more confident going up against other teams.”

Kyle has gained 18 pounds since the summer. He has continued to maintain and add mass even with the heavy workload on his body.

Building a better physical presence has helped the business economics major compete and hold his own down low. He has also improved in other areas such as protecting his spacing and taking contact through the chest when his opponent is backing him down.

While adapting to the DI level and growing stronger was something that Kyle had to learn, his athleticism came naturally. Whether it is his outrageous vertical that catches your attention or his quickness and tenacity shown on the court, it’s clear Kyle’s versatility is key to his play.

These assets have helped him set the tone on the court. They have created momentum in key moments, which helps impact the team.

“The thing that I think makes the most impact on the team right now is the dynamic plays,” Henderson said. “Whether it’s a really athletic block, which creates a lot of energy for our team, or an emphatic dunk, those are the things that have really helped us and energized our team.”

Kyle III’s skills have improved tremendously, and the support from his team and family has proven to be important. Because this is his first year on the court, he

has had to rely on other teammates for guidance and advice.

Luke Appel is a senior who’s redshirting because of an injury. The 6-foot-9 forward has been a huge help in Kyle’s growth. Appel has helped build his confidence and convinced him to trust his moves.

Appel also brings up adjustments that he sees while on the bench and communicates that with Kyle during the game.

“Luke has helped me tremendously,” Kyle said. “At the start of the season, I would find myself nervous and uncomfortable out there. Obviously, with Luke not being able to play, he’s been a huge help mentoring me on the side and telling me what to do in certain moments.”

Not only has Appel helped Kyle grow into the player he is now, but the support from his biggest fan, his dad, has impacted Kyle in many ways.

William Kyle Jr. has always been there for his son. Starting from elementary school and now to college, he can be found courtside videoing every game.

“I can count on my hands how many times I have not been at any of his events,” Kyle Jr. said. “Me being able to be at his games, to support him, video him, and for him to be able to look up in that crowd and see me means a lot to him. But it means the world to me.”

Kyle III uses the film his father records to make him a better basketball player. He critiques and analyzes every play, so the next time he steps on the court, he’s that much better than before.

He also looks forward to the videos so he can hear his dad’s excitement at the end of every clutch play.

The adjustment and growth have been a learning curve for Kyle III. But he wouldn’t want to do it anywhere else.

“As soon as I stepped on campus I felt all the love from the community,” Kyle III said. “Frost Arena is a great environment. All the fans are just great here, and being here has been amazing.”

WILLIAM KYLE III BIO

x Year in school: Freshman

x Major: Business economics

x Position: Forward

x Height: 6’9”

x Weight: 215 lbs.

x Hometown: Bellevue, Nebraska

x Stats: Leads Jacks in blocks (38), third in points (9.5) and rebounds (5.0) per game

William Kyle III passes the ball to Matt Mims in the Jacks’ 69-65 loss to Oral Roberts Saturday at Frost Arena.

JACKS COLLECT 31 MEDALS AT SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

SKYLER JACKSON Co-Sports Editor (He/Him)

South Dakota State’s track and field teams competed at the Summit League Indoor Championships last weekend in Vermillion.

Despite neither team capturing the Summit League title, many Jackrabbit athletes had successful showings throughout the two-day event. On Saturday, they claimed 11 medals and two individual championships. On Sunday they garnered 20 total medals, including six individual championships.

Here’s a look at some of the top performers for the men’s and women’s teams.

Men

The Jackrabbit men’s team finished in second place with 161.50 points in the final team rankings, only behind South Dakota, who won the Summit League title with 179.50 points.

“It’s unsatisfying, we got beat,” coach Rod DeHaven said. “We didn’t perform as well as we could have, USD performed well and they beat us.”

After winning the conference championship last season, the Jackrabbits weren’t able to defend their title. Despite that, a total of seven SDSU athletes claimed their individual titles.

Saturday saw a pair of Jackrabbit athletes claim the gold medal. Hunter Wallster won the weight throw, while Joseph Minor-Williams won his first of two gold medals in the 3,000-meter run.

Dominick Etherington was named the Field

Championship MVP after winning the shot put with a school record throw of 60-08.50. Wyatt Seagren took eighth in the event with a 51-02.75.

Minor-Williams claimed his second Summit League title in the 5,000-meter run Sunday in 14:27.20. After his successful weekend, he was named Track Championship MVP.

“He has been running well this year and got rewarded with that,” DeHaven said. “It was a good weekend for (Minor-Williams) and we certainly needed him because you try to finish as high as you can in the team standings.”

In that event, Max Selbach finished third in 14:29.89, while Cody Larson and Will Lohr earned personal records in 14:33.97 and 15:14.31 respectively.

Daniel Burkhalter won the Summit League title in the mile after clocking a 4:08.21 and Ben Olson took second at 4:10.15. Reid Pierzinski then won the 400meter dash in 48.76 seconds.

In the 60-meter hurdles, Pierre Lear won the conference title for the second-straight year after clocking a personal-best time and school record of 7.81 seconds.

Women

On the women’s side, the Jackrabbits finished third in the team rankings with 111 points with many athletes having runner-up finishes. South Dakota also claimed the women’s title with 214 points, while North Dakota State finished second with 166 points.

“On that side, it’s not like it was a bad meet,” DeHaven said. “It’s just that you hope to see some of those athletes that performed at a high level to maybe climb to the top of the heap.”

On day one, Jaiden Boomsma took second place in the long jump with a mark of 19-06.75 and Layne Kirkendoll earned a personal record with a leap of 17-08.75.

Catylynn Duff finished eighth in the weight throw with a personal best mark of 59-11.25, good for fifth in SDSU history. Leah Hansen finished third in the 3,000meter run in 9:50.22.

Hansen then claimed the Summit League title in the 5,000-meter run Sunday in 17:01.17. In the 60-meter dash, Rich-Ann Archer finished as the runner-up with a time of 7.51 seconds.

Other Jackrabbits with runner-up finishes were Cerington Jones, who claimed second in the 400-meter dash in 55.25 seconds, and Faith Leiseth, who was second in the shot put event with a mark of 48-00.75.

Brielle Dixon took third place in the 60-meter hurdle finals, breaking her own school record after an 8.43 mark in the event. Savannah Risseeuw took fifth with a personal-best time of 8.56.

Grace Waage ran a 5:00.84 for sixth place in the women’s mile and Nicole Greyer finished at 5:01.15 for seventh place. Claire Beckman was ninth in 5:02.81 and Emma Ecker was 14th in 5:14.50.

In the women’s high jump, Madison Kizer claimed fourth with a clearing of 5-05.00, while Taylor Jochum (5-03.00) finished 10th and Layne Kirkendoll (5-01.00) was 11th.

Up Next

If SDSU has any national qualifiers, the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships will be March 10 and 11 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“It’s unsatisfying, we got beat. We didn’t perform as well as we could have, USD performed well and they beat us.”

Rod DeHaven, SDSU track coach

Photo by DAVE EGGEN/INERTIA

South Dakota State’s Joseph Minor-Williams running in the Summit League Indoor Championships Feb. 25 in Vermillion. Minor-Williams won two events in the championships and was named Track Championship MVP.

SUMMIT LEAGUE PREVIEW

Jackrabbits carry momentum into conference tournament

MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Reporter

The South Dakota State men’s basketball team now looks ahead to defending its Summit League title after narrowly losing its last regular-season game to Oral Roberts.

This year’s tournament will feature all ten Summit League teams. Despite that, just three of them have winning conference records with Oral Roberts, North Dakota State and SDSU.

Here’s what to look for on each team ahead of this year’s tournament:

No. 1 Oral Roberts

(27-4, 18-0 Summit)

Going undefeated didn’t seem like a challenge for Oral Roberts, mainly because of senior guard Max Abmas. The Texas native has been stellar all season, leading the conference with 22.3 points per game, as well as sitting fourth in the conference with a 44.5% field goal percentage. The Golden Eagles have had the best offense throughout the season, scoring 84.1 points per game. Defensively, Oral Roberts is allowing the third least points per game with 70.4, as well as forcing the most turnovers. The undefeated Golden Eagles receive a firstround bye and will face the winner of Denver and North Dakota.

No. 2 South Dakota State (18-12, 13-5 Summit)

After nearly beating Oral Roberts, guard Zeke Mayo and the Jacks are looking to potentially knock the Golden Eagles out of the tournament. The Jacks have lost five conference games, two of them to Oral Roberts. Mayo has made a big impact for SDSU this year, averaging 18.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists. Other contributing Jackrabbits this year have been Matt Dentlinger and William Kyle III, who rank second and third respectively in scoring for SDSU. Their defense has been effective this year ranking second, allowing 69.6 points per game. They will await the winner of Kansas City and Omaha.

No. 3 North Dakota State

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MATCHUPS

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(14-16, 11-7 Summit)

Sitting as the third seed, the Bison could make an impact in this year’s tournament. NBA prospect Grant Nelson has been making an impact for NDSU on both sides of the ball this season, averaging nearly 18 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks per game. The Bison have a very even team this year, sitting around the middle of the conference in both offensive and defensive statistics, averaging 72.9 offensively and allowing opponents 72.5 per game. The Bison could prove to be a difficult team to beat, as they play USD in the quarterfinals.

No. 4 Western Illinois (16-13, 9-9 Summit)

The Leathernecks are tied with St. Thomas with a 9-9 conference record. Senior guard Trenton Massner has been averaging an impressive 19.3 points per game, second in the conference along with his 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. He also averages 1.5 steals per game, third in the Summit League. The Leathernecks average 73.5 points per game, third in the conference. On defense, Western Illinois has been great at stopping three-point shots, with opponents only making 32.2% of their threes. They will play St. Thomas in the quarterfinals.

No. 5 St. Thomas

(18-13, 9-9 Summit)

Once St. Thomas’ conference season started, it’s been pretty even, including

beating a shorthanded Jacks team in January. With Andrew Rohde’s 16.7, Parker Bjorklund’s 14.7, and Riley Miller’s 12.7 points per game, the Tommies have been the second-highest scoring offense in the conference, though they average 31 rebounds per game, the lowest in the conference. With both St. Thomas and Western Illinois having 9-9 records in the conference, their first-round matchup should be an interesting one.

No. 6 South Dakota (12-18, 7-11 Summit)

Despite their losing record, the Coyotes have shot well from three with eight players shooting above 40% from long range. Though deadly from distance, USD has struggled this season shooting in general, ranking ninth in the conference with a 43.1% field goal percentage. Defensively, USD is below average, allowing 73.7 points per game (eighth), 1.5 blocked shots per game (10th), and 4.5 steals per game (eighth).

USD will face NDSU in the quarterfinals, a team they beat in Vermillion in their last matchup.

No. 7 Kansas City (11-20, 7-11 Summit)

Kansas City has one of the best defenses in the Summit League, allowing the fewest points per game with 68.6, and are ranked second in blocked shots with 3.7 and steals with 6.1. They also lead the league in rebounds with a season total of 1,147. Despite their defensive success,

Kansas City has the worst offense in the conference, averaging the least points scored a game with 64.5, only making 39.3% of their field goals and 28% of their threes. The Roos also average the least assists per game at 9.3. They are still favored to beat Omaha, with the winner set to face SDSU.

No. 8 Denver (15-16, 6-12 Summit)

Sitting near the same spot they were last season, the Pioneers have shot well this season, making 48.7% of their shots to lead the conference. Denver was successful all season rebounding the ball, getting 35.1 boards per game as well as averaging the least amount of opponent rebounds at 31.2 per game. Junior guard Tommy Bruner has been the standout for Denver this season, averaging 15.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists. The Pioneers have struggled at turning the ball over this season, doing it 15 times per game, the highest in the conference. No. 9 North Dakota (12-19, 6-12 Summit)

The Fighting Hawks rank sixth in the conference in points scored per game (71.5) and seventh in points allowed per game (73.4). On offense, the Hawks have been solid at shooting from behind the arc. Their 35% mark from three is fourth in the conference. On the defensive side, they rank last in opponents’ field goal percentage at nearly 47%. B.J. Omot is UND’s leading scorer at 12 points per game. Tsotne Tsartsidze is their leading rebounder (5.6 per game) while Jalun Trent is their leader in total assists (77). No. 10 Omaha (8-22, 4-14 Summit)

Overall, it’s been a tough season for Omaha, who ranks second to last in scoring offense, averaging 68.8 points per contest and last in scoring defense, allowing 77.1 points per game. Their leader in scoring and assists is Frankie Fidler with 14.6 points and 5.7 assists per game. Their leader in assists is JJ White with 120 total this season. Despite their struggles, Omaha could still potentially pull off an upset.

ZEKE MAYO

Jackrabbits surge into tournament

The 41st annual Summit League Basketball Championships kick off this weekend at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, but things will look a little bit different this year.

The tournament will now include all 10 conference teams, allowing everyone the chance to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

South Dakota State took the top seed right away and never looked back. They are the first Summit League team since the 1993-94 season to go 18-0 in conference action, capping it off with a 92-67 road victory over Oral Roberts Saturday. The Jackrabbits are the heavy favorites, but when it comes to college basketball in March, anything can happen.

Here is a look at all 10 Summit League teams heading into the tournament: No. 1 South Dakota State (25-5, 18-0 Summit)

South Dakota State hasn’t lost since Dec. 15, an 18-point loss to top-ranked South Carolina. Since then the Jackrabbits have been one of the nation’s hottest teams. This

season, the Jackrabbits have an average margin of victory of almost 18 points, and over a 27-point margin of victory against Summit League opponents. The Jackrabbits have a 49-1 regular season record against Summit League opponents in the last three seasons. In the tournament, they will have a first-round bye and will await the winner of No. 8 St. Thomas and No. 9 Western Illinois. This Jackrabbit team has one of the deepest rosters in the Summit League, including veteran leadership from players like Myah Selland and Paiton Burckhard, as they look to continue their historic run.

No. 2 North Dakota State (18-10, 12-6 Summit)

NDSU has had a season full of ups and downs leading them to the No. 2 seed. The Bison started the season out strong, winning their first six non-conference games before losing four in a row. The Bison again came out looking strong in conference play, winning seven of their first nine conference games. They began to cool off at midseason, losing four out of five, before finishing on a four-game win streak. The Bison are looking to take that momentum into the conference tournament, where

Story by JON AKRE

Photos by JOCLYN HAVEN •••

Jackrabbit guard Dru Gylten looks to pass the ball on Denver’s Emma Smith in SDSU’s 8234 win over the Pioneers Feb. 16.

they received a bye and will play the winner of No. 7 Denver and No. 10 Kansas City. They are led by Heaven Hamling, who is averaging 16.5 points per game, the fourth-highest in the Summit League this season.

No. 3 North Dakota (18-10, 11-7 Summit)

UND comes in as the No. 3 seed, but if it wasn’t for a late-season push, the Fighting Hawks could’ve been in a much different situation. North Dakota started the season strong, finishing their non-conference season at 7-3. But after the first 11 games in conference play, they sat at 5-6 in the Summit. After a 75-57 loss to the Jacks, the Fighting Hawks went on a run, winning six of their last seven games. North Dakota is led by one of the best players in the Summit League, Kacie Borowicz, who is second in the Summit League this season in points per game and first in assists per game. They will face off against No. 6 Omaha in the quarterfinals.

No. 4 South Dakota (14-15, 10-8 Summit)

After a historic run in the NCAA tournament last year, USD lost their coach, Dawn Plitzuweit, and some key players like Chloe Lamb and Hannah Sjerven. The Coyotes got off to a rocky start this year, finishing with a 4-7 non-conference record. After a back-and-forth conference season, the Coyotes finished with two straight wins. Grace Larkins has stepped up big for the Coyotes, finishing the regular season in the top three in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Coach Kayla Karius is looking to make a statement in her first year with the Coyotes, but she has a tall task ahead. South Dakota will take on No. 5 Oral Roberts in the quarterfinals, with a potential second-round matchup with SDSU.

No. 5 Oral Roberts

(11-18, 8-10 Summit)

Oral Roberts comes into the tournament after a disappointing run to end their season. They struggled to start the year, losing their first five games. Going into the conference season with a 3-8 record, the Golden Eagles recovered and started conference play strong, winning eight of their first 12, with one of those losses being a narrow 83-80 loss to the Jacks. They then dropped their last six games of the regular season. But the Golden Eagles still have one of the best duos in the Summit League. Hannah Cooper and Tirzah Moore are two of the

MATCHUPS

• No. 8 St. Thomas vs. No. 9 Western Ill. Friday @ 12:30 p.m.

• No. 7 Denver vs. No. 10 Kansas City Friday @ 3 p.m.

• No. 1 SDSU vs. No. 8 St. Thomas/No. 9 Western Ill. Saturday @ 12:30 p.m.

• No. 2 NDSU vs. No. 7 Denver/ No. 10 Kansas City Saturday @ 3 p.m.

• No. 4 USD vs. No. 5 ORU Sunday @ 12:30 p.m.

• No. 3 UND vs. No. 6 Omaha Sunday @ 3 p.m.

top four players in field goal percentage. Against USD, they will be hungry for their first win in nearly a month.

No. 6 Omaha (13-16, 8-10 Summit)

The Mavericks have improved significantly since last season when they won just seven total games. Despite a losing record this year, many of their contests have been close. Eight of their 16 losses this season have been within 10 points, two of those losses being in overtime, and another two losses were by just one possession. They even gave the Jackrabbits a good fight, losing 68-61 Jan. 19. The Mavericks are led by the most efficient scorer in the Summit League, Elena Pilakouta (63%), giving them a potential upset bid over No. 3 North Dakota.

No. 7 Denver (12-17, 8-10 Summit)

The Pioneers also improved their record from last year, going from 10 total wins to 12, and from five conference wins to eight. They started the season going 4-7 in non-conference games. The Pioneers then started the conference season solid, winning three of their first four games. They would go on to lose six in a row, before finishing the season winning five of the last eight games. Denver is led by Emma Smith, averaging 13.5 points per game on the year. The Pioneers will play No. 10 Kansas City in the first round.

No. 8 St. Thomas (12-16, 7-11 Summit)

The Tommies are looking to make a statement in their first Summit League tournament appearance after transitioning to Division I last year. They have proved that they can compete at the D1

level, finishing their non-conference season at 5-5. St. Thomas had a rough start to their conference schedule, losing the first six games. After winning three of their next seven, they finished the year strong, winning four of their last five games. If they can get past Western Illinois in the first round, look for the Tommies to put up a fight against SDSU. No. 9 Western Illinois (10-19, 5-13 Summit)

The Leathernecks have taken a step back compared to last season, where they finished with 14 total wins. Last year they also finished with five conference wins and were the seven seed in the conference tournament. But with the rest of the conference getting better, they moved further back in the standings. WIU has

had a rough run to end the season, losing 10 of their last 14 games. It’ll be another uphill climb for the Leathernecks, starting with No. 8 St. Thomas in the first round.

No. 10 Kansas City (7-22, 3-15 Summit)

After losing many players from last season, Kansas City finds itself in a similar position as USD. Coming off a great season last year where they finished as the No. 3 seed in the Summit League and made an appearance in the WNIT, the Roos have been in rebuild mode. While they might not be what they were last year, they still have three quality wins against UND, Oral Roberts and Omaha.

South Dakota State’s Myah Selland attempts a layup in a Summit League women’s basketball game Feb. 16 against Denver. SDSU’s 48-point win was its second-largest margin of victory this season.

EVAN PATZWALD

Co-Sports Editor (He/Him)

After its final dual meet of the season Feb. 19, the SDSU wrestling team turns its focus to the Big 12 Wrestling Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, March 4-5.

Eight Jackrabbits were seeded ahead of the tournament, with Tanner Sloan being ranked No. 1 overall for the 197-pound weight class. Sloan carries a 20-1 overall record, including winning 17 straight heading into Tulsa.

Coach Damion Hahn isn’t reading too much into where each wrestler was ranked ahead of the weekend.

“It’s fun for the fans and coaches can prepare, but for the student-athlete, just focus on the task at hand the first guy in front of you,” Hahn said. “Don’t overthink, because when guys overthink and they look past, that’s what happens. Then they weren’t focused on the match at hand.”

Other Jackrabbits ranked included redshirt freshman Cael Swensen in the 157-pound weight class and heavyweight A.J. Nevills. Both were given No. 4 seeds. Nevills is in his senior season heading into his final Big 12 Championship with an 18-4 record.

“We’re at this time in the year where this is what you live for,” Hahn said. “You train all year long for two weekends in March.”

Clay Carlson (17-7 overall) was given the No. 5 seed in the 141-pound class, with Tanner Jordan (16-12 overall) ranked No. 6 in the 125-pound class and Cade Devos

SLOAN HEADLINES EIGHT JACKS RANKED FOR BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS

(20-6 overall) also ranked No. 6 in the 174-pound class. Tanner Cook (14-4 overall) and Cade King (15-7 overall) were the last of the Jacks ranked, each at No. 7 in the 165-pound and 184-pound classes.

Both the Big 12 Wrestling Championships and the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will be held in Tulsa, so the Jacks will have plenty of experience in the environment.

“I think this is a great test for our guys,” Hahn said. “You talk about the crowd, the environment, and this is a place we’ve been to for a handful of years, so they know what to expect.”

Missouri led the conference in wrestlers ranked at 10, with two No. 1 overall seeds in Brock Mauller and Peyton Mocco at 149 and 174 pounds respectively.

The Jacks most recently wrapped up their dual season with a win at rival NDSU, retaining the Border Bell. NDSU leads the all-time series, but the Jacks have won six of the last 10 matchups.

The dual came down to the final match in front of a sellout crowd of 1,154 fans at Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse. Nevills clinched the 19-17 victory for SDSU, wrapping up its dual season at 12-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big 12.

The pairings for the Big 12 Wrestling Championships will be announced Thursday. The tournament is set to begin Saturday at 10 a.m. and later at 5 p.m. Sunday, the wrestlers will hit the mats at noon, with the championship round starting at 8 p.m.

The

tournament can be streamed on ESPN+ and the championship will be on ESPNU.

Cade King in his dual win over Hunter Morse in the Jacks’ 29-12 dual victory over Utah Valley Jan. 20 at Frost Arena. King was ranked No. 7 overall in the 184-pound weight class for the Big 12 Wrestling Championships this weekend in Tulsa, OK. He is 15-7 overall this year.

Collegian photos by ZOEY SCHENTZEL (She/Her)

Tanner Sloan celebrates after pinning Jack Forbes of Utah Valley in the Jacks’ 29-12 dual victory over Utah Valley Jan. 20 at Frost Arena. Sloan was the only Jackrabbit to be ranked No. 1 overall in his weight class ahead of the Big 12 Wrestling Championships this weekend. Sloan was first overall in the 197-pound weight class.