This week, we get an update on the women’s basketball team, Senate Bill 100 and Jackrabbit Forensics.
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STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION ELECTION
For results of the Students’ Association election for student body president, vice-president and senators, visit this story on SDSUCollegian.com. THE SDSU STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
The Students’ Association Senate is the official student government organization at South Dakota State University. The Students’ Association Senate meets weekly on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Lewis & Clark Room in the Student Union.
Collegian photo by JORDAN ROEMELING
STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
Regents set to OK fee
Senate approves two clubs, BSA to host Movie Night
RYANN DAVIS
Assistant News Editor
The Students Association’s General Activity Fee (GAF) state of approval is expected from the Board of Regents by next week’s SA meeting. Upon approval, changes made to the Fiscal Year 2026 Preferred General Budget include an increased allocation to student organizations. This excludes the School of Performing Arts and the Rabbit Ride program, according to SA Finance Chair Grace Peterson. The School of Performing Arts and the Rabbit Ride program will have their own allocation for credit hours through the Students’ Association GAF Plan.
In the case that the Regents does not approve the SA preferred general budget, the Fiscal Year 2026 Contingency General Budget will include both the School of Performing Arts and Rabbit Rides. Along with that, the budget includes a requested pull from the association’s reserve fund for $47,454.
“This request from our reserves is less than last year which was just under $60,000,” Peterson said. “We truly believe that this amount is appropriate for the circumstances this year and our reserve fund is sitting right around $370,000, so it is able to support this request.”
New Club Constitutions
In other news, two new clubs were approved at Monday’s meeting. For the first time in a few years, a sociology club is active on SDSU’s campus. The club aims to encourage socialization, help members become more involved in social sciences and develop professional skills. The Sociology Club plans on hosting weekly social events.
“We will be closely linked and associ-
New Clubs
Name: Sociology Club
President: Martin Kloster
Name: Jackrabbits Duck
Unlimited Chapter
President: Louis Seiler
Vice President: John Sump
ated with the Department of Sociology,” said the representative of the Sociology Club at Monday’s meeting.
The second club to be approved was the Jackrabbits Ducks Unlimited Chapter. This club is also being re-started. President Louis Seiler and Vice President John Sump are both juniors at SDSU. Seiler is a wildlife and fisheries major and Sump is majoring in rangeland ecology and management. Both Sump and Seiler were in attendance at Monday’s meeting and explained their goals for Jackrabbits Ducks Unlimited.
“We’re interested in getting this chapter started up again to not only help improve the conservation of these wetlands and grasslands that inhabit South Dakota, but also to get students a little bit more involved with one of the largest conservation organizations that is Ducks Unlimited,” said club president Louis Seiler, a junior wildlife and fisheries major.
The club hopes to help maintain and preserve ecosystems in the area. Meetings will be held on a weekly or semi-weekly basis and according to Seiler, they hope to host fundraisers. The money earned from such fundraisers will go to Ducks Unlimited, which is a nonprofit organization working to conserve, restore and manage wetlands and habi-
Union Movie Night
Hosted by: BSA
Where: Union Basement
When: March 27, 2025
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
What: “A Brother from Another Planet”
tats for waterfowl in the United States.
Ex-Officio Reports
SDSU’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) is hosting a movie night in the Student Union Basement in collaboration with the Papua New Guinea Students’ Association on Thursday, March 27.
UPC Vice President, Alissa Maurer, said that UPC would hold an event on Wednesday, March 26, at 7 p.m. in the Volstorff Ballroom. The Mind Medler is being hosted, who is described as a magician and comedian.
TRINITY PETERSON
GRACE PETERSON
NEWS BRIEFS
Governor signs bill allowing concealed weapons on campus
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden signed a bill into law Monday that would allow concealed pistols on public college campuses.
Senate Bill 100 allows people with an enhanced permit, restricted enhanced permits or reciprocal permit holders to carry concealed pistols, stun guns and chemical sprays on public university and technical college campuses.
“One of my favorite things about South Dakota is how much we respect freedom — especially our Second Amendment freedom,” Rhoden said during a bill-signing ceremony, on Monday.
According to the bill, pistols and ammunition must be stored in a
Daschle
locked case or safe when it is not being carried. Institutions may restrict the carrying or possession of these items in air-quality-controlled labs, locations needing security clearance, special events with armed security and metal detectors and labs with flammable liquids, dangerous chemicals and hazardous gases.
the range of ages that could be affected by the change.
33rd Annual Wacipi set for this weekend
The 33rd Annual Wacipi is slated for this Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30 at First Bank and Trust Arena on campus.
In early February, the SDSU Students’ Association voted 17 to 6 to oppose the bill. Chief of Staff Rylee Sabo expressed her concern about
“There are people that are under the age of 18 coming onto this campus all the time, in addition to having the preschool on campus,” She said. “They have [firearm] restrictions for schools K through 12, so I just feel like there’s a lot of gray area there and it feels a little “ishy” to me. I also feel like a lot of the wording of the bill is kind of vague, where we don’t really see exactly what’s going to be prohibited and how.”
— Collegian Staff
Dialogues to feature bestselling author, ‘America’s Government Teacher’ this fall
The Daschle Dialogues will be returning to campus next fall, featuring bestselling author and educator Sharon McMahon.
The presentation, which will feature the No. 1 New York Times-bestselling author, former high school government and law teacher and founder of “The Preamble” newsletter, is planned for Oct. 27 at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.
McMahon became known as “America’s Government Teacher” during the 2020 election for her efforts to combat political misinformation. Her ability to break down complex topics with clarity, humor and a commitment to facts has attracted a community of over
1.5 million followers.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sharon McMahon to South Dakota State University as part of the Daschle Dialogues series. Her ability to distill complex political and historical topics into accessible, engaging conversations aligns perfectly with our mission to foster informed and engaged citizens,” Christine Garst-Santos, director of the School of American and Global Studies, said.
features lectures and talks featuring nationally relevant figures on campus.
McMahon’s newsletter, “The Preamble,” is one of the most popular publications on Substack, providing historical context and nonpartisan insights to help readers navigate today’s political landscape.
The Wacipi is a community-wide event celebrating the cultures, traditions and accomplishments of American Indian students on and off campus.
The event is intended to celebrate diversity by bringing people of all backgrounds together to share American Indian styles of dance, music, and art specific to the region.
The theme for this year’s event, which is put on annually by the American Indian Student Association, is “Every Child Matters: They Are Not Forgotten, Forever In Our Hearts”
The event goes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday with a community dinner at 5 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
— Collegian Staff
Peaceful
non-partisan rally planned for next week
Brookings Area Indivisible will be holding a rally for non-partisan volunteers to “Defend Democracy by Direct Action” on the Brookings Courthouse lawn starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 5.
The event will feature several speakers who will talk about a variety of topics such as Hands Off Medicaid, Hands Off Veteran’s Benefits, Hands Off Department of Education and Hands Off Social Security.
The event will then move to the Brookings County Post Office where the rally will conclude.
The Daschle Dialogues, which began in 2014, is the public series of the Sen. Thomas A. Daschle Congressional Research Study. It
Daschle, a 1969 SDSU graduate who served as the Senate Democratic leader from 1995 to 2005, has spoken with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former NBC broadcaster and author Tom Brokaw and former ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl during the series.
— Collegian Staff
Brookings Area Indivisible whill also be holding a meeting to finalize plans for the rally on Thursday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the United Church of Christ.
The event is free to attend and all students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend.
Brookings Area Indivisible is a non-partisan group of volunteers whose mission is to preserve democracy, promote education, respect and decency, science and truth.
The national chapter of “Indivisible” was formed in 2016 and has local and state organizations across the country. — Collegian Staff
LARRY RHODEN
SHARON McMAHON
TOM DASCHLE
Fewer games, more beer
Fall alcohol sales climb from $432,808.36 to $434,394.08
EMILY DECOCK
Assistant News Editor
Alcohol sales at Dana J. Dykhouse stadium were similar in 2024 compared to 2023, despite having one fewer home football game this season, according to data provided by Sodexo.
Julia Neer, district manager for Sodexo, said sales totaled $434,394.08 in fall 2024, with a total attendance of 130,070 over eight games. In fall 2023, alcohol sales totaled $432,808.36, over the course of nine football games and a total of 143,942 attendees.
Since SDSU started selling alcohol at athletic events in fall 2022, the amount of sites to purchase alcohol in the stadium have increased.
Jennifer Novotny, assistant vice president for student life said that in 2022, there were two concession stands on the south end of the stadium where alcohol could be purchased, one on the visitor side and one on the home side. In 2023, Sodexo added a west kiosk, which is by the main gates.
“They [Sodexo] were doing that not just to increase sales,” Novotny said. “It was probably more focused on just customer experience, not waiting in line as long.”
Additionally, last season Sodexo added a self-serve kiosk on the west side of the stadium.
“The slight increase in revenue can largely be attributed to the addition of pop-up locations by our new on-site leadership team, despite fewer games,” Neer said.
So far, alcohol sales for this semester are also on the rise. In January and February of this year, sales equaled $53,659.79, compared to $41,999.32 in January and February 2024.
Alcohol has been sold at the stadium since fall 2022, after Students’ Associ-
ation (SA) senators in 2021 started the initiative to sell alcohol at athletic events.
Previous SA senators said they were disappointed that none of the proceeds of alcohol sales had gone to SA, according to a story written by the Collegian last year. Current SA president Trinity Peterson wasn’t involved with the origi-
cated for this use, but it currently lacks a structured application process and its availability is not advertised to students.”
As it stands, 60% of the revenue from alcohol sales goes back to Sodexo as the vendor and the university receives the other 40%, according to Novotny. 35% of the university’s cut goes to athletics and
nal bill when it was introduced.
“I would encourage the cut of the funds that go toward alcohol prevention programs to be better utilized and more easily available to students,” Peterson said when asked if that sentiment still exists within SA. “There is a fund dedi-
5% is reserved for alcohol prevention programs for the university.
In the 2023-2024 academic year, $26,410.81 was allocated to the alcohol prevention fund, said Toby Uecker, dean of students.
“My voice and the voice of the student
affairs division did advocate for some percentage of sales coming to prevention programming because we knew that it was important to continue helping students make good decisions around these issues,” Uecker said. “We wanted some good alternatives for students, so that there was never a sense that this was just the expected way to take in a football game or the expected way to celebrate.”
Uecker outlined the alcohol prevention programs that are funded from this money.
Bystander intervention training, online alcohol education programs and parent handbooks on substance abuse are just a few programs sponsored with money funded by alcohol sales. The division of student affairs and enrollment management also partners with the residence hall program council on Hobo Night Live.
Uecker added: “We wanted to make sure that we had both messages and actions that backed up that we fully believe that students can be active and engaged participants in any event on campus, without having alcohol be a part of that experience.”
Collegian photo by EMILY DECOCK
Jackrabbit fans cheer with their shoes in hand in celebration of the football game’s kick off on Oct. 26.
Yeager dining service plan evolving
EMILY DECOCK
Assistant News Editor
Plans for the dining service coming to Yeager Hall in fall 2025 are coming together, but are not set in stone according to Jennifer Novotny, assistant vice president for student life.
“This is in constant evolution,” Novotny said in an University Food Service Advisory Committee (UFSAC) meeting.
Simple Servings will not be included in the Yeager Hall dining service, as was originally anticipated.
“(Simple Servings) was one of the quick changes that we had to really look at because it really requires an entire kitchen of its own, and it added a lot of expense,” Novotny said. “We felt like the union could be a really good, safe bet because we have a strong kitchen performance area now back of house.”
Plans for what the space will be used for after next school year are not decided yet. Novotny hopes the space will serve some greater purpose once the Larson Commons renovation is completed.
“The idea is that we’re trying to build something that has some structural strength in it, so that it can be used, and the university doesn’t feel like, wow, now it’s just gonna sit empty,” Novotny said.
Finding a space that will be a centralized area for students and that will be large enough for a dining hall were the main reasons why the former print lab in Yeager was chosen for this project. Not disturbing classes happening on the second floor of Yeager is another priority of this project, according to Novotny. Yeager is
home to the School of Communication and Journalism.
“We have a full academic program happening upstairs... that is something that we’re really, really trying to be conscientious about as we move forward,” Novotny said. “We have to understand what’s used upstairs, what’s in full-action, and how do we not impede the performance of everything that’s happening there.”
The restroom update happening in Yeager is not a part of the dining service project. University Facilities and Services is heading that project, and will make sure it happens “in unison” with the dining service project, according to Novotny.
“It’s not part of our dining project because it’s not part of the funds that make Larson happen,” Novotny said.
Novotny also gave an update on the Larson Commons project. Created with Love will be housed in the concept kitchen in the C-store on the first floor of Larson Commons. The C-store and Created with Love will be open in the fall, according to Novotny.
Matt Frederiksen, general manager of Sodexo has high hopes for the Yeager Hall dining service space.
“Booths, tables, will be all over the place. Artwork will be in here, television will be in here,” Frederiksen said. “We’re going to make it a place where you want to come here to eat. Instead of saying, ‘Aw, we gotta go to Yeager,’ it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s go to Yeager.’”
Collegian photo by EMILY DECOCK
Photo from inside the ground floor of Yeager Hall as workers bring in equipment to set up for the food service that will be located there next school year.
Collegian photo by BRAYDEN BYERS
Photo of the outside of Yeager Hall, which is home to the School of Communication and Journalism on the top floor.
Graduation times and tickets finalized
BROOKLYN FRANKENSTEIN Reporter
This year’s graduation commencement ceremony marks the first ever in the newly renovated First Bank & Trust arena after the last three took place off campus at the Dacotah Bank Center during construction.
The commencement ceremony will be May 10. It is overseen by SDSU event coordinator Jamison Lamp and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dennis Hedge. Both men said they work to provide the best experiences for all university students and their families.
Not only has there been a change to the venue this year, but there also has been a slight change to the ceremony time slots.
“To maintain as much balance as we can, with the total number of students graduating, our college splits are a little different this year,” Hedge said. “The most notable change is that our College of Nursing ceremony has been changed to the 2 p.m. slot.”
In the past, the nursing ceremony was held at the 6 p.m. time slot.
Each ceremony is typically two hours long, depending on the number of students graduating and the speakers.
“I’m really excited about nursing being moved to an earlier time frame,” Mary Anne Krogh, dean of the College of Nursing said. “For the past few years, we’ve been at the 6 o’clock slot, which really made it challenging for the graduate students to be able to attend.”
“I think it was changed for the capacity,” Krough added. “The new arena is a little smaller than what it used to be and so I think they were looking at the different sizes of the colleges and seeing what times would work best for them.”
Graduation time can be stressful, but rewarding. One of the biggest challenges facing the ceremonies is getting everyone in and out of the buildings.
“First and foremost, we want to make sure that we have a wonderful experience for our graduates and their families, but there are some challenges,” Hedge said.
Hedge and Lamp put a lot of time into figuring out the smoothest way to run each ceremony along with the hustle everyone has in between ceremonies.
“The biggest challenge is figuring out how to get individuals on and off campus and just trying to enhance the overall experience for all of our visitors,” Hedge said.
Krogh said, “It’s a fun day, but it’s also organized chaos.”
Hedge and Lamp said being back on campus after three years at the Dakotah Bank Center will be more popular and they hope to see more people visiting campus.
Each graduating student gets up to six tickets for their commencement ceremony. Officials will also be live streaming the ceremonies. They will be showing the live stream in the Student Union and at McCrory Gardens to give friends and family a better experience as well.
“We want the students to be able to show grandma and grandpa where they went to school,” Hedge said.
A commencement ceremony is a huge event and an important time for the seniors who have been preparing their whole lives for this moment. Grayden Imbery, an architecture major, said he’s ready to graduate this May.
“My major has been very time-consuming throughout the past four years,” Imbery said. “I would argue that architecture is one of, if not the most time-consuming majors.”
Seniors are about to start a new chapter in their lives, and it can be nerve-racking. Staci Lubben said she’s ready to be done with college, but isn’t sure she’s fully ready to dive into a career.
“I have had a great experience here at SDSU academically and with making friends, but I am ready for my next chapter,” Lubben said. “I am, on the other hand, scared about the next chapter.”
Graduation Colleges and times
10 a.m.
• College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
• Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering
2 p.m.
• College of Education and Human Sciences
• College of Nursing
• College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions
6 p.m.
• College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• College of Natural Sciences.
Photo courtesy of UNIVERSITY MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
This is a photo from last years graduation ceremony. This year, the time for the College of Nursing was changed to the 2 p.m. time slot. The Dean of the College of Nursing says she thinks that the time was changed for crowd capacity reasons.
TAYLOR TENNANT
South Dakota State University’s Jackrabbits Forensics team earned the Tier two National Championship in the Pi Kappa Delta 2025 National Comprehensive Tournament last week. The event was held March 13-16 at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and is considered to be one of the largest forensics tournaments in the nation.
Pi Kappa Delta, a national forensics honorary society, classifies team awards into three tiers based on the number of entries from each participating school. Along with that, the team secured third place in the individual event sweepstakes, and several members advanced to quarterfinals, semifinals and final rounds.
Joshua Westwick, director of the school of communication and journalism, said “Forensics provides a co-curricular opportunity for students to develop their communication, listening and critical
Jacks Forensics team wins title at largest national tournament
The team won the Tier 2 National Championship in the Pi Kappa Delta 2025 National Comprehensive Tournament at Ohio University
thinking skills while focusing on the important issues that are impacting our world.” He is thrilled at their success at the Pi Kappa Delta national tournament.
“They have earned this level of recognition,” said Westwick.
The forensics team has been around since the second course catalog of the Dakota Ag College and has been a chapter of Pi Kappa Delta since 1920. They have been continually going to nationals since then. Andrea Carlile, director of forensics and assistant professor of communication studies, has been the coach for the forensics team since the fall
of 2012. She meets one-on-one with students on a particular event or focuses on a particular skill throughout the season.
On Tuesdays, they have a team meeting and then an hour-and-a-half of practice rotation where students are paired up with another teammate and they do run throughs of events together.
“I think it’s really important that a team member knows what other team members are doing as they rely on each other to help hone their performances,” Carlile said.
This year, the forensics team has gathered three graduate students to help
coach the team and give them additional perspectives.
“We have the right coaching staff, the right students and the right mindset,” said Carlile. She hopes that 15 to 20 years from now, students will remember the experiences they had, their friendships and the memories they made.
Students compete from October to April, but come back a week early from winter break before classes start to start practicing. They call it their “work week,” as students develop events, workshop ideas and do some team building exercises.
The team itself has 11 different individual speaking categories they compete in, and students that compete in those events have the same event or topic for the whole year that they refine and work on in the same way. They compete in interpretive events that feel more like a dramatic monologue, participate in debates, write persuasive speeches and learn how to be a speaker in limited preparation
Reporter
Team members from the Jacks Forensics team show their awards from the Tier 2 National Championship in the Pi Kappa Delta 2025 National Comprehensive Tournament. The event was from March 13-16.
Courtesy photo by SAM PAPPAS
“We have the right coaching staff, the right students and the right mindset.”
Andrea
Carlile, Director of forensics
and assistant professor of communication studies
events where you have seven minutes total to prepare in another category.
Going into the national tournament, they had a very successful regular season and placed top five at ten tournaments. Although Pi Kappa Delta is an open national tournament, the team had their own standards to make it there. Students had to have a minimum of three individual events and a commitment to do at least one special event that Pi Kappa Delta offered.
“The work ethic and ability to commit yourself to be a great performer is how we selected our criteria for Phi Kappa Delta,” Carlile said.
The largest team they have seen consisted of 12 students. This year, 16 students made up the team’s roster. Learning how to navigate a bigger team was one of the challenges Carlile faced.
“I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal of an increase from 12 to 16 but I think we definitely learned as we became a bigger team, how we work with that,” said Carlile.
Rachael Guler, a senior psychology and political science double major, has been a part of the forensics team all four years at SDSU. At the national tournament, she competed in informative speaking, persuasive, after dinner speaking, impromptu and extemporaneous speaking. At 16 years old, she was recruited by Carlile not only because of her abilities, but also her passion for the activity.
“I met her and some of the people on the team and was like yeah, that’s where I need to go and where I need to compete,” said Guler.
To help her prepare for nationals this season, she said that receiving harsh feedback from those who are closest to her helped her prepare, as they pay better attention to all the nit-picky things that can help you put out the best in the end. The biggest challenge she has faced so far is trying to put the best out there.
“It is my last year ever being able to do
speech and debate, and I’ve been doing it for 10 years, so just trying to put in the highest quality, but also getting better and keep placing,” said Guler.
She earned eighth place in informative speaking and fourth place in persuasive speaking at the national tournament.
Abi Slater is a freshman psychology major on the forensics team this year. She competed in communications analysis, info duo, debate and Spanish interpretation at the national tournament. She joined speech in high school and knew it was something she wanted to continue doing into her college career as it became a big part of her life.
“When I came to SDSU and met Dr. Carlile I was like ‘Oh my gosh, she’s funny and very personable’ and felt like she was a really good person to have as a coach,” Slater said.
After meeting Carlile, she met her teammates and saw the work ethic everyone was putting in, making her want to work even harder. Most of her events consisted of repetition, so going over problem areas and making sure people were watching her helped her practice and be successful for the national tournament.
As a freshman going into the tournament, she had the mindset that if she didn’t place, she would be just fine. Now that the tournament is over, she was excited and proud of herself on how well she did after being a finalist in all of her events.
“I am no longer afraid to speak in front of a crowd, which is something I would have never imagined myself doing,” said Slater.
She earned fifth place in Spanish interpretation and was a JV parliamentary debate champion with Emma Arneson at the national tournament.
After this tournament, Carlile saw this to be more than just the competitive outcomes. She saw it as a reflection on the students ability to be committed to some-
thing and the ability to take feedback and criticism and to continually improve themselves and their messages. She also saw it as an exciting opportunity to represent SDSU at the national level as there is a great amount of pride in the school and the team.
“At the end of our warmups, we always sing ‘Ring the Bells’ as we take great pride here and represent SDSU,” said Carlile.
The forensics team is currently practicing for the American Forensics National Speech Tournament in less than two weeks. The tournament is in Charlotte, North Carolina, where 15 students qualified in 42 events, the most in school
history. Everyone that competes in the tournament has to place in at least two regular season tournaments, with the sum of their placings equaling five or less.
“We’re really excited about this opportunity as it is kind of the best of the best,” said Carlile.
Later in April, the forensics team will send two students to the interstate oratory, the oldest public speaking contest in America. Each state can send up to two contestants and so far, South Dakota has had representatives since 2015.
“It’s just an honor to be a part of this journey,” said Carlile.
ANDREA CARLILE
320 people attend China Night
AMINA AIDARKHANOVA Reporter
South Dakota State University students and other guests experienced the vibrant traditions of Chinese culture during China Night on Sunday at the Dacotah Bank Center.
Hosted by the SDSU Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), the event welcomed students, faculty and other community members who immersed themselves in Chinese music, cuisine, cultural performances and traditional festivities. From dazzling performances to interactive activities, the night aimed to foster cultural appreciation and bring people together through shared experiences, according to the members of CSSA.
About 320 people attended the event, organizers said. This China Night was different from last year’s event in at least one activity that members of CSSA created – they let attendees create noodles on the stage.
SDSU President, Barry Dunn visited the event and opened it with a speech. He thanked the CSSA, faculty, staff and
sponsors who organized the event.
“We are grateful for your leadership and very proud of you,” Dunn said. “Evenings like China Night provide an opportunity to learn about each other and celebrate the things that we have in common, and the differences that makes
us more interesting, stronger, respectful and unique.”
Brookings Mayor Oepke “Ope” Niemeyer thanked the students for choosing SDSU and Brookings “as your home.” He promised that city leaders are committed to making Brookings a safe,
inclusive community.
“We appreciate the unique perspectives that you bring to our community,” Niemeyer said. “Your presence here makes Brookings richer, more vibrant and a better place to live.”
Jiahui Yuan, president, and Yizi Zhang, vice president of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, said it costs $15,000 to $17,000 to stage China Night. They also thanked First Bank & Trust and the Students’ Association for sponsoring the event, and volunteers and performers.
“The primary goal of China Night is promoting Chinese culture... let people try our food,” Yuan said. “It is also about exposing people to other cultures, let everyone try something new.”
John Akujobi, a senior student from Nigeria, served as a volunteer and a musical performer for China Night.
“I am trying to learn more about Chinese culture and I have decided to learn one instrument from China,” Akujobi said. “Then I went for a talk with a professor who is from China and we agreed that I will give a performance here.”
Another visitor to China Night
Collegian photos by EAN WETZEL
was Lada Senchanka. She said she learned more about traditional Chinese performances, especially the significance of dragon dances in celebrations.
“I also got to experience authentic Chinese food and see how important family and community are in Chinese culture,” Senchanka said. “Events like this bring people from different backgrounds together, expanding their perspective and worldview on different cultures. They also create a welcoming environment for international students, helping everyone develop a deeper understanding and respect for different traditions.”
Senchanka said the food Chinese students provided was interesting and spicy. Some attendees did not expect such
a high level of spicy food, so the water flowed freely throughout the night.
Kirsten Linke, director of International Students & Scholars, also attended the night’s festivities.
“We provide some guidance to students who want to create such events, and we also assist International Relations Council and deal with the funds that come from the Students’ Association,” she said. “We encourage students to spread their culture and knowledge through such campus activities.”
Office of International Affairs statistics for 2024 show that about 30 Chinese students study at SDSU. According to Census data, about 287 Chinese people live in Brookings.
Collegian photos by EAN WETZEL
These photos every highlight aspects of China Night, which took place on Sunday, March 23 at 6 p.m.
The photo here shows one new event to China Night, where attendes can create noodles on stage.
Recent SDSU grad opens new ice cream shop
MADISON GILLETTE Reporter
Scoops & Loops ice cream shop opened Saturday, March 22 in downtown Brookings and offers residents and visitors new snacking opportunities.
The business is located downtown at 404 Main Ave., with close neighbors Party Depot and Main Street Pub.
Ava Boeve is the owner of Scoops & Loops. She has lived in Brookings her whole life and is an SDSU alumni who graduated this past December. Boeve has long dreamed of opening a business but wasn’t sure what Brookings was missing. Then an idea sprung up to bring SDSU ice cream to downtown Brookings.
“Scoops and Loops was an idea created by me and a friend when we were bored during a work shift,” Boeve said.
SDSU ice cream has long been a hit statewide, with over 30 flavors to choose from. Scoops & Loops will offer over 12 flavors, not just originals like chocolate and vanilla, but fan favorites such as cookies & cream, strawberry revel and cookie dough as well.
But ice cream isn’t the only feature that will draw in customers. Milkshakes, various toppings, sundaes and Boeve’s favorite, ice cream nachos, will be available.
“I am definitely most excited about ice cream nachos, which are ice cream cone chips you can dip in your favorite flavor of ice cream, with all sorts of different toppings,” Boeve said. “It is something Brookings has never had before.”
Scoops & Loops isn’t just for dessert either, it’s also a snack bar. Items such as soft pretzels, chips and nacho cheese, trail mix and granola bars are also available. In the future, Boeve wants to add baked goods and more snacks, plus a catering service for a variety of events.
Boeve knew Brookings was the place to start her business. She says she “loves Brookings and loves the community support for one another.”
Scoops & Loops also strives to offer a unique, relaxing experience to its customers.
Jenna Thorstenson, a graduate
student,
Scoops & Loops
Where: 404 Main Ave.
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-2:30 a.m.
was looking forward to trying Scoops & Loops because of the combination of late hours, sweet treats and the location.
Scoops & Loops is open Friday and Saturday until 2:30 a.m.
“[Scoops & Loops] could be a great place to get together and study at any time of the day, a great alternative to Insomnia Cookies,” Thorstenson said.
Being downtown offers advantages, such as high traffic times with pedestrians that may bring in more business.
“The addition of Scoops and Loops to the Downtown Brookings business scene will be great, as it will increase traffic for the neighborhood,” said Kirsten Gjesdal, director of Downtown Brookings. “The business offers a new concept that complements other businesses really well.”
In addition to increasing customer visits to downtown, Scoops & Loops is the only dessert and snack bar downtown, which increases the diversity and value of downtown.
With this new shop, Gjesdal thinks “it will bring in new people, especially visitors, and keep others in the neighborhood longer for dessert and latenight snacks.”
But, with advantages come disadvantages. Gjesdal said some challenges that businesses downtown struggle with can be old building maintenance, parking and the late-night crowds.
In the near future, Boeve said she is looking to hire young adults and high school students who can work late and are looking for a first job.
Collegian photo by MADISON GILLETTE Scoops & Loops, the ice cream shop that opened recently downtown at 404 Main Ave.
Best Buddies and local coffee shop host after-hours event
Club partnered with Kool Beans Coffee and Roasterie for St. Patrick’s Day and board games
JORDAN ROEMELING Co-News Editor
The Best Buddies SDSU International Organization partnered with Kool Beans Coffee and Roasterie to host a St. Patrick’s Day-themed event on Monday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m.
Best Buddies is a club at SDSU that connects students with people with IDD (Intellectual disability) to foster relationships and inclusion for those with disabilities at SDSU. It is an extension of the pre-existing Best Buddies International, which has multiple programs across the world.
The night included members of the club, SDSU students with and without IDD, and residents of Advance, a nonprofit organization that supports over 160 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Brookings, as well as surrounding areas.
How the event came about was through the club reaching out to businesses in the Brookings community through Christmas cards to partner with. Kurt Osborne, the owner of Kool Beans Coffee and Roasterie, was the only to respond.
“He said that he would be interested and we didn’t know what that meant,” said Wynn Sandman, president of SDSU Best Buddies. “We kind of just threw out the idea, ‘What about using Kool Beans as an event space?’ and he was like, ‘I think that’s possible,’ and that’s how that came to be.”
Those who attended were treated to St. Patrick’s Day cookies and hot chocolate, courtesy of the club while playing board games.
“One of our most popular activities, just in general for our monthly meetings, are games,” Sandman said, “They love board games.”
Members of the club are assigned a “buddy,” a person with IDD, to create these relationships. The pairs share weekly calls and monthly visits throughout the academic year. Sandman said there was a lot of anticipation leading up to the event, especially from her buddy.
“My buddy, she texted me once last night saying she was so excited, and then she texted me this morning, saying she was excited, and then she called me before the event saying ‘I’m so excited,’” said Sandman.
The club aims to host monthly events where residents of Advance meet with members from Best Buddies, typ-
ically relating to holidays for each month if it pertains. Usually, the events are held at Advance, other than one event being on campus. This event has been the first in the Brookings community.
“To have a community event… to go beyond campus, you know, to go out into Brookings and pair with a local business and spend time with one of the most popular cafes in town, it’s nice,” Sandman said.
Osborne said that it was the first after-hours event for the Best Buddies club. He also said he moved to Brookings and worked at Advance in 1987 during graduate school, and shared his experience of working there before owning the coffee shop.
“So I worked there and I worked with adults with disabilities before, and it brought us to Brookings,” said Osborne. “So, this [event] has been fun.”
Sandman, who has been the president for 2 years, explained that the club briefly stopped due to COVID-19, but has been brought back in the time that she’s been there. This year is the first year where Best Buddies has been active on-campus, said Sandman.
“It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been great to see,” said Nora Smestad, the vice president of the Best Buddies club, “An event like this, back in August, we couldn’t have dreamed of it, but being able to go out in the community and see… what we’re doing and being able to make an impact with people right here in Brookings with the SDSU students has been a really cool experience.”
Currently, the club has 40 active members on Jacks Club Hub and is always looking for people to join.
“Come join us sometime,” Sandman said. “Any new thing can be a little bit intimidating, but it just seems like everyone that comes along is able to find a lot of community and a lot of great engagement, and it’s a very rewarding club.”
Collegian photo by JORDAN ROEMELING
Residents of Advance and SDSU students gathered at Kool Beans Coffee and Roasterie to play board games, drink hot chocolate and eat St. Patrick’s Day cookies on Monday, March 24.
Baseball finishes first home series; eyes Summit League rival NDSU
JON AKRE
Sports Reporter
The South Dakota State baseball team closed out the weekend series with a win over St. Thomas to avoid the sweep. The Jacks will take on rival North Dakota State in Fargo this upcoming weekend in a three-game series starting tomorrow at 3 p.m. All three games can be viewed on the Summit League Network.
Game One (UST 13, SDSU 9) SDSU’s first game of the three-game series against the Tommies started on a low note as the Jacks allowed nine unanswered runs to start Friday’s contest. The Tommies scored one in the top of the first before striking for eight fourthinning runs before the Jacks could plate a run.
The fourth inning was highlighted by an RBI triple from Brigs Richartz and a two-RBI single from Matthew Maulik in his second at-bat of the inning.
After getting two runs across in the bottom of the fourth, the Jacks started a comeback in the later innings, adding one in the seventh, two in the eighth and four in the ninth, but fell short with four extra insurance runs plated by the Tommies.
Owen Bishop took the loss on the mound for SDSU, allowing two runs on three hits and four strikeouts in three innings of work.
Luke Luskey led the Jackrabbit offense, batting 2-for-5 with a double, two-run homer, driving in four runs in the loss. Adam Benes and Jess Bellows each drove in two runs on two hits as well.
Game Two (UST 11, SDSU 4)
In game two, the Tommies took advantage of more big offensive innings to take the series early on Saturday. The Jacks got on the board first with
back-to-back RBI singles from Nolan Grawe and Owen Siegert. The Tommies would match the two-piece with two of their own the next half inning on a fielding error by Nicholas Werk.
In the fifth, the Tommies took their first lead of the game, scoring on two RBI singles from Max Moris and Richartz, an RBI groundout followed by another RBI single to end the four-run inning. The Tommies continued pouring it on with two in the sixth and three more runs in the seventh.
A stalling Jack’s offense combined with four errors, it was smooth sailing in game two for the Tommies.
Arlen Peters took the loss in four innings of work, allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk. Benes drove in two runs on one hit, while Siegert and Grawe each added an RBI single in the loss.
Game Three (SDSU 8, UST 2)
The final game of the series featured a Jacks offense that attacked early and
often, jumping out to an early 8-0 lead and never looking back.
Grawe scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch before Siegert drove in another on a groundout in the first inning.
“(He is) just a baseball player,” Headcoach Rob Bishop said of Grawe. “Tons of energy, can really play defense, just fights at the plate… he was really good all fall and just really continued that into the spring, and (he has) competed at a really really high level. We look forward to seeing that guy in the middle of our lineup for a while.”
Another run scored in the third inning on an RBI double from Siegert, followed by a bunt from Benes that plated two runs made it 5-0 Jackrabbits.
The last of the scoring for the Jacks came in the fourth inning when Luke Luskey blasted a three-run home run over the left-center fence, scoring Grawe and Carter Sintek, increasing the lead to eight.
“(Sintek) can do a little bit of everything, the second game on the doubleheader day, I mean he just, he put us on his back and carried us, and (he has) been capable of being that kind of guy, played really well on defense, so we’re excited for where Carter is at.”
The Tommies got on the board in the fifth with a groundout and an RBI single plating two runs, but couldn’t muster any offense over the final four innings to drop game three.
Caleb Duerr earned the win on the mound for the Jacks pitching six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks, striking out four batters.
Luskey batted 2-for-4 with a walk and a three-run blast, Benes drove in two runs on two hits, while Siegert tallied one hit, one walk, and two RBIs in the win.
Up Next
The Jacks head up to Fargo for a threegame series with the North Dakota State Bison. The first two games start Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m., with the series finale taking place Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Bison, picked to finish fourth in the conference preseason poll, are off to an excellent start to Summit League play with a 4-2 record, most recently defeating Northern Colorado in a three-game series this past weekend (8-7, 3-4, 11-8).
“The league is really good, (it’s) gonna be a fun season as far as you know, having 30 games that anybody can beat anybody, (it’s) who plays the best nine innings of baseball,” said Bishop.
NDSU features sophomore shortstop Jake Schaffner, batting .371 with three doubles and a triple in 22 games this season, and senior right-handed pitcher Logan Knight, tossing 32.1 innings this season with an ERA of 5.57, fanning 28 batters.
Collegian photo by MARSHALL MINIHAN
St. Thomas’ Joe Roder swings and misses at a pitch as Jackrabbit catcher Jess Bellows catches it during last Fridays matchup. Bellows recorded two hits and two RBI’s in his two games against the Tommies.
Jacks to start Summit League play with three game series over the weekend against Kansas City
JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter
South Dakota State softball begins its Summit League season this weekend with a trip to Kansas City.
Entering this week, SDSU sits at a .500 record. Abby Gentry leads the Jacks in batting average with a .438, currently second-best in the Summit League. The sophomore infielder/catcher leads the Summit League in RBIs with 30 and also leads SDSU in home runs with seven, tied with Brooke Dumont.
Dumont, the senior center/fielder, is batting .390 on the year and is one of two Jacks who have started in all games this season. Mia Jarecki, batting .322, leads SDSU in runs scored with 25.
SDSU has a batting average of .301, the second-best in the conference behind South Dakota. They have the most home runs of any Summit League team with 34 and also lead in runs, RBIs, and walks.
As SDSU begins conference play head coach Kristina McSweeney thinks that the Jacks are playing like a new team. “We’re not the same team that we were three weeks ago. I had several coaches come up to me and be like, Kristina it might be one of those years or Kristina you can just tell and then probably the greatest compliment I got was from the Nebraska coaching staff like the growth of this team has been incredible you’re not even close to the same team you were, which puts a lot of things in perspective when you’re leading the team. But I’ve just seen them find ways to work together, I’ve seen them get behind the coaching staff and what we’re trying to do. I’ve also seen them understand and start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and that this is a journey.”
Kansas City, however, is a different story. The Roos have only four wins this season against their 20 losses. One of those wins came in Summit League play against North Dakota State last Friday. Grace Batdorf remains the Kansas City’s leading batter with a .356 average on 45 at-bats, scoring five runs and hitting two of the team’s five home runs, a conference low. Gianna Lickel, sitting at a .302 and Taylor Kvale with a .279 average, also have five runs a piece.
The Roos are batting .248 on the season, the lowest in the conference. This also exactly matches SDSU’s Akayla Barnard’s opposing batting average. The team’s 56 RBIs are also the lowest in the conference. The Roos have the highest ERA of any Summit League team at 7.86, allowing more than 150 earned runs this season and have allowed 27 home runs.
The three-game series takes place this weekend with a doubleheader on Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. and an 11 a.m. Sunday first pitch. All Summit League games will be streamed on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
JACKRABBIT BATS
No. 1: Abby Gentry: .438
No. 2: Emma Christensen: .423
No. 3: Brooke Dumont: .390
No. 4: Kendall Daniel: .333
No. 5: Emma Vike: .323
No. 6: Mia Jarecki: .322
No. 7: Caitlyn Wells: .318
No. 8: Alli Boyle: .314
No. 9: Addison Blomberg: .308
Photo courtesy of MARK KUHLMANN/SDSU ATHLETICS
Senior infielder Mia Jarecki celebrates after getting a hit against Northern Colorado in SDSU’s 8-7 win.
Field dedications set for April 5 and 11
Two Jackrabbits leave for transfer portal
MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor
South Dakota State’s Oscar Cluff and William Whorton have entered the transfer portal.
Cluff transferred to South Dakota State last season from Washington State. The Sunshine Coast, Australia native was a huge pull for the Jackrabbit in an offseason that lost both Zeke Mayo and William Kyle III.
The senior made a large impact on a fresh Jackrabbit roster featuring a redshirt and a true freshman starter in Owen Larson and Joe Sayler.
CORDELL VITENSE
Assistant
Sports Editor
Jackrabbit baseball and softball fields have been newly renovated, and South Dakota State will dedicate them this April.
In recent months, the baseball field, Erv Huether Field, as well as the softball field, Jerald T Moriarty Field, were converted into synthetic turf from a natural grass playing surface. The South Dakota Board of Regents gave the project a green light last summer. Work on the conversion started a little before the fall semester and was completed earlier this month. Mid-America Sports Construction led the project with the goal of enhancing the playing and the viewer experience.
Jackrabbit Athletics invites SDSU fans, alumni and anyone in the Jackrabbit community to celebrate milestone projects like this one. The project represents one of the latest investments in SDSU facilities.
The Jackrabbits’ softball home opener on Saturday, April 5, marks the date the dedication for Jerald T. Moriarty Field is set to take place. Gates will open at 11 a.m., and fans will get to try softball-themed donuts before the event. The Jacks will take on USD with first pitch set at noon.
The softball renovations were made possible by a lead gift from Kevin, Cynthia and Michele Moriarty and donations from GeoTek Engineering and DeBoer Construction.
Ceremonies for Erv Huether Field are set for Friday, April 11, when SDSU hosts the Omaha Mavericks for a Summit League showdown. The ceremonies will take place shortly before first pitch at 3 p.m. Gates will open at 2 p.m., and fans can try baseball-themed cookies.
An anonymous donor provided the lead gift for the baseball renovations. Charles and Linda Elhoff and Jimmy and Amber May, two Jackrabbit student-athletes and their families, made additional donations to further assist the project.
In the 2024-25 season, Cluff averaged 17.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. The senior also notched 25 blocks and 15 steals through 32 games.
On3, a college and high school sports media network, scored Cluff a grade of 96.87, the seventh-highest-ranked athlete in the portal.
For Whorton, the redshirt freshman averaged three points and 2.9 rebounds a game. Whorton appeared in 21 games for the Jacks and started in two. The Wisconsin native scored a season-high of eight points in his start against Montana State on Dec. 4.
Equestrian set for conference tournament
MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor
The Jackrabbit equestrian team will compete against UM Crookston for the opening competition in the ECAC Equestrian Championship today at noon.
The conference tournament will take place at the Ned McWherter Agricultural Complex in Martin, Tennessee.
The winner of the No. 4 SDSU and No. 5 UM Crookston matchup will take on UT Martin who is seeded first in the
ECAC Conference.
This season, the No. 4 Jackrabbits are 3-8 overall and 3-3 against ECAC foes. Two of South Dakota State’s three wins have been against UM Crookston. Their only non-UM Crookston win was on Nov. 1 when SDSU beat conference opponent UC Davis 11-8 at the DeHaan Equestrian Center in Brookings. The Golden Eagles hold an 0-11 record with their closest loss coming against No. 7 South Carolina in September. In the match, the No. 7 Gamecocks rode away with a 10-6 victory.
Collegian photo by OWEN BOYD
This is the first season that baseball and softball have artificial turf fields. SDSU baseball lost their opener last Friday on the field 13-9 against St. Thomas and softball will play at home on Kansas city on Friday.
DeVos takes sixth at national tournament
MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor
Cade DeVos was the sole Jackrabbit to place at the NCAA Division I National Championships over the weekend and became a repeat All-American.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” said Damion Hahn regarding the performance of DeVos. “Not only because of his athletic accomplishments but I would like to put what he is doing in the classroom up against the other, you know 80 All-Americans and see where he stacks up.”
The five-time qualifier picked up his first win of the tournament over Dan Braunagel of Illinois before taking on No. 4 Garrett Thompson of Ohio. DeVos tallied two early takedowns in the match to walk away with a 9-3 decision win.
No. 5 Simon Ruiz met No. 13 DeVos in the quarterfinals where he picked up the upset. The Iowa native scored a takedown and escape on Ruiz to win 4-3.
DeVos saw his biggest challenge of the season against No. 1 Keegan O’Toole of Missouri. The Jackrabbit kept the match close, holding a 5-4 lead heading into the third period. From the bottom position, O’Toole outmatched DeVos with a reversal in which DeVos escaped bringing the score to 66. O’Toole finished the match with a ride time point to seal his victory at 7-6.
The sixth year went on to lose his next two matches against Patrick Kennedy of Iowa and Ruiz to take sixth in the 174-pound class.
The eight other Jackrabbits who competed in the tournament were all eliminated.
“The thing that I’m kind of amazed by is how well we did with some of the adversity that got thrown at us this year,” said Hahn. “I went back and looked and out of those 18 duals, only three duals [where] we had full lineups. We have guys that want to get into that lineup and we have guys that want to battle.”
No. 5 Bennett Berge earned an 8-2 win over West Virginia’s Dennis Robin in the opening round of the 184-pound tourna-
Cade DeVos wrestles Iowa’s Keegan O’Toole in NCAA Division I National Tournament. Number one ranked O’Toole captured a 7-6 victory over SDSU’s DeVos. Devos was the sole Jackrabbit that placed at the national championships, finishing sixth in the 174-pound class.
ment. Berge then went on to face Silas Allred of Nebraska, the No. 12 seed. Berge led going into the third period 4-1 but Allred caught the Jackrabbit’s leg, resulting in a pin at 6 minutes and 42 seconds.
In the wrestlebacks of 184 pounds, Berge matched up against Donnell Washington, the No. 22 seed from Indiana. Berge couldn’t score throughout the course of the match, losing by major decision 12-0.
At 125 pounds, No. 23 Tanner Jordan took on Northern Colorado’s Stevo Poulin who beat Jordan 9-5 by decision. Jordan fought through Keyveon Roller (11-2, major decision) before being eliminated by Caleb Smith of Nebraska. Jordan and Caleb Smith went into sudden victory before he finished Jordan with a takedown.
No. 3 Nasir Bailey met No. 30 Derrick Cardinal at 133 pounds in the first round and nearly lost. Cardinal found himself
down 6-1 before fighting back to even the score at 8-8. Bailey managed to secure a riding time point to send Cardinal down to the consolations with a 9-8 loss.
Cardinal went on a run in the first two rounds of the consolation bracket, earning a pair of wins over Nolan Wertanen 10-7 and a 5-4 decision win over TK Davis. The junior’s season was ended by Tyler Knox of Stanford by major decision.
At 141 pounds, Julian Tagg earned a victory by major decision over Joseph Olivier of Rutgers before taking on No. 2 Beau Bartlet of Penn State. Though Tagg kept Bartlet under five points, the Jackrabbit was only able to score an escape leading to a 4-1 Bartlet victory.
The junior went on to beat Nash Singleton 10-3 before losing by tech fall to Oklahoma State’s Tagen Jamison.
Cobe Siebrecht, a finalist for 157 pounds in the Big 12 took a loss in the first round to Jude Swisher by way of pin. Siebrecht earned two victories over James Conway (7-5) and beat No. 4 Rafa Hipolito of Virginia Tech with a pin before losing to Brandon Cannon 14-7.
Drake Rhodes went 0-2 at nationals, losing his first match against Jack Thomsen 13-8 and then Aiden Riggins of Iowa State 9-3 at 165 pounds.
Zach Glazier finished his collegiate career with a 1-2 2025 national tournament record. Glazier lost in the first round to No. 19 Andy Smith 4-2 and won his next match against West Virginia’s Ian Bush 4-3. The No. 14 in the 197-pound class finished with a loss to No. 13 Trey Munoz. Glazier to Munoz to sudden victory before Munoz scored a takedown to end the match.
In his first NCAA Tournament, Luke Rasmussen fell to No. 8 Luke Luffman 8-2. In his second match, Rasmussen beat Nolan Neves of North Carolina 10-6 while scoring a takedown and reversal. But Rasmussen’s tournament came to an end the match later, losing to No. 10 Dayton Pitzer by major decision (9-0).
Photo Courtsey of SAM JANICKI/SDSU ATHLETICS
UCONN TOO MUCH Huskies topple Jacks 91-57 in Round of 32
MADISON GILLETTE
Sports Reporter
The South Dakota State women’s basketball team goes home early after a 91-57 loss to UConn in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Summit League Champs ended up with a season record of 30-4. The Jacks started hot leading almost the entire first quarter. Madison Mathiowetz started the Jacks’ roll early as she nailed a shot from behind the arc less than a minute into the game, totaling three of her six points of the night.
Later Mathiowetz was back at it again with another three-pointer putting the Jacks up 8-2 with 5:30 left in the first quarter. Unfortunately for the Jacks, Paige Bueckers started to heat up towards the end of the quarter tallying 11 points in under two minutes.
Going into the second quarter the Jacks trailed 14-19 and would remain to trail for the rest of the game. As Bueckers kept rolling, the Jacks had a hard time keeping the momentum going from the first quarter.
As halftime came, the Jacks were down 28-43.
In the third quarter the Jacks had baskets here and there but were only able to score eight points in the quarter, one of the lowest for the Jacks all season. The Huskies continued their lead, going into the final quarter in Storrs, Connecticut 72-36.
The Jacks outscored the Huskies for the first time in the night 21-19 but it wasn’t enough to overcome the 5791 deficit.
“Their defensive pressure wears on you, I thought early in the game we were fresh,” Aaron Johnston said. “Their pressure starts to wear on you and not only physically do you get worn down, a couple mistakes and you lose a little bit of your mental edge and it can turn into a run.”
The Huskies scored 35 points off of SDSU’s 25 turnovers, which is the most turnovers for the Jacks this season.
“Their defensive pressure kind of got us out of sync and they were able to score quite a bit in transition and off our turnovers,” Johnston said.
Paige Meyer led the Jacks with 16 points and three assists. Mesa Byom had six points, two rebounds and two blocks. Although Brooklyn Meyer was quiet offensively, she led the Jacks in rebounds with six. Freshman Katie Vasecka was the second highest scorer for the Jacks with
In South Dakota State’s 91-57
to
seven points and three rebounds.
The Jacks shot an overall of 41.2% from the field compared to the Huskies 57.6% The Huskies only had a total of seven turnovers and outshot the Jacks in all categories. Bueckers led the Huskies with a season-high 34 points standing out in her last game at Gampel Pavilion. She also had three rebounds, four steals and four assists.
Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong both contributed with 17 and 15 points. Strong led the Huskies in rebounds with seven. Seniors Paige Meyer and Kallie Theisen both
agree being a Jackrabbit has been memorable and the experience and lifelong friendships they made are what they will miss the most.
“Obviously really special to be playing in the tournament and to be playing here [UConn],” Theisen said. “I think I’m just gonna take the experience of getting to play with the people I love. Getting a big win yesterday [against OSU] was fun and today didn’t go the way we wanted but just getting to play another game with my best friends definitely meant a lot.”
Photo courtsey of EVAN PATWALD/SDSU ATHLETICS
loss
No. 2 seeded UConn, Paige Meyer scored 16 points, four rebounds and three assists through 32 minutes of play. The Minnesota native was the only Jackrabbit to score over ten points.
Photo courtsey of EVAN PATWALD/SDSU ATHLETICS
Madison Mathiowetz pulling up from three over UConn’s Kaitlyn Chen. In the game, Mathiowetz shot 2-6 from the floor and 2-5 from three point range.
Photo courtsey of EVAN PATWALD/SDSU ATHLETICS
Paige Meyer shot a perfect 2-2 from the free throw line. As a team, The Jackrabbit went 6-9 from the charity stripe.
