South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Athletic teams representing South Dakota State University

South Dakota State Jackrabbits

University| South Dakota State University
Conference| Summit League (primary)
Missouri Valley Football Conference
Big 12 Conference (wrestling)
ECAC (equestrian)
NCAA| Division I (FCS)
Athletic director| Justin Sell
Location| Brookings, South Dakota
Varsity teams| 19
Football stadium| Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
Basketball arena| Frost Arena
Baseball stadium| Erv Huether Field
Mascot| Jack Rabbit
Nickname| Jackrabbits
Fight song| Ring the Bell
Colors| Blue and yellow[1]

Website| gojacks.com

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits are the 19 intercollegiate teams representing South Dakota State University that compete in the U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I (for football: Football Championship Subdivision). South Dakota State is currently a member of the Summit League, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Big 12 Conference and Varsity Equestrian. The university won numerous conference championships and several national titles including the NCAA College Division national title in men's basketball in 1963 and the NCAA Division II national title in women's basketball in 2003.

In recent years, the South Dakota State football team has become a perennial FCS power. The Jackrabbits won the Missouri Valley Football Conference championship in 2016, 2020, 2022, and 2023, and have made twelve consecutive FCS playoff appearances (13 overall). They have reached the FCS semifinals six times in that time span, were national runners-up in 2020, and won their first national championship on January 8, 2023, by beating their rivals, the North Dakota State Bison, 45-21. The Jackrabbits repeated as national champions on January 7, 2024 by defeating the Montana Grizzlies 23-3 and finishing a perfect 15-0. South Dakota State outscored their four 2024 playoff opponents 146-15. The football team is currently a 29-game winning streak, third-longest in FCS football history.

The 2011–2012 season marked the fifth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament for the Jackrabbit women's basketball team, capping a season in which the Jackrabbits won the regular-season Summit League title and their fifth consecutive Summit League Tournament title. In 2019 the Jackrabbit women’s basketball advanced to their first appearance in the NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen. They were also the 2022 WNIT tournament champions, defeating Seton Hall 82-50.

The Jackrabbit men’s basketball team qualified for its first NCAA Tournament in the 2012–13 season following a second-place regular season finish in the Summit League and winning the Summit League Tournament title. In 2022 the Men’s basketball team broke the Summit League and school record with 30 wins and also became the first school to run the table in conference play at 18–0. They then qualified for their 6th NCAA tournament, going a full 21-0 against conference foes. They ended their season at 30-5 (18-0).

The Jackrabbit baseball team qualified for the 2013 NCAA Tournament and traveled to Eugene, Oregon, losing the first game to eventual regional champion Oregon and then being eliminated by the University of San Francisco in a 13-inning defensive battle.

In 2018, the school had its first Division I champion wrestler with Seth Gross.

## Sports sponsored

[edit]

Summit logo in South Dakota State colors Men's sports  | Women's sports

|

Baseball | Basketball
Basketball | Cross country
Cross country | Equestrian
Football | Golf
Golf | Soccer
Swimming and diving | Softball
Track and field† | Swimming and diving
Wrestling | Track and field†
| Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

## Athletic facilities

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South Dakota State has some of the best athletic facilities in their region, The Summit League, and the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Some of the university's venues compete as some of the finest in the nation (Sanford Jackrabbit Athlete Complex and the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium).

* Frost Arena is the 6,500 seat on campus facility that houses men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball teams. Frost Arena is currently on the master plan to add more modern concessions, restrooms and seating, as well as several building additions which include a wrestling practice facility, and a multi court arena that would double for basketball and volleyball practices as well as a competition venue for wrestling and volleyball.
* Erv Huether Field is home of the Jackrabbit baseball team. Seats 600 spectators.
* Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, the on-campus football stadium with a capacity for 19,340 fans, opened for the 2016 season.
* Fishback Soccer park. seats 1500 spectators. Also on the master athletic plans are an on campus soccer stadium and practice fields.
* 2025 master plan calls for an aquatics competition and practice facility.
* Dykhouse Student Athlete Center. Located in the north end zone of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Houses football staff, sports medicine and athletic training.
* Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex, Connected to the north side of the Dykhouse Athlete Center. it boasts 149,284-square feet of practice space and one of five 300-meter tracks in NCAA Division 1.
* Stanley J. Marshall HPER Center Pool. The six-lane competition pool is 25 yards long. A diving well allows for 1- and 3-meter competitions.

The Dykhouse Student Athlete Center, the home of Jackrabbit football, opened prior to the 2010 football season. The Sanford Jackrabbit Athlete Complex, a state-of-the-art indoor practice and competition facility opened October 11, 2014. It is immediately north of and attached to the Dykhouse Student Athlete Center. The SJAC has bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators and can be used for track practice and track meets, football practice, softball and baseball practice, and other events within the SDSU athletic department. It has been recently furbished with a state-of-the-art indoor golf practice area consisting of 4500 square feet of practice space, with slope, sand traps and simulators for rainy weather and the winter months. When completed, the 149,284-square foot facility was the largest indoor practice facility in Division I athletics and features an eight-lane, 300-meter track, one of only five collegiate indoor tracks of that size in the nation. Inside the track is an 80-yard football field plus end zones at each end. The turf in the facility is soy-based Astroturf. The SJAC has areas for sports medicine including rehab space, a training room, additional weight-training facilities, hydrotherapy, a football team room, offices and academic advising facilities. The Dykhouse Student Athlete Center is immediately north of the new stadium for Jackrabbit football, the 19,340-capacity Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, opened in the Fall of 2016. The Dykhouse Stadium was constructed for easy expansion to 22,500 and the potential for future expansion to a capacity of 40,000. Like the SJAC, the turf in the Stadium is soy-based Astroturf.

In November 2018, SDSU finished construction on a new practice facility connected to Frost Arena that contains 2 full-size practice courts for men's and women's basketball and women's volleyball.

The Frank J. Kurtenbach Family Wrestling Center opened in Fall 2022. The 16,000 sq. ft. building is on the southwest corner of the SJAC and provides practice area and locker rooms.

Frost Arena is currently undergoing a $50 million renovation that will change the name to First Bank & Trust Arena. First Bank & Trust committed the lead gift of $20 million. The arena renovation will include premium seating areas & suites, state-of-the-art video board and display systems, an enhanced sound system, a more spacious concourse, and improved restrooms. New and improved locker rooms and offices are also a part of the design for the renovated arena, which will have an estimated capacity of 5,500.

Fundraising has started for a new on-campus soccer stadium across from Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium & Artificial Turf for the Erv Huether Field & The Jackrabbit Softball Stadium.

## National championships

[edit]

### Team

[edit]

Sport  | Association  | Division  | Year  | Opponent/Runner-up  | Score

|
|
|
|
|

Men's basketball (1)  | NCAA | College | 1963 | Wittenberg | 44–42
Women's basketball (1)  | NCAA  | Division II | 2003  | Northern Kentucky | 65–50
Men's cross country (6)  | NAIA (1)  | Single | 1956  | Kansas State Teachers Hays | 71–68
NCAA (5)  | College (1)  | 1959  | Kansas State Teachers | 67–75
Division II (4)  | 1973  | Southwest Missouri State | 88–93
1985  | Edinboro | 60–108
1989  | Edinboro  | 97–102
1996  | Lewis | 119–142
Women's cross country (1)  | NCAA  | Division II | 1981  | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 26–49
Football (2)  | NCAA  | Football | 2022 | North Dakota State | 45–21
2023 | Montana | 23–3
Men's outdoor track and field (1)  | NAIA | Single[2] | 1953  | Abilene Christian | 48–42 (+6)

### Individual

[edit]

Name  | Sport  | Association  | Division  | Year  | Opponent/Runner-up  | School  | Score

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Seth Gross  | Wrestling, 133 lbs.  | NCAA  | Division I | 2018  | Stevan Mićić | Michigan | 13-8

## Notable alumni

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* Cleveland L. Abbott — American football coach
* Colin Cochart — American football player
* Rod DeHaven — Olympic marathoner
* Doug Eggers — American football player
* Steve Heiden — American football player
* Jim Langer — American football player
* Jon Madsen — wrestler; professional MMA fighter
* Paul Miller — American football player
* Josh Ranek — Canadian football player
* Wayne Rasmussen — American football player
* Pete Retzlaff — American football player, executive
* Caleb Thielbar — baseball player
* Adam Timmerman — American football player
* Blake Treinen — baseball player
* Adam Vinatieri — American football player
* Danny Batten — American football player
* Nate Wolters — basketball player
* Zach Zenner — American football player
* Dallas Goedert — American football player
* Dick Beardsley — American marathon runner

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "South Dakota State Jackrabbits Media Information". July 17, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
2. ^ "NAIA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA Sports Information Directors Manual. NAIA. Retrieved 26 May 2022.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to South Dakota State University athletics.

* Official website

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South Dakota State University

Athletics|

* Football
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball

Facilities|

* Coughlin Campanile
* Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
* Frost Arena
* McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum
* South Dakota State University Innovation Campus
* Wenona Hall and Wecota Hall

Related|

* Hobo Day

Links to related articles

* v
* t
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Summit League

Full members|

* Denver Pioneers
* Kansas City Roos
* North Dakota Fighting Hawks
* North Dakota State Bison
* Omaha Mavericks
* Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
* St. Thomas Tommies
* South Dakota Coyotes
* South Dakota State Jackrabbits

Baseball affiliate|

* Northern Colorado Bears

Men's soccer affiliates|

* Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens
* UMass Minutemen (both joining in 2025)

Men's tennis affiliates|

* Drake Bulldogs
* Illinois State Redbirds

Men's golf affiliates|

* Northern Colorado Bears
* Weber State Wildcats

Swimming & diving affiliates|

* Eastern Illinois Panthers
* Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles

Championships and awards|

* Conference championships

* v
* t
* e

Missouri Valley Football Conference

Teams|

* Illinois State Redbirds
* Indiana State Sycamores
* Missouri State Bears (leaving in 2025)
* Murray State Racers
* North Dakota Fighting Hawks
* North Dakota State Bison
* Northern Iowa Panthers
* South Dakota Coyotes
* South Dakota State Jackrabbits
* Southern Illinois Salukis
* Youngstown State Penguins

Championships & awards|

* All-time standings
* Conference champions

Seasons|

* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
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Big 12 Conference

Full members|

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* TCU Horned Frogs
* Texas Tech Red Raiders
* UCF Knights
* Utah Utes
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Equestrian associate|

* Fresno State Bulldogs

Women's gymnastics associate|

* Denver Pioneers

Women's lacrosse associates|

* Florida Gators
* San Diego State Aztecs
* UC Davis Aggies

Women's rowing associates|

* Old Dominion Monarchs
* Tulsa Golden Hurricane

Men's wrestling associates|

* Air Force Falcons
* California Baptist Lancers
* Missouri Tigers
* North Dakota State Bison
* Northern Colorado Bears
* Northern Iowa Panthers
* Oklahoma Sooners
* South Dakota State Jackrabbits
* Utah Valley Wolverines
* Wyoming Cowboys

Championships and awards|

* Conference champions
* Baseball
* Men's basketball
* Women's basketball
* Football
* Women's soccer
* Softball

History|

* History
* Big Eight Conference
* Southwest Conference
* 1996 conference realignment
* 2010–2013 Big 12 realignment
* 2021–2026 conference realignment

Television|

* Big 12 Now
* Big 12 Network

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Eastern College Athletic Conference

* Bridgewater Eagles
* UC Davis Aggies
* Dartmouth Big Green
* Delaware State Hornets
* Lynchburg Hornets
* Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles
* Sacred Heart Pioneers
* Sewanee Tigers
* South Dakota State Jackrabbits
* SMU Mustangs
* SUNY New Paltz Hawks
* Sweet Briar Vixens
* UT Martin Skyhawks

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Sports teams based in the Dakotas

Baseball|

* AA: Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
* Sioux Falls Canaries
* NwL: Badlands Big Sticks
* Bismarck Larks
* Minot Hot Tots
* IndL: Spearfish Sasquatch

Basketball|

* NBA G League: Sioux Falls Skyforce

Hockey|

* ECHL: Rapid City Rush
* USHL: Fargo Force
* Sioux Falls Stampede
* NAHL: Aberdeen Wings
* Bismarck Bobcats
* Minot Minotauros
* Watertown Shamrocks

Roller derby|

* WFTDA: Fargo Moorhead Derby Girls
* Sioux Falls Roller Dollz

Soccer|

* NPSL: Dakota Fusion FC
* Sioux Falls Thunder FC

College athletics|

| NCAA
Division I|

North Dakota Fighting Hawks
North Dakota State Bison
South Dakota Coyotes
South Dakota State Jackrabbits

|

NCAA
Division II|

Augustana Vikings
Black Hills State Yellow Jackets
Mary Marauders
Minot State Beavers
Northern State Wolves
Sioux Falls Cougars
South Dakota Mines Hardrockers

NAIA|

Dakota State Trojans
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