South Dakota State Jackrabbits

South Dakota State Jackrabbits
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;
Website	gojacks.com

Last updated January 28, 2025

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

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

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

Team

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
Football (2)	NCAA	Football	2023	Montana	23–3
Men's outdoor track and field (1)	NAIA	Single ^[2]	1953	Abilene Christian	48–42 (+6)

Individual

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

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

Related Research Articles

South Dakota State University is a public land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota, United States. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest university and is the second oldest continually operating university in the state, trailing the University of South Dakota which was founded in 1862. The university is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, which governs the state's six public universities and two special schools.

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks are the athletic teams that represent the University of North Dakota (UND), located in the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level as a member of the Summit League. With 17 varsity teams, North Dakota is best known for its Ice Hockey team and American Football team. North Dakota's main rivalries are with the North Dakota State Bison and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Bank and Trust Arena</span> Arena

First Bank and Trust Arena is a 5,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Brookings, South Dakota. It was built on the east side of campus in 1973 and is home to the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits men's and women's basketball, volleyball, and wrestling teams, replacing the Gymnasium-Armory, built in 1918 and nicknamed "The Barn," which still resides on the westside of campus. First Bank and Trust Arena was formerly known as Frost Arena, which was named after former SDSU basketball coach Reuben B. "Jack" Frost.

The Iowa State Cyclones are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Iowa State University, located in Ames. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.

The North Dakota State Bison are the athletic teams of North Dakota State University (NDSU), which is located in the city of Fargo, North Dakota. The teams are often called the "Thundering Herd". The current logo is a bison.

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represents South Dakota State University in college football. The program competes at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). The Jackrabbits play their home games at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium on South Dakota State's campus in Brookings, South Dakota.

The Western Carolina Catamounts are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Western Carolina University. The Catamounts compete in the NCAA Division I as members of the Southern Conference. Western Carolina fields 16 varsity sports teams.

The Liberty Flames and Lady Flames are the athletics teams of Liberty University, in Lynchburg, Virginia, United States. They are a member of the NCAA Division I level in 20 sports. As of July 1, 2023, LU is a member of Conference USA (CUSA) for most sports, joining that league after five years as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN).

The South Dakota–South Dakota State football rivalry between the South Dakota Coyotes and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits is a yearly rivalry match-up in football between the two largest public universities in the state of South Dakota: the University of South Dakota in Vermillion and South Dakota State University in Brookings.

The 2016 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by 20th-year head coach John Stiegelmeier, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 9–4 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the MVFC with North Dakota State. Due to their head-to-head victory over North Dakota State during the regular season, South Dakota State received the MVFC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first-round bye, the Jackrabbits defeated Villanova in the second round, before losing in the quarterfinals in a re-match with North Dakota State. The team played home games on campus at the newly-opened Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

The Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in the north central United States, on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. It is the home venue of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The stadium was constructed in phases on the previous Coughlin-Alumni Stadium site and has a seating capacity of 19,340. The field has a traditional north-south alignment at an approximate elevation of 1,620 feet (495 m) above sea level.

The 2018 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by 22nd-year head coach John Stiegelmeier, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing second in the MVFC. South Dakota State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first round bye, the Jackrabbits defeated Duquesne in the second round and Kennesaw State in the quarterfinals before falling to fellow MVFC member and eventual national champion, North Dakota State, in the semifinals. The team played home games on campus at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

The 2018–19 South Dakota State Jackrabbits women's basketball team represented South Dakota State University in the 2018–19 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Jackrabbits, led by nineteenth year head coach Aaron Johnston, competed in the Summit League. They played home games in Frost Arena in Brookings, South Dakota. They finished the season 28–7, 15–1 in Summit League play to win the Summit League regular season. They were champions of The Summit League women's tournament and earned an automatic trip to the NCAA women's tournament, where they defeated Quinnipiac and upset Syracuse in the first and second rounds to advanced to their first sweet sixteen appearance where they lost to Oregon.

The 2019 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by 23rd-year head coach John Stiegelmeier, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 8–5 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the MVFC. South Dakota State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where, after a first round bye, the Jackrabbits lost to Northern Iowa in the second round. The team played home games on campus at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

The 2020 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by 24th-year head coach John Stiegelmeier, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 8–2 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, sharing the MVFC title with Missouri State. South Dakota State received the MVFC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where the Jackrabbits defeated Holy Cross in the first round, fellow MVFC member Southern Illinois in the quarterfinals, and Delaware in the semifinals before losing to Sam Houston State in the NCAA Division I Championship Game. The team played home games on campus at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

The 2021 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by 25th-year head coach John Stiegelmeier, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 11–4 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the MVFC. South Dakota State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where the Jackrabbits defeated UC Davis in the first round, Sacramento State in the second round, and Villanova in the quarterfinals before losing to Montana State in the semifinals. The team played home games on campus at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

The 2022 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2022 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led John Stiegelmeier in his 26th and final season as head coach, the Jackrabbits compiled an overall record of 14–1 with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the MVFC title. South Dakota State received the MVFC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where after a first-round bye, the Jackrabbits defeated Delaware in the second round, Holy Cross in the quarterfinals, Montana State in the semifinals, and fellow MVFC member North Dakota State in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Game to win program's first national title. The team played home games on campus at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

The 2024 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team represented South Dakota State University during the 2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season, as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. They were led by second-year head coach Jimmy Rogers and played their home games at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

The 2025 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team will represent South Dakota State University during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season, as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). They will be led by first-year head coach Dan Jackson who joins the program after working at Idaho as the team's defensive coordinator. He will be replacing former coach Jimmy Rogers who left the program to be the head coach at Washington State. Jackson will be assisted by first year offensive coordinator Eric Eidsness and defensive coordinator Brian Bergstrom. The Jacks will play home games at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota.

References

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

External links

Official website

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[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.

[1]

[2]

v t e 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