10. Thyele Rechatiko

The senior from Porto Alegre, Brazil, was a vital part in leading the team to the Summit League Tournament. In just two seasons with the Jacks, Rechatiko posted 1,688 set assists, which ranks ninth on SDSU’s all-time list.

“Her leadership in both areas (offense and defense) elevated our team to compete at a higher level” head coach Nanabah Allison-Brewer said.

Rechatiko had a strong season in all aspects of the game while playing in 117 sets. She ranked first on the team with 1191 set assists, third in digs with 311, and third in serving aces with 20. She also hit for 107 kills and 34 total blocks.

9. Dean Priddy

Priddy’s punting ability was showcased in 2010, averaging just over 40-yards per punt while a remarkable 25 of those punts were inside the 20-yard marker.

“His ability to take his skill, his position, and really perfect it I think had a huge impact,” said head football coach John Stiegelmeier. “It wasn’t just about kicking it inside the 20, it was kicking it away from guys – very unselfish, and very much about perfecting his skill.”

He also reached a career-high with a 72-yard punt in a 26-3 loss at Delaware. The Eden Prairie, Minn. native also made second-team all-conference in the Missouri Valley football conference.

8. Anthony Bongard

Bongard had a great year, starting the season off with two top-five finishes. Bongard edged out teammate Michael Krsnak to win the SDSU Classic. He finished fourth at the Summit League Championships and was named to the all-league first team. The Redwood Falls, Minn. native returns next year and should have another great season for the Jacks.

“His determination was a major reason that he was able to silence any doubters after last spring,” DeHaven said.

7. Ellyce Youngren

A team captain, Youngren posted big numbers and proved to be a flexible option all season long for the Jacks. The Brookings native started all 30 matches for SDSU and led the team in kills with 366.

“(Youngren) is a six rotations player who is involved in every offensive play. Her serving and blocking make her that complete player we need to keep the program moving in the right direction” Allison-Brewer said.

Youngren also led the team in serving aces with 36. The 6’2” junior tallied 61 total blocks, ranking third on the team and ranked fourth in digs with 275.

Her play was well-noted around the conference, as Youngren was selected to the all-Summit League second team and an all-tournament selection at the Summit League Tournament.

6. Elisa Stamatakis

Stamatakis wasted no time in becoming an integral part of the Jackrabbits’ successful season. A freshman goalkeeper from Edmonton, Alberta, Stamatakis surged on to the scene in September, winning Summit League Athlete of the Month. She finished the season 11-2-4, with eight shutouts on the year.

“She acclimated pretty quickly to the college game and stepped into a difficult place early in the season and showed a lot of poise and confidence as a freshman,” said Wedemeyer. “I think that she demonstrated that she was one of the best keepers in the conference.”

Stamatakis took control of the net in the third match of the year and played all but 30 minutes of game time the rest of the season. Her standout season vaulted her to third on the Jacks all-time wins list and is also third all-time in career shutouts.

5. Cole Brodie

A first-team Missouri Valley conference selection along with defensive teammate Derek Domino, Cole Brodie had a stellar senior season in 2010. His five interceptions led the team, and two of those were returned for touchdowns.

“What coaches ask for are total commitment, and Cole was that,” John Stiegelmeier said. “He just became a great defensive back for us.”

A Dacula, Ga. native, Brodie also served a special teams threat, leading the team averaging 11 yards on punt returns. His performance against Southern Illinois of two interceptions were enough to be crowned defensive back of the week by CollegeFootballPerformance.com.

4. Danni Healy

An “explosive” player, Healy capped a career season by winning the Summit League’s Offensive Player of the Year award, the first Jackrabbit player ever to win it. The senior forward from Edina, Minn., finished with 18 points on seven goals and four assists. She also finished tied for third in both points and goals in the Summit League.

“Danni was one of the most dynamic players that we’ve ever coached here at SDSU. She possessed tremendous speed, great tenacity and a real fighting spirit,” said Jackrabbit head coach Lang Wedemeyer.

Healy was an integral part of an attack that helped the Jacks to their fewest losses (three) in program history. She also tallied game-winners against Montana, Eastern Washington, and Southern Utah. Healy ends her career with 48 points, good for fifth all-time in SDSU history and she is tied for fifth all-time in goals with 18.

3. Michael Krsnak

Krsnak had an amazing year for the men’s cross country team, starting off the season with back-to-back wins at the Ron Plynn Classic and Oz Memorial.

The junior from Rapid City finished third to help the team repeat as Summit League Champions and was named to the all-league first team. Krsnak finished the season with a 16th place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional and earned all-region honors.

He fell just short of qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Krsnak returns next year and should have another outstanding season.

“He had a remarkable season,” head coach Rod DeHaven said. “Michael was very instrumental in the team repeating as Summit League Champions.”

2. Kelli Fiegen

The 6’3” sophomore from Parkston had a huge year for the Jacks and was named Summit League Player of the Year for her efforts. Fiegen played in 116 sets for the Jacks and led the team in blocks with 140 total, 42 of them solo. Her 1.21 blocks per set average tied for 39th in the nation.

“She provides the team with that spark off the bench. She is extremely athletic and her dynamic approach offensively gets her team fired up but also is a definite crowd pleaser” Allison-Brewer said.

Fiegen broke the SDSU record for hitting percentage in a five set match against Western Illinois by knocking in 17 kills on 27 attempts for a .593 percentage. She also owns the second-best percentage in a five set match when she hit .581 against South Dakota. She finished the year ranked second on the team by pounding 352 kills with a .377 attack percentage.

1. Kyle Minett

A bruising yet elusive runner, Minett heads the top 10 list after four years of contributions to the SDSU backfield. Minett, a pre-season All-American and a nominee for the Walter Payton Award, finished second in team history in rushing yards behind Josh Ranek and rushed for 1,208 yards in his senior season.

“As big of an impact as anyone could have,” said John Stiegelmeier about Minett’s influence on the football program. “Just a great football player that gave everything he had for South Dakota State football.”

Despite an ankle injury that forced him to the sideline for SDSU’s last regular season game, the Ruthton, Minn. native’s plaudits from media and leadership on and off the field made him a near-unanimous pick for top athlete of the fall sports season.