“Anytime I get to play in Frost Arena as a senior, that is a special thing. That is the best part. I can’t tell you what it means to run out in Frost Arena. It’s unreal.”Senior forward Megan Vogel said during a press conference March 17 after 61-48 win over Illinois State.

“This is the first step in Division I. This is the proof now that we are legitimate.”Chris Jerred, a mechanical engineering junior, said about the importance of the Women’s National Initiation Tournament berth to SDSU.

“We sit up in the stands and we watch these young women play and get frustrated with a play they make and I hear people say things I know they don’t mean … They are students and they are athletes and we have to remember the people behind these iconic figures they become on the field.”Matt Cecil, a mass communications professor, said on the standards athletes like the members of the women’s basketball team are held to.

“Now the leader (SDSU) has led the follower, USD, to the promised land.”SDSU 1972 Alumni Jim Nielsen on the importance of SDSU’s Division-I move.

“While it’s going on, we want the players to enjoy it and appreciate it and we also want that to be a motivating factor so they just don’t take it for granted. And make sure they are fighting to keep it going.”Said Women’s Basketball Head Coach Aaron Johnston on how he keeps the team focused.

“I was definitely one of those little girls that always came up and would love seeing players, especially even high school players. I can relate to them on the fact that they might be a future Jackrabbit. To spend a little time with them after a game is never any problem.”Jacks forward Megan Vogel on children wanting her autograph.

“There is certainly no place like Frost for our women’s basketball team … Six thousand people in Frost sounds like 12,000 in some places. “SDSU Head Coach Aaron Johnston on the advantage of playing in Frost Arena

“Knowing that if you don’t do your best you could go home, you just lay everything out on the floor. You just do your best. You just hold nothing back because tomorrow you might not be playing.”Junior guard Andrea Verdegan on playing in playoff basketball

“There’s been kids in class and people around campus have been saying a lot more ‘congratulations, good luck.’ I think it is definitely exciting to know that people are rooting for you.”Freshman guard Alison Anderson on peaked interest in women’s basketball

“I think I was actually probably really nervous just to walk through the tunnel and see almost 6,000 people in here cheering you on.”Freshman center Leslie Nielsen on entering Frost Arena during the first WNIT game

“One word that describes South Dakota State is passion, they love it … They play as one and they play with such fierce passion … Passion for just living, passion for the university, passion for the game of women’s basketball.”Indiana Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack on describing the SDSU basketball team

“I’m not sure our kids have ever faced a crowd like you will have … We’re going to have fun with it (the atmosphere in Frost Arena) and really embrace it … our goal it to emulate that in the near future.”Indiana Head Coach Felisha Legette-Jack on the Frost Arena crowd

“It’s never one shot, one rebound, one loose ball that wins a game … You just have to know that you have to put together a good enough 40 minutes on that night to beat the other team.”Senior forward Megan Vogel on winning in playoff basketball

“When I watch the NCAA tournament on TV, I just kind of look at that and am like ‘I am that same age and were in the same atmosphere.”‘Jacks center Courtney Grimsrud on comparing SDSU to bigger schools like Tennessee and UCONN.