The SDSU wrestling team opened their season at the Bison Open coming home with one champion. 

In Fargo, North Dakota, the Jackrabbits started out the 2023-24 season in the Scheels Center. The Jackrabbits brought home eight placers in the top three of their respective weight classes. 

Tanner Jordan took home first place wrestling in a round-robin format. At 125lbs Jordan finished 3-0 on the day with a technical fall in his first match, winning a close match 6-3 in sudden victory in the second match and ending his day with a 11-0 major decision over senior teammate Brandon Meredith, who finished third.

Senior Bowen McConville, finished as the runner-up in the heavyweight division during the Bison Open. McConville started his day out winning 4-1 against an opponent from NDSU, he then won by major decision 14-5 over sophomore teammate Regan Bollweg and fell short in the championship losing by decision 4-0 to an opponent from Minnesota.

Six wrestlers finished in third place, Brandon Meredith (125), Derrick Cardinal (133), Caleb Gross (141), Daniel Kimball (149) and Kail Wynia (285). Meredith posted a record of 1-2, Cardinal 3-1, Gross 2-1, Kimball 3-1 and Wynia 2-1. 

The strong start by the Jackrabbits leads them into two competitions at home. Both of the events are taking place at Frost Arena. 

The two competitions at home allow for Jackrabbit wrestling fans to catch the team in action while they are in Brookings. 

The Jackrabbits will host the Dakota Showcase this Friday, Nov. 17. The tournament will consist of four teams all in state. The teams competing in the duals are Dakota Wesleyan, Northern State and Augustana. 

Midwest regional recap

Both Jackrabbit men’s and women’s cross country teams finished in the top-15 at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Stillwater, Oklahoma over the weekend with the men finishing fifth and the women taking 15th. 

For the men’s, standout freshman Carson Noecker competed in his first 10k ever, finishing 15th at 30:50.0 and earning himself All-Region Honors, placing highest of any Summit League athlete.

Noecker wasn’t the only SDSU runner who finished in the top-25. Daniel Burkhalter earned 22nd place with his 31:13.9 time in the 10k.

Also making his debue in the 10k was Cody Larson who finished at 31:28.5 to take 33rd place. Josh Baker finished 59th at 31:59.6 and Christian Noble took 67th at 32:07.9, the last of the scoring runners.

SDSU had two more in the race, Will Lohr who took 123rd (32:57.2) and Jackson Dutcher taking 161st (33:41.3).

The men’s team finished with 196 total points, the most points out of any Summit League team.

In her last race as a SDSU runner, Leah (Hansen) Hisken ran a 21:19.7 6k, landing her 24th overall.

Four more athletes scored for the Jacks in Claire Beckman in 87th (22:17.2) and Mya Kizer in 89th (22:18.2), just a second behind her teammate.

Running a 22:18.4 was Jessica Lutmer who took 90th followed by Caitlin Bright who finished with a time of 22:18.6 for 92nd, earning a total of 382 team points.

Nicole Greyer and Grace Waagefinished 129th and 137th.

 Hockey play begins in Brookings

Two interstate rivals met up at the Larson Ice Center in Brookings to kick off the Jackrabbit hockey club’s first official season as a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).

North Dakota State swept the homestanding Jackrabbits in two games on Friday and Saturday 10-8 and 8-5.

The two clubs were tied after the first period of Friday’s game at two before scoring exploded in the second period. Goals from NDSU’s Jacob Pierson and Jack Watzke put the Bison up 4-2 just three minutes into the second frame. SDSU battled back to score five of the next six goals to gain the advantage at 7-5.

The Bison then went on a scoring run themselves notching three straight and five of the last six to win it by two scores 10-8. 

Thomas Elliot was in net the whole game for the Jacks as defenseman Cooper Vanoverbeke and forward Turner Marr both shot two pucks into the net tying for the team lead. Ashton Witte and Gavin Brunmeier paced the team with two assists each.

There was less scoring in Saturday’s game, but there was still plenty of action for the goal horn as the Bison rolled to an 8-5 win to sweep the Jacks.

Once again tied at two after one, NDSU exploded for five scores in the second period. The lone Jackrabbit goal was courtesy of Witte, his first goal of the season.

State battled back in the third, but it was too little for the home team scoring only two goals to make it to the final total of 8-5.

Nelson Lance was in the goal for SDSU on Saturday. Witte scored two goals in the game which was good for the team high while Vanoverbeke and Maxwell Kjelden tied with two assists.

The Jackrabbits will be back in action at Larson Ice Center this weekend with a two-game set against Waldorf. Faceoff will be at 10 p.m. Friday and 9 p.m. Saturday.

Volleyball wraps up season 

SDSU wraps up the regular season with a 3-2 comeback loss to instate rival USD, the Coyotes’ 18 win in a row against the Jacks.

Each of the first four sets ended 25-23, with the Jacks taking sets one and two while the Coyotes fighting back for set three and four, pushing a fifth set.

In set five, the Jackrabbits could not get an offensive drive going, losing 15-4. South Dakota State also saw their lowest hitting percentage of the night in set five at 0%

Syndi Schetnan led the Jack on the night with 21.5 points with Sylvie Zgonc with 18.5 points.

Schetnan and Zgonc finished with a combined 35 kills, while the rest of the Jackrabbits finished with 18.

Junior Raegen Reilly ended the final regular season for SDSU with 43 of South Dakota State’s assists.

Zgonc’s 56 attacks led both teams in that category, with Katie Van Egdom finished third in attacks with 34.

Also leading both teams was Elyse Winter, who ended the night with six total blocks.

Louisville transfer Schetnan was tied with USD’s Kylen Sealock as the point leaders for the match.

SDSU will compete in the Summit League Volleyball Championships from Nov. 20-22 in Vermillion.