Cross Country opens up at USD Friday
The South Dakota State cross country season takes off on Friday at the USD Preview in Vermillion, South Dakota.
Led by the young Carson Noecker, the men’s cross-country team looks to extend their already impressive Summit League winning streak of eight titles.
Noecker, a Nebraska native won the individual conference title last season, Championship MVP and Newcomer of the Championship awards.
Though an impressive team, head coach Rod DeHaven, in his second decade of the head of the program thinks some other teams in the conference can compete.
“I think legitimately, the Summit League has five teams that can be regionally ranked on the men’s side,” said DeHaven. “Obviously North Dakota State is a great squad, UND’s good, Oral Roberts is very good and St. Thomas is really good. I think all of those teams are legitimately top-15.”
On the women’s side, the Jacks lose Leah Hiskens, the face of her respective program.
“Leah Hiskens who goes down as maybe one of the most, if not the most decorated female cross country in program history,” said assistant coach Alex Mundering.
Hiskens led the Jacks to second place in last year’s Summit League Cross Country Championships as she finished second overall in the women’s race.
With the loss of Hiskens, runners Jessica Lutmer, Mya Kizer and Claire Beckman will need to step up to keep their dominance alive.
After their meet the USD Preview, the Jacks will travel down to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the Augustana Twilight on September 6.
Softball and baseball to get turf fields
South Dakota State University announced that they will beginning a new project for both the softball and baseball teams: turf fields.
The installation of turf fields for both fields will be privately funded and was recently approved by the South Dakota Board of Regents.
Construction and installation for the fields have begun this earlier this month.
The main reason of this project was to be able to play more games at home. In the past, both teams have to move their home games to other towns or Bob Sheldon Field here in Brookings, South Dakota for games earlier in the season due to weather situations.
Fans, local businesses and alumni of teams have banded together to make this possible.
Mid-America Sports Construction, a company based out of Lee’s Summit, Missouri will be the team working on the project.
Completed is expected before the 2025 seasons for both softball and baseball.
Arena construction nears end
After finishing the basketball and wrestling seasons earlier this season, construction for the new First Bank & Trust Arena went into full swing.
The first event in First Bank & Trust Arena will have the South Dakota State Volleyball team take on Kansas City on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Though to get a quick look of the new and improved facility, they will be hosting an event on September 27 at 5 p.m. where they will be giving out tours of First Bank & Trust Arena.
