Four athletes from the University of Iowa transferred into South Dakota State University wrestling program this season, giving the Jackrabbits a boost in what already is seen as a promising season.

Their transfer decisions came just days before the deadline, which was the beginning of classes in August and bolsters a Jacks team that was ranked No. 9 in the InterMat Pre-Season Team Tournament Rankings.

“I felt like it was a good choice for me to leave Iowa because I wanted a new opportunity and a fresh start,” Cade Siebrecht said. “SDSU is a growing and developing program and I thought I would fit in well.”

His feelings seem in line with is fellow transfers, who were all looking to improve their wrestling careers. Some wrestling fans were caught off guard by how quickly the transfers happened, with each wrestler making a snap decision in only one weekend.

“What surprised me the most is how quickly they all occurred,” SDSU athletic communications graduate assistant Truman Osborn said.

After one decided on his destination, the others followed suit.

Cobe Siebrecht said, “It was that Friday night … I just decided that I’m going to go, and he [Cade] was just like, ‘All right, let’s go.’”

Glazier had been a standout athlete at Iowa, finishing as a Big Ten Conference runner-up in his 2023-24 season. When the Hawkeyes recruited another high-profile wrestler in his weight class he looked at options elsewhere, leading him to SDSU.

“The transfer process was complicated by NCAA rules that restricted coaches from communicating with the athletes during their decision-making period,” said SDSU coach Damion Hahn. “Amongst themselves, they decided that South Dakota State would be the best place for them.”

The first official meeting between the wrestlers and coaches was on the first day of classes.

“It’s been good so far,” Hahn said. “They raise the level of competition within our room.”

The transition to SDSU was not without its challenges. The Siebrecht brothers, along with their teammates, found themselves in temporary housing at an Airbnb upon their arrival because of how quickly they made their decisions.

Both Cade and Cobe Siebrecht have shown confidence over how they fit into the team as they become used to their new positions.

“My teammates at SDSU were very welcoming when we got here,” Cade Siebrecht said. “The team is full of amazing guys and I feel like I belong.”

Similar to his brother, Cobe Siebrecht feels good with his landing spot.

“This program’s going in the right direction and I felt like maybe I could add to that,” Cobe Siebrecht said.

The wrestlers have set personal goals for the upcoming season. Cade, who is recovering from surgery, is focused on rehabilitation and strength building, aiming to contribute to the team in any way he can.

“Overall, I’ve been happy with the move and the staff here on the wrestling team has really helped me a lot with my rehab,” Cade said.

This season’s expectations for the SDSU wrestling program are high, especially after the increase in talent. As they settle into their new roles at SDSU, they focused on their wrestling and contributing to their new Jackrabbits team.

Cobe Siebrecht, Rhodes and Glazier compete in SDSU’s dominant win over Augustana 49-0. Glazer, who took over former 197-pound Tanner Sloan’s spot finished with an 17-2 tech fall victory over Max Ramberg of Augie. Rhodes also finished with a tech fall over Payton Handevidt in the 165 lbs. class. Cobe Siebrecht beat Logan Butzon with a pin at 4:14.

The SDSU wrestling team will be back in Brookings next on Sunday against the ranked Minnesota Gophers at 2 p.m. at First Bank & Trust Arena.