South Dakota State Jackrabbits

South Dakota State Jackrabbits
University	South Dakota State University
Conference	Summit League Missouri Valley Football Conference Big 12 Conference
NCAA	Division I (FCS in football)
Athletic director	Justin Sell
Location	Brookings, South Dakota
Varsity teams	19
Football stadium	Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
Basketball arena	Frost Arena
Baseball stadium	Erv Huether Field
Mascot	Jack Rabbit
Nickname	Jackrabbits
Colors	Blue and Yellow[1]
Website	www.gojacks.com

The South Dakota State Jackrabbits are the 19 intercollegiate teams representing South Dakota State University that compete in the U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I (for football: Football Championship Subdivision). SDSU is currently a member of the Summit League, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Big 12 Conference and Varsity Equestrian. The university won numerous conference championships and several national titles including the NCAA College Division national title in men's basketball in 1963 and the NCAA Division II national title in women's basketball in 2003.

The Jackrabbit football team qualified for the NCAA Football Championship Series playoffs in 2009 (losing to Montana I in the first round), the school's second year of FCS post-season eligibility since moving from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. The Jackrabbits qualified for the FCS playoffs in 2012, winning their first game against Ohio Valley Conference champs Eastern Illinois before falling to Missouri Valley Football Conference rival North Dakota State, the eventual national champion.

The 2011-2012 season marked the fifth-consecutive trip to the NCAA National Tourney for the Jackrabbit women's basketball team, capping a season in which the Jackrabbits won the regular-season Summit League title and their fifth consecutive Summit League Tourney title.

The Jackrabbit men qualified for its first NCAA Division I National Tourney last season (2012-2013) following a second-place regular season finish in the Summit League and winning the Summit League Tourney title.

The Jackrabbit baseball team qualified for the 2013 NCAA Tourney and traveled to Eugene, OR, losing the first game to eventual regional champ Oregon and then being eliminated by the University of San Francisco in a 13-inning defensive battle.

Athletic teams

A member of The Summit League, South Dakota State University sponsors teams in ten men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports:^[2]

Men's Teams Baseball Basketball (team article) Cross Country Football (team article) [v 1] Golf Swimming & Diving Tennis Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor) Wrestling [v 2]

Women's Teams Basketball (team article) Cross Country Equestrian [v 3] Golf Soccer Softball Swimming & Diving Tennis Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor) Volleyball

The Jackrabbit softball team appeared in four consecutive Women's College World Series, in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1974.^[3]

Notes

1. The football team competes as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
2. The wrestling team competes as a member of the Big 12 Conference.
3. Equestrian is recognized by the NCAA as an "emerging sport" for women, but does not yet have an NCAA-sponsored team championship. The equestrian team competes as a member of the United Equestrian Conference which is not recognized by the NCAA; its members are considered to be Independents.

Athletic facilities

South Dakota State has some of the best athletic facilities in their region, The Summit League, and the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Some of the university's venues compete as some of the finest in the nation (SJAC).

• Frost Arena is the 6,500 seat on campus facility that houses men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball teams. Frost Arena is currently on the master plan to add more modern concessions, restrooms and seating, as well as several building additions which include a wrestling practice facility, and a multi court arena that would double for basketball and volleyball practices as well as a competition venue for wrestling and volleyball.
• Erv Huether Field is home of the Jackrabbit baseball team. Seats 600 spectators.
• Coughlin-Alumni Stadium (football) 1962–present
• Fishback Soccer park. seats 1500 spectators. Also on the master athletic plans are an on campus soccer stadium and practice fields.
• 2025 master plan calls for an aquatics competition and practice facility.
• Dykhouse Student Athlete Center. Located in the north end zone of Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. Houses football staff, sports medicine and athletic training.
• Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex, Connected to the north side of the Dykhouse Athlete Center. it boasts 149,284-square feet of practice space.
• Stanley J. Marshall HPER Center Pool. The six-lane competition pool is 25 yards long. A diving well allows for 1- and 3-meter competitions.
• Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Coming in 2016,the on-campus stadium will seat 19,340 fans for home football games.

In 2014, South Dakota State University started construction of a new stadium on the location of the current Coughlin-Alumni Stadium. The new stadium will have seating for 19,340 with easy expansion to 22,500. The Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex is the Jackrabbits new State-of-the-art indoor practice facility. The facility was opened on October 11th, 2014. The SJAC has bleacher seating for up to 1,000 spectators and can be used for football practice, track practice, softball and baseball practice, track competitions, and other events within the SDSU athletic department. The 149,284-square foot facility is the largest indoor practice facility in Division I athletics and features an eight-lane, 300-meter track which is only one of five collegiate indoor tracks of that size in the nation. Inside the track is an 80-yard football field plus end zones at each end and is composed of a soy-based Astroturf. Within the facility it has areas for sports medicine and strength and conditioning. Sports medicine features include rehab space, a training room, weight room expansion, hydrotherapy, a football team room, offices and academic advising facilities.

Notable alumni

• Cleveland L. Abbott — American football coach
• Colin Cochart — American football player
• Rod DeHaven — Olympic marathoner
• Doug Eggers — American football player
• Steve Heiden — American football player
• Jim Langer — American football player
• Paul Miller — American football player
• Josh Ranek — Canadian football player
• Wayne Rasmussen — American football player
• Pete Retzlaff — American football player, executive
• Caleb Thielbar — baseball player
• Adam Timmerman — American football player
• Blake Treinen — baseball player
• Adam Vinatieri — American football player
• Danny Batten — American football player
• Nate Wolters — basketball player
• Zach Zenner — American football player

References

1. "University Colors". Retrieved 2016-04-16.
2. "Jackrabits". South Dakota State University. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
3. Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN 978-0-9893007-0-4.