MORNING SPORTS REPORT 11-30-21

  • The winter sports schedule kicks off tonight for the Yankton School District as the Gymnastics squad hosts a season opening triangular vs Mitchell and Parkston/Ethan/Hanson at the new River City Gymnastics and Cheer Center located in the Yankton Mall. The event begins at 530pm and is open to the public.
  • The Yankton High School Wrestling Program rolls out the mats for their first regular season competition Thursday night when they host a triangular with Beresford and Watertown in the Summit Center. First match begins at 5pm.
  • Fifteen South Dakota State football student-athletes, led by three-time first-team selection Pierre Strong, Jr., were named Monday to the all-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team. Selections were determined by a vote among the league’s coaches, sports information directors and a select media panel. South Dakota State finished the regular season with an 8-3 overall record, including a 5-3 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Jackrabbits, who are making their 10th consecutive postseason appearance, won their Nov. 27 playoff opener over UC Davis, 56-24, and will travel to fourth-seeded Sacramento State this Saturday.

Five South Dakota Coyotes were voted to the same All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team, Senior linebacker Jack Cochrane and junior long snapper Dalton Godfrey are first-team selections. Junior left tackle Alex Jensen, senior safety Elijah Reed and senior punter Brady Schutt are second-team selections. It is the third time in five years USD has had at least five all-MVFC honorees. South Dakota finished its season with a 7-5 record which includes a program-best 5-3 mark in Valley play. The Coyotes advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the sixth time in program history, hosted its first FCS playoff game and competed in the FCS playoffs for the second time.

  • South Dakota men’s basketball (4-2) takes on San Jose State (2-3) at 9 pm tonight inside Event Center Arena in San Jose, California.

South Dakota State men’s basketball returns home for a two-game homestand, beginning with a matchup tonight against winless Prairie View A&M. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m. inside Frost Arena.

  • South Dakota State’s Maya Hansen and Rachel Preston were honored Monday as members of the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s All-West Region Team as selected by the United Soccer Coaches. Hansen received second-team honors while Preston was a third-team selection.
  • A trio of home meets and a return to big-name relay meets highlight the South Dakota outdoor track and field schedule announced Monday by Coyote director of track and field Lucky Huber. South Dakota will host its home meets on April 2 (USD Early Bird), April 22-23 (South Dakota Challenge) and May 6 (USD Twilight). All three home outdoor meets will be held at the state-of-the-art Lillibridge Track Complex and Gottsleben Field.