A look back at some of the sports happenings during the week of June 28-July 4, 2026:

Last year on June 28, 2025: Pierre native Carter Sanderson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 169th pick in the sixth round of the NHL Draft. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward is believed to be the first South Dakotan drafted into the NHL. A University of North Dakota commit, Sanderson played in 2024-25 for Muskegon (MI) in the United States Hockey League when he helped the Lumberjacks win the team’s first USHL championship. Sanderson helped the Lumberjacks win the team’s first-ever Clark Cup title in the USHL last season. A 6-foot-1, 192-pound forward, Sanderson logged five goals and six assists last season. Sanderson is the second Pierre native to be drafted by a professional sports team this year as Grey Zabel was drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks in April. 

10 years ago on July 3, 2016: Doug Lindner retired after 37 years as the Sioux Falls O’Gorman track and cross country coach. His teams won three state titles.

20 years ago on June 29, 2006: Randy Schilling of Britton won the Fast Dash race at the WISSOTA Tri-Star Late Model Challenge at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon. Jeff Wildung of Nassau (MN) won the feature, with Schilling finishing seventh.

30 years ago on June 29, 1996: Mike Lesnar of Webster won two events (softball throw and standing long jump) at the State Hershey Track Meet in Sioux Falls. He competed in the boys’ 13-14 division.

40 years ago on June 28, 1986: It was a busy summer for Bruce Falk of Sioux Falls. He played amateur baseball for his hometown of Montrose and he was a part-time sports writer for the Argus Leader. Late in June, the Argus sent him to Spencer to cover the Corn Belt League All-Star Game. Montrose is a member of the league. The West defeated the East 7-4 that night. The West got home runs from Joe O’Hara and Doug Miller. But in the seventh inning, the West ran out of pitchers and asked Falk if he would suit up. He did, and Falk ended up winning the game before returning to Sioux Falls to write his story.

50 years ago on July 3, 1976: Woonsocket star athlete Jeff VanLeur will attend Sioux Falls College to play football. In 2026, the Emery man is still going strong as one of the state’s winningest high school football coaches.