Sept. 22: NSU soccer goalie Audrey Burns became the first player in the history of the program to be named national player of the week. In two games, Burns (Costa Mesa, CA) did not allow a goal, making 11 saves and stopping a penalty kick.
Oct. 2: The University of Minnesota inducted Webster native Brock Lesnar into its athletic hall of fame. From 1998-2000, Lesnar compiled a 55-3 overall record with 23 pins with the Gophes. He was a two-time All-American and two-time Big Ten Conference champion. Lesnar was the NCAA national heavyweight champion in 2000 and the national runner-up in 1999. He later became a mixed martial arts and professional wrestling champion.
Oct. 2: As part of its homecoming weekend, USD broke ground on the Gassen Family Fieldhouse, which will become one of the premier indoor track and field facilities in the nation. The facility is scheduled to be finished in the summer of 2028. It is named for former USD track athletes Bill and Jill Gassen. Bill also played football for the Coyotes. T. Denny Sanford (1935-2026) gave the lead gift of $20 million to the approximate $50 million, 114,000-square-foot project in honor of the Gassens. Bill is the president and CEO of Sanford Health.
Oct. 2: Pierre coach Steve Steele now has 100 football coaching wins as his Governors defeated Huron 45-14. Steele is 100-24 since taking over the Pierre program in 2016, leading the team to eight state titles in 11 seasons.
Oct. 3: Former South Dakota college and high school coach and administrator Bruce Carrier of Sioux Falls was inducted in the Houston High School Hall of Fame. He graduated from the Minnesota high school in 1966. He has numerous degrees, including from NSU and USD. He was well-known for coaching some of Huron College legendary basketball teams.
Oct. 4: In a match-up of NFL unbeatens, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 30-27. With about three minutes left in the game, former USD standout and KC linebacker Jack Cochrane recovered a fumbled kickoff by the Raiders which led to the Chiefs’ winning touchdown.
Oct. 5: The South Dakota State football team (5-1) has taken over the top spots in the Football Championship Subdivision national polls. Previously unbeaten and top-ranked Montana State lost to Montana State over the weekend.
Oct. 3: Brandon Valley defeated host Harrisburg in volleyball 3-2. It was the first loss for the four-time defending state champion Tigers against an in-state team in four years (Sept. 22, 2022). Coach Marette Grage and her winning Lynx were led by seniors Jersie Melcher, Kennedi Boomsma and Ashley Ertelt.
Oct. 8: Peyton VanDeest of Spearfish won the Black Hills Conference girls’ cross country title in Custer. It was the sixth conference title for the senior. Winning the boys’ title was her brother, Spearfish sophomore Rylan VanDeest.
Oct. 9: It was a special night for Jeff Kramer of Tripp as he was honored twice on the same night in Mitchell and Fort Pierre. He was inducted into the Dakota Wesleyan University Hall of Fame as part of the 1992 Tigers’ football team that went 10-1 and won a conference title. That DWU team was coached by his uncle, Joe Kramer. Jeff and his 1986 Stanley County football teammates also were honored in Fort Pierre during the Buffaloes’ home football game. Stanley County held a reunion to honor the 1986 team that won the State 9A championship.
Oct. 9: Coach Rob Begalka and his Waubay-Summit football team is now 6-1. The last winning football season for Waubay-Summit came in 2000 when the Mustangs finished 8-2. Before that, the program’s last winning season came in 1983 when Waubay was on its own.
Oct. 9: The Aberdeen Wings defeated St. Cloud 8-5 to give team head coach and general manager Scott Langer his 800th career win in the North American Hockey League. He is the all-time winningest coach in the 51-year history of the NAHL. He has won 800 of 1,246 NAHL games in his career.
Oct. 10: One night after grabbing an 8-5 win over St. Cloud, the Aberdeen Wings dropped an 8-5 decision to the Norsemen on Saturday night in NAHL hockey action in St. Cloud. The Wings had a combined 77 shots on goal in the two games while St. Cloud had 64.
Oct. 15: It was homecoming week for Harrisburg volleyball coach Ronette (Metz) Costain. On the way to play Aberdeen Central in Aberdeen, Costain and her team stopped at Webster, where they were warmly welcomed by numerous residents of their coach’s hometown. Friends and family also were in Aberdeen to support Costain and her Tigers in their win over Aberdeen Central. Harrisburg has won the last four State AA tournaments.
Oct. 18: The best kicker in NFL history was honored by the Indianapolis Colts. Rapid City Central and SDSU graduate Adam Vinatieri was inducted into the Colts’ Ring of Honor. Vinatieri is the NFL’s all-time leading scorer. In the past 13 months, Vinatieri also has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.
Oct. 20: With 21 kills and 16 digs, sophomore Julia Masselink led Class AA No. 1 Harrisburg to a 3-1 volleyball win over Class A No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian.
Oct: 20: Coach Parker Edens and his SDSU golf team ended their fall season by winning the Zach Johnson Invitational in Des Moines (IA). Watertown native and SDSU junior Jake Olson was the individual champion. Earlier this season, Olson won the Kansas State Invitational. Olson joined Hudson Carpenter (2013-14) as the only other Jackrabbit golfer to win multiple events in the same season in SDSU’s Division I era.
Oct. 22: Under coach Clayton Randall, the Northwestern football team ended its season in the State 9B playoffs with a 3-6 record. Northwestern, which had not won a game since Sept. 23, 2022 (36-14 win over Langford), before this year, was back in the postseason for the first time since 2021. The Wildcats snapped a 28-game losing streak this fall on Sept. 4.
Oct. 27: Dakota State University held a groundbreaking ceremony for its $13.3 million Indoor Athletics Facility at the dome construction site next to the Dan Beacom Track and Field in Madison. The dome will be 499 feet long, 259 feet wide, and 85 feet tall at its highest point. The dome will provide 129,241 square feet of indoor space to support year-round training and competition for its athletic teams and community events. The facility also has an attached 6,300-square-foot accessory building will include two locker rooms, offices, storage, a small concession area and restrooms. A separate storage garage will add more than 2,700 square feet. The estimated completion date is August 2027.
Oct. 28: NFL Hall of Famer Tony Dungy spoke in Sioux Falls at the 45 th annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner and Children’s Charity Fundraiser. The event has raised millions of dollars for charities that help children.
Oct. 28: SDSU women’s basketball standout Brooklyn Meyer seemingly has regained a fifth year of eligibility with the NCAA’s newly-imposed five-for-five rule. The Larchwood, Iowa, native joined team just ahead of their 91-62 exhibition win over St. Cloud State. As a reserve, Meyer had 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists against the Huskies.
Oct. 30: Rapid City native and Oregon distance standout Simeon Birnbaum won the Big Ten cross country title. He covered the 8,000-meter course in Madison (WI) in 23 minutes and 4.2 seconds. His win helped the Ducks win the team title as well.
Oct. 31: No tricks, only treats for Augustana as the Vikings defeated NSU 31-24 on Halloween Night in Aberdeen despite a record-setting night by Hank Kraft. The Timber Lake native rushed for a record 329 yards, one of only seven South Dakota collegians to have run for more than 300 yards in a game. Kraft had touchdown runs of 96 and 80 yards. Augie quarterback Gunnar Hensley scored the winning touchdown on a 12-yard run with 3:26 left in the game. Kael Ryan of Augustana sealed the win with his interception at the Vikings’ 18-yard line with 33 seconds left in the game. The South Dakota collegiate record for most rushing yards in a game is held by Connor Silveria of South Dakota Mines. On 13, 2018, Silveria ran for 425 yards (46 carries, 9.2 yards per carry) to set a new NCAA DII national record in the Hardrockers’ 56-42 win over Adams State.
Oct. 31: SDSU held off a USD rally to defeat the Coyotes 31-21 before a sold-out crowd of 18,902 at Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings and in front of a national TV audience. USD scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. Fifth-ranked SDSU is now 7-2 while sixth-ranked USD fell to 7-3. The Jacks recorded their 200th win in the program’s DI era, improving to 200-89 since the start of the 2004 season. SDSU is 72-10 all-time at Dykhouse Stadium, and now leads the series against USD 59-53-7.

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