South Dakota
Grace Larkins embracing leadership role at South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Grace Larkins has played plenty of minutes for the Coyotes in her career so far, but being thrust into a leadership role so early last year has been a learning experience for her. It’s one though she’s come to embrace.
“It’s been somewhat of a adventure in a way, because I honestly wasn’t the most talkative person coming in, especially in my Freshman year. Last year, I kind of had to branch out, become more talkative, and know I feel like I don’t shut up half the time,” Larkins said.
Larkins just became the 31st Coyote to pass 1,000 career points, and gained recognition last year for finishing top three in the Summit League in points, rebounds, assists and steals.
That comes with extra attention on the court, but with plenty of opportunities to get others involved.
“It’s always fun to be the one having a target on someone else’s back, versus on your back. At the same time, it’s a team sport. If I don’t have those looks, someone else will,” Larkins said.
“She’s really grown in that area in the last year, and knows that she can’t do it all herself. You’re going to find a lot of teams that really key in on her and make things really difficult for her, and she needs other people around her. I think that’s what’s been the best part of seeing her growth in the past year,” South Dakota head coach Kayla Karius said.
Becoming that leader for South Dakota has also changed how she leads as well, becoming more vocal.
“You can lead by example, and that’s what I’ve started doing. At the start of last year, I wasn’t the most talkative, I wasn’t going to talk at practice but I would lead by example. Then slowly you start to communicate more, and it develops throughout,” Larkins said.
“I think when you have a quality person like Grace leading the way, and she’s one of your hardest workers, your program is in good shape,” Karius said.
Now South Dakota is back near the top of the Summit League standings, with more depth and a healthier team. What Larkins says she loves the most about the Coyotes this season, is how they’ve come together and built a team identity.
“Everyone has each other’s backs in different ways. If you’re having a bad day, someone will come up to you in one way and be like, ‘C’mon, you’ve got this.’ Someone will give you a little pep talk, someone will say, ‘You’ve got to get on this.’ It’s just a family, and that’s what I think is one word to describe our team is just family,” Larkins said.
Helping build USD into their own image, and setting out to get back into the Summit League title mix at the end of the year.
Copyright 2024 KSFY. All rights reserved.
South Dakota
Republican businessman Toby Doeden advances to primary runoff in South Dakota governor’s race
Republican businessman Toby Doeden has advanced to a runoff in South Dakota governor’s race, NBC News projects.
Gov. Larry Rhoden, who replaced Kristi Noem last year when President Donald Trump nominated her to lead the Department of Homeland Security, was battling with Rep. Dusty Johnson and former state House Speaker Jon Hansen for a second spot in the July 28 runoff. The primary will go to a runoff because no candidate eclipsed 35% of the vote.
Trump did not issue an endorsement in the race. Doeden branded himself on his campaign website as “a total political outsider who’s tired of the government’s failure to deliver on its promises” and one of Trump’s “fiercest supporters.”
Rhoden, a former lieutenant governor, agriculture secretary and lawmaker, campaigned on property tax cuts and lowering crime in his bid for a four-year term.
Johnson is the state’s lone representative in the House, where he previously was chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus. Hansen, who was elected to the South Dakota House in 2010, held several leadership positions before he became speaker.
The Republican nominee will be the favorite to win the general election in the solidly red state this fall. A Democrat has not served as governor in South Dakota since the 1970s, and Trump carried the state by 29 points in 2024.
News
Agronomist: eastern South Dakota crops hit and miss
An agronomist in eastern South Dakota says corn and soybeans are hit and miss as the growing season begins.
Steven Zemlicka with AgTegra Cooperative tells Brownfield, “We’ve got corn anywhere from V1 all the way up to V4. Biggest stuff’s maybe touching V5. Corn’s coming right along, looks pretty good. A little bit of hail here too, but I don’t think it’s going to be much of an issue. Stands for the most part are pretty good, pretty solid.”
Zemlicka says soybean emergence has been slow due to the wet, cool conditions, and there are a few fields that still need planted.
“People were still working on planting soybeans when we got the recent rain.”
He says recent rain totals ranged from a half inch to as much as four inches in the northeast part of South Dakota; the southern part of the state has been drier.
South Dakota’s corn is rated 61 percent good to excellent, with soybean conditions rated 57 percent good to excellent, according to USDA’s first condition ratings of the season.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – The South Dakota Community Foundation is encouraging nonprofits to apply for funding this June.
Beth Massa and Ginger Niemann joined us live with what you need to know before applying.
Watch the full interview above.
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Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.
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