South Dakota

SDHSAA state basketball tournament to returns to Sioux Falls in 2027

Published

3 months ago

January 28, 2026

SDHSAA state basketball tournament to returns to Sioux Falls in 2027

There won’t be any South Dakota high school state basketball championships in Sioux Falls in 2026, breaking a 65-year run of South Dakota’s largest city hosting one of the state’s premier high school sporting events.

The Class AA and A boys tournaments will be in Rapid City at The Monument, with the AA boys in the ice arena and the A boys in Summit Arena from March 19 to 21. The Class B boys will still be at the Barnett Center in Aberdeen on the same dates.

The AA girls will also be at Summit Arena at The Monument in Rapid City on March 12 to 14, the Class A girls will be at the Watertown Civic Arena and the Class B girls will be at First Bank & Trust Arena in Brookings.

The South Dakota High School Activities Association (SDHSAA) updates its website to reflect the next year’s state tournament schedule, but the organization knew well in advance that Sioux Falls would be without a championship in 2026.

SDHSAA Executive Director Dan Swartos, Ed. D., said the Denny Sanford Premier Center is the only venue in Sioux Falls that can hold 5,000 to 7,000 people for a basketball tournament. With a couple of extra events booked for 2026 and an existing contract with the Sioux Falls Stampede requiring Friday and Saturday nights to be saved, that squeezed out the high school state tournaments.

“March of 2026 is a unique year because we were awarded two NCAA events – D2 wrestling and also the NCAA (Division I) hockey regionals,” said Denny Sanford Premier Center General Manager Mike Krewson. “That has never happened in the history of the city before.”

The Summit League tournament is also scheduled for the first week of March. The Summit League is scheduled to be at the Premier Center through 2029, and the center is holding dates beyond in case of a contract renewal.

Swartos said this situation will also arise in 2028, and the success of the 2026 state tournaments will help determine the final plan for 2028. If this Rapid City experiment works out, that can be back on the table.

“We might have an opportunity to have some more casual fans out in Rapid City,” Swartos said. “For the people who are there, if they want to bop between venues for different games throughout the tournament, they’d be allowed to do that and see both classes at the same time.”

Swartos is also considering working with South Dakota State University to get First Bank & Trust Arena and the University of South Dakota for the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, but other logistical challenges arise from there.

The Premier Center is working with the City of Sioux Falls to diversify its events, including concerts, shows and sporting events, but sometimes there are just not enough weeks in a given month or year.

March is especially difficult for scheduling, with the Stampede’s season coming to a close, high school state tournaments taking place and NCAA winter sports seasons ending. That’s a lot of opportunities for the Premier Center to showcase Sioux Falls both in person and on broadcasts.

“Different events reach different people,” Krewson said. “We try to schedule in everything we can and be accommodating, but sometimes there’s not enough weeks in the month. Especially March, which is our busiest.”

The City of Sioux Falls benefits from some of the Premier Center events in more ways than getting people in town. Krewson recalled a curling event that was broadcast on Peacock and NBC Sports that included a promotional package for Sioux Falls that would have cost over $1 million if it were purchased.

“We look at it as revenue, exposure for the community, how is it going to do for tourism, those types of things,” Krewson said.

Krewson noted that the city bids on the NCAA events, then lets him and other Premier Center officials know, so the dates could be saved.

Both parties, the SDHSAA and the Premier Center, will continue their partnership in 2027 and beyond, with the AA boys basketball state tournament in Sioux Falls in 2027. The A boys will be in town in 2029, the AA boys will be back in 2030 and there are requests out for 2031.

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South Dakota

Human trafficking survivor advocate to speak at Rapid City church event

Published

19 minutes ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Human trafficking survivor advocate to speak at Rapid City church event

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A Rapid City church is hosting a free community event Thursday to raise awareness about human trafficking, with organizers saying the danger may be closer than people think.

The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League at Bethlehem Lutheran Church is opening the presentation to the entire community because organizers say awareness alone can save a life.

“If we can get 20 people to understand what to look for — if we can get 20 people to understand that this organization exists — then we can start shining light into every corner, and suddenly it’ll be a better world,” said Alexandra Loverink, co-president of LWML Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

Event details

The free presentation is Thursday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Rushmore Street. The speaker is Reverend Tess Franzen, founder of Freedom’s Journey, a Rapid City-based ministry that has assisted hundreds of trafficking survivors over more than a decade.

Franzen said the problem in South Dakota is far more widespread than most people realize.

“We see mostly sex trafficking, but much of what we see is — some people might call it homegrown or familial,” Franzen said. “We see trafficking here where young people are being trafficked out, their family members are selling access to them when they’re children. And in many cases, they don’t really even realize there’s anything wrong with it.”

Organizer Cari Garwood-Beard said Franzen’s presentation changed how she sees her own neighborhood, and she wants others to have that same wake-up call.

“She told a story about her neighbor one time — just a good old guy — and found out that he was a trafficker. Her neighbor, who she thought was above boards,” Garwood-Beard said. “And it really hit home. My next-door neighbor could be.”

A freewill offering will be collected for Freedom’s Journey at Thursday’s event. Bethlehem Lutheran Church is at 1630 Rushmore Street.

Resources

If you suspect trafficking, dial 9-1-1 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

For more information about Freedom’s Journey, visit their website or call 805.380.8009.

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South Dakota

SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for May 8, 2026

Published

12 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing

37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing

14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.

When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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