South Dakota

Top South Dakota sports storylines to watch for in 2024

Published

2 years ago

January 15, 2024

Top South Dakota sports storylines to watch for in 2024

As we continue to ring in the new year, we’re breaking down some of the biggest South Dakota sports storylines of 2024.

With South Dakota State football coming off their second consecutive FCS national championship, South Dakota having their most successful season at the FCS level, and both universities’ basketball teams vying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, there’s going to be plenty to watch for and look forward to.

The Argus Leader has laid it out for you. Here are the top South Dakota sports storylines in 2024.

Will any SDSU, USD basketball teams make it to the NCAA Tournament?

Both South Dakota State basketball teams have a better chance of winning their respective conference tournament and earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament than they do getting an at-large bid.

Both USD basketball teams are in rebuilds under first or second-year head coaches. The men’s team is 8-10 overall and 1-2 in conference under the direction of first-year head coach Eric Peterson. It’s still early, but the men’s team doesn’t look like conference contenders thus far.

The USD women’s team has had a more promising start, going 12-6 through their first 18 games but are also 1-2 in Summit League play under second-year head coach Kayla Karius. The Coyotes have talent, they’re led by junior guard Grace Larkins, who is one of two Summit League players named to the Becky Hammon Player of the Year award watchlist, so I still give them a shot to put together a run.

More: South Dakota women’s basketball suffers soul-searching defeat against Oral Roberts

The South Dakota State men’s basketball team currently has a 9-8 overall record. The Jackrabbits are currently 2-0 in conference play and coming off a season in which they made it to the Summit League semifinals.

The Jackrabbits women’s team won the Summit League last season and made a run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They’re looking poised to make another run in 2024 despite some early-season injury woes. SDSU lost Kallie Theisen and Haleigh Timmer to season-ending injuries in late September and have had to deal with shorter-term injuries throughout non-conference play and are still five games over .500. South Dakota State is currently 2-0 in conference and has strong coaching and talent to contend for another Summit League title.

Does South Dakota State football have the depth to replace seniors after dominant 2023?

The Jackrabbits football team had a perfect year.

They didn’t lose a single game in the calendar year and are still in the midst of a 29-game winning streak that extends back to 2022. They won another FCS national title, adding that to their expanding trophy cabinet. Junior quarterback Mark Gronowski also became the program’s first Walter Payton Award winner.

More: Mark Gronowski is South Dakota State’s most accomplished football player after prolific 2023 season

South Dakota State was a senior-laden group this season that capitalized on their experience, but they’ll lose team cornerstones in Mason McCormick, Garret Greenfield, Jason Freeman, Isaiah Davis and the Janke twins, just to name a few, to the NFL Draft. There have also been questions about whether Gronowski will return to SDSU. Getting him back is crucial to any FCS championship conversations.

Aside from the Gronowski piece of this, do they have the talent and depth to make up for those senior losses?

Next season will look different than 2023. It’s hard to imagine the Jackrabbits extending the 29-game winning streak past their season opener against Big 12 Conference foe Oklahoma State, but the conference season will also test SDSU.

It will be on 2023 Rimington winner and Jackrabbits center Gus Miller to anchor the offensive line for running backs Amar and Angel Johnson, who will take on larger roles with Davis no longer on the team. On defense, tackle Jarod DePriest, linebackers Graham Spalding and Adam Bock, and defensive backs Dalys Beanum and Tucker Large will be returning.

SDSU will be young at the wide receiver position, but they have talent. Rising sophomore Griffin Wilde showed real flashes as a true freshman and should slide into one of the open wide receiver slots. Devon Cole and Grahm Goering both received limited runs at wide receiver and should have a shot at that second spot next season. The Jackrabbits also bring in Lincoln wide receiver Jack Smith, who could have a real opportunity to get playing time right away.

Can USD football improve on a historic season?

After going 3-8 a season ago, South Dakota responded with their best season in program history.

The Coyotes won 10 games for the first time in the program’s time in the FCS, this was also the first time they entered the FCS playoffs as a seeded team, and the first time they played in a quarterfinal.

More: South Dakota’s dream season comes to an end: Bison dominate in the DakotaDome

USD finished the regular season 9-2 with three wins over top-10 teams and went 7-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

The big question is where do they go from here?

The Coyotes are expected to return most of their starters on offense, with quarterback Aidan Bouman, running back Travis Theis and wide receiver Carter Bell running it back with South Dakota. They lost Nate Thomas to Idaho but have great depth in the running back room.

Another year in Josh Davis’s offensive system should make the team better offensively and defensively they have a solid base to build off of in 2024 with Myles Harden, and Shahid Barros among others returning.

Who will emerge as 11AAA favorites after Lincoln’s dominant run?

Lincoln football completed their dream season in 2023, going a perfect 12-0 en route to the 11AAA state championship. The Patriots were led by quarterback Tate Schafer and wide receiver Jack Smith, but next year Schafer and Smith will be playing at the University of Sioux Falls and South Dakota State respectively. On defense, they also graduate key starters Brycen Mitchell and Sawyer Tolk.

More: Lincoln completes perfect season, wins 11AAA state football championship over O’Gorman 31-7

That begs the question, will Lincoln be able to remain competitive without the cornerstones from their 2023 season? Or will a new team emerge? It certainly feels wide open.

Harrisburg and Brandon Valley return talented players in Tigers quarterback Sam Knuth and Lynx wide receiver Landon Dulaney while Washington and Jefferson both bring back senior play-callers with another year of experience under their belt.

Jonathan Fernandez covers high school and college sports for the Argus Leader. Contact him at jfernandez1@argusleader.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JFERN31

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South Dakota

Sheridan Lake rescue prompts winter ice safety warning

Published

12 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Sheridan Lake rescue prompts winter ice safety warning

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A harrowing scene at Sheridan Lake ended without serious injury Tuesday after a man, a woman and their dog fell through thin ice near the swimming beach, authorities said.

Keep pets on a leash and never attempt a risky rescue if someone falls through the ice, officials said. Call 911 immediately.

The South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks agency advises that ice three inches or less is unsafe. Four inches is generally considered the minimum for walking, ice fishing or skating.

Lt. Casey Kenrick of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office said the incident is a reminder to take extra precautions this winter.

“Usually at this time the ice is significantly thick on the lakes around the area, well, some aren’t even frozen all the way at this point. The temperatures have been up and down so much that the ice isn’t solid even though it may look like it is, so make sure you know the ice depth that you’re getting onto,” Kenrick said.

Kenrick said those precautions could mean the difference between a close call and a tragedy.

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South Dakota

A day in South Dakota history

Published

24 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – On Jan. 7, 1995, William Janklow began his third of four terms as governor. From statehood until 1972, governors served two-year terms. Voters then approved a constitutional amendment in 1972 allowing governors to serve two consecutive four-year terms.

Janklow served from 1979 to 1987 and again from 1995 to 2003. His 16 years are the longest stint of any governor in South Dakota history

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South Dakota

As South Dakota’s student population shrinks, more choose homeschools

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

As South Dakota’s student population shrinks, more choose homeschools

South Dakota’s K-12 population dropped slightly this year, along with public and private school enrollment, but enrollment in alternative instruction grew once again.

That’s according to headcount numbers taken Sept. 26, 2025, and released by the South Dakota Department of Education by Dec. 31.

All totaled, there are 163,053 K-12 students across the state, with 83% of those students attending public schools, 9% enrolled in nonpublic schools and 8% in alternative instruction.

There are 934 fewer K-12 students across the state than last year’s count of 163,987, a 0.5% decrease.

Public school enrollment decreased by 1,736 students statewide. Across 147 public school districts, there were 135,577 K-12 students this fall, down from 137,313 in last year’s fall count, a decrease of slightly more than 1%.

Private school enrollment decreased by 142 students statewide, totaling 15,043 students in nonpublic schools accredited by the SDDOE across the state, down from last year’s count of 15,185, a decrease of 1%.

Nonpublic school enrollment includes 9,462 students in private schools, 5,072 in tribal/BIE schools, 268 in special population schools, 175 in coop/multi-districts, 26 in community-based service providers, 21 in the South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and 19 in alternative schools.

Alternative instruction enrollment increased by 944 students statewide, totaling 12,433 students in alternative instruction or homeschooling this fall, up from 11,489 in last year’s count, an increase of 8%.

In the Sioux Falls metro area, there are 52,325 K-12 students, with 85% attending public schools, 9% enrolled in nonpublic schools and 6% in alternative instruction.

Sioux Falls area public schools

The state’s largest public school district, the Sioux Falls School District, shrunk by 171 students this fall, down from last year’s count of 24,221 K-12 students to this year’s count of 24,050.

Sioux Falls’ neighboring public K-12 school districts saw the following enrollment changes this year:

Harrisburg, the state’s third-largest district, grew by 173 students, from 6,182 last year to 6,355 this year.
Brandon Valley, the state’s fourth-largest district, grew by 82 students, from 5,073 last year to 5,155 this year.
Tea Area grew by five students, from 2,509 last year to 2,514 this year.
West Central shrunk by 32 students, from 1,418 last year to 1,386 this year.
Lennox grew by 14 students, from 1,119 last year to 1,133 this year.
Tri-Valley grew by 41 students, from 952 last year to 993 this year.
Dell Rapids shrunk by 32 students, from 965 last year to 933 this year.
Canton shrunk by 23 students, from 888 last year to 865 this year.
Baltic grew by three students, from 539 last year to 542 this year.
Garretson shrunk by 10 students, from 468 last year to 458 this year.

All totaled, there are 44,384 K-12 students in Sioux Falls area public schools, a growth of 50 students or 0.1% from last fall’s count of 44,334.

Sioux Falls area private schools

Sioux Falls’ three largest private K-12 school systems saw the following enrollment changes this year:

Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools, the largest private school system in the state, shrunk by two students, from 2,224 last year to 2,222 this year.
Sioux Falls Christian School shrunk by nine students, from 1,447 last year to 1,438 this year.
Sioux Falls Lutheran School grew by 41 students, from 336 last year to 377 this year.

Other local nonpublic K-12 school enrollments include:

221 students at St. Mary’s School in Dell Rapids;
130 students at Children’s Home Society of South Dakota;
125 at East Dakota Educational Cooperative;
119 at LifeScape;
49 at McCrossan Boys Ranch;
45 at Good Shepherd Lutheran School,
43 at Westside Christian School,
23 at Bethel Lutheran School;
Four at Southeastern;
Three at Baan Dek Montessori;
One at 605 Prep;
One at DakotAbilities.

All totaled, there are 4,801 K-12 students in Sioux Falls area nonpublic schools, a growth of 24 students or 0.5% from last fall’s count of 4,777.

Sioux Falls area alternative instruction

Though it’s the second-largest public school district in the state, Rapid City Area Schools saw the largest number of students opt out of public school and into alternative instruction and homeschooling once again this year, with 1,839 students, followed by the largest district, Sioux Falls, with 1,793 students.

Sioux Falls-area schools had the following alternative instruction enrollment shifts this year:

1,793 in Sioux Falls, an increase of 131 from last year’s count of 1,662;
379 in Harrisburg, an increase of 78 from last year’s count of 301;
350 in Brandon Valley, an increase of 67 from last year’s count of 283;
111 in Tea, a decrease of four from last year’s count of 115;
105 in Lennox, an increase of two from last year’s count of 103;
97 in West Central, an increase of six from last year’s count of 91;
87 in Dell Rapids, an increase of 11 from last year’s count of 76;
79 in Canton, a decrease of two from last year’s count of 81;
73 in Tri-Valley, an increase of seven from last year’s count of 66;
42 in Garretson, an increase of 10 from last year’s count of 32;
24 in Baltic, a decrease of one from last year’s count of 25.

All totaled, there are 3,140 students in alternative instruction in the Sioux Falls metro area, an increase of 305 students or 10.7% from last year’s count of 2,835.

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