South Dakota
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
South Dakota
SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for March 10, 2026
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 10 drawing
16-21-30-35-65, Mega Ball: 07
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 10 drawing
03-27-43-45-49, Bonus: 04
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.
South Dakota
Trading property tax for sales tax: Legislature moves forward with parts of homeowner relief package
PIERRE — Two pieces of a property tax reduction package prepared by South Dakota’s legislative leadership and the executive branch are moving forward, but one bill failed during votes on Monday as lawmakers began the final week of the annual legislative session.
The House of Representatives voted
42-27
in support of
Senate Bill 245
, which would pull future revenue from a scheduled sales tax increase from 4.2% to 4.5% next year into a relief fund for homeowner property taxes, and use nearly $56 million in one-time money to seed the fund before the sales tax increase.
The Senate supported
House Bill 1323
, which would reduce the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on a local government’s decision to levy property taxes beyond limits set by the state. The Senate passed the bill 19-15.
Both bills have to return to the opposite chamber for consideration of amendments.
The Senate rejected
House Bill 1253
, which would cap annual assessment growth for owner-occupied homes and commercial properties at 5% annually and reset assessments back to market value every five years. The bill failed with a 9-24 vote.
The bills are part of a broader,
five-bill legislative package
targeted at property tax relief.
Another bill
in the package, which would allow counties to implement a half-percent sales tax with proceeds going to homeowner property tax credits, is awaiting the governor’s signature after he proposed it and it received both chambers’ approval.
The legislative budget committee is scheduled to consider a fifth piece of legislation in the package on Tuesday.
The bill
would reduce maximum property tax levies for school districts.
Sales tax bill overcomes concerns about future budget needs
SB 245 would capture revenue from the impending sales tax increase to deposit into a “homeowner property tax reduction fund” meant to reduce property taxes levied by school districts. The Legislature and then-Gov. Kristi Noem reduced the state sales tax rate three years ago but scheduled the reduction to sunset in 2027.
House Speaker Jon Hansen, R-Dell Rapids, told lawmakers on Monday that the bill would be an “investment in the people,” because it’ll give South Dakota homeowners more money to spend as they choose. Hansen, the bill’s sponsor and a candidate for governor, said that would lead to more spending and, therefore, more sales tax revenue. The state relies on sales taxes, while counties and schools rely on property taxes, and cities receive revenue from property taxes and sales taxes.
Some opponents said the legislation would favor wealthier, property-owning South Dakotans rather than lower-income renters.
(Photo by Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)
Rep. Mike Weisgram, R-Fort Pierre, worried that automatically diverting future state revenue to reduce homeowner property taxes would come at the cost of other priorities, such as annual funding increases for state employees, Medicaid providers and public schools — which are known as the “big three” budget priorities. Lawmakers often
aim
to increase funding for the groups by 3% or inflation, whichever is less. An inflationary increase this legislative session would be 2.5%, according to the state Department of Education.
“We are just clawing to get 1.4% for the big three,” Weisgram said. “I don’t think any of us are proud of that.”
Hansen said the decision “is not an either-or” situation.
“We can help the property taxpayers in the state who desperately, desperately need it,” Hansen said, “and then I trust fully that this state is going to continue to grow and that we are going to be able to meet the needs of our core obligations of this state.”
The bill was introduced as an amendment to placeholder legislation last week, and it will head to the Senate for approval. The Senate narrowly rejected a
similar proposal
earlier this legislative session.
Senate approves lower signature threshold to force election on excess taxes
The version of House Bill 1323 that passed the Senate would set the number of petition signatures needed to force an election on an excess tax levy (often called an “opt-out”) for a local government at 2,500 or 5% of registered voters within its jurisdiction, whichever is less. The current threshold to refer decisions by a local government is 5% of registered voters in the district, without a 2,500 signature cap.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Taffy Howard, R-Rapid City, said it will still be difficult to refer decisions by a local government to voters.
“You’re talking dozens and dozens of volunteers, weeks of organized effort,” Howard said. “There’s not a lot of people that have been through that and can even organize that kind of effort. So it’s not a trivial bar.”
Because the bill was amended since it last appeared in the House, it’ll now go to the House for approval.
HB 1253 intended to provide South Dakota homeowners and commercial property owners predictable increases in their property assessments, which factor into property taxes they pay, over five year periods.
But opponents said the change would shift the property tax burden onto farmers and ranchers and surprise homeowners every five years when assessments would be re-based on market value, which could lead to double-digit increases in assessments.
This story was originally published on
SouthDakotaSearchlight.com.
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South Dakota
Political Pulse: South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff on data centers, property taxes and more
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – State Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff joined Political Pulse over the weekend.
Mehlhaff weighed in on property tax proposals, data centers, and effort to repeal the death penalty and speculation that Kristi Noem could run for Senate.
The interviewed was taped on Saturday.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
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Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.
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