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South Dakota State University Athletics
No. 19 Jackrabbits host Western Illinois
11/12/2014 3:01:00 PM | Football
Although South Dakota State isn't playing a ranked opponent for the first time in five games, Saturday's contest against Western Illinois remains an important one for the Jackrabbit football team.
SDSU, ranked 19th in both major Football Championship Subdivision polls, faces another must-win game Saturday as far as its postseason aspirations are concerned. The Jackrabbits are 6-4 overall and part of a three-way tie for fifth place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with a 3-3 league record, following a 32-17 win at Indiana State.
Western Illinois, meanwhile, continues the rebuilding process under second-year head coach Bob Nielson and is 4-6 overall and 2-4 in league play. The Fighting Leathernecks own one win over a ranked opponent this season, winning at then-No. 10 Youngstown State on Oct. 18.
Kickoff for Saturday's Military Appreciation Day game is 2 p.m. at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
THE SERIES: Saturday's game marks the 12th meeting between South Dakota State and Western Illinois, a series that began with a 28-21 Fighting Leatherneck victory in 1976.
On the strength of their current six-game winning streak, the Jacks lead the all-time series, 7-4. SDSU has won all six meetings between the two programs as members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
WIU's last victory in the series was a 29-26, four-overtime win in the 2007 season opener in Macomb. The game stands as the longest in SDSU football history.
CAPTAINS: Leading the Jackrabbit football team on the field and in the locker room are five captains:
• T.J. Lally, Jr., linebacker, Chicago, Ill.;
• Jason Schneider, Sr., wide receiver, Andover, Minn.;
• Jack Sherlock, Sr., defensive back, Chicago, Ill.;
• Austin Sumner, Sr., quarterback, Brandon, S.D.;
• Zach Zenner, Sr., running back, Eagan, Minn.
Sumner has been selected as a team captain for the third season and Zenner is in his second year as a captain.
JACKS PICKED SECOND IN MVFC: The South Dakota State University football team has been picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference during the 2014 season, according to a preseason poll released in late July.
Three-time defending national champion North Dakota State again was tabbed as the conference favorite in the poll, which was conducted by the league's coaches, sports information directors and select media representatives. NDSU had its 33-game winning streak snapped last week at Northern Iowa.
The Bison earned 24 of a possible 39 first-place votes and 370 total points. South Dakota State was picked second in the poll after tying for second place and representing the league in the FCS playoffs a year ago. The Jackrabbits received eight first-place votes.
Perennial FCS power Northern Iowa was selected third in the poll after going 7-5 last year, with Youngstown State and Southern Illinois completing the upper-half of the poll.
Illinois State and Missouri State were picked sixth and seventh, respectively, with South Dakota, Western Illinois and Indiana State completing the 10-team poll.
A preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 16 times (in 28 previous polls). North Dakota State was picked to win the league last season.
In addition, six Jackrabbit players were named to the MVFC Preseason Team. Leading the SDSU contingent was senior running back Zach Zenner, who already holds the league record for career all-purpose yards and rushing yards. Zenner has rushed for 2,000-plus yards in back-to-back seasons.
Fellow senior Austin Sumner was tabbed as the quarterback on the preseason team. An honorable mention all-MVFC honoree in 2013, Sumner threw for 2,999 yards en route to setting SDSU career records for completions, yards and attempts.
Sumner's primary target a season ago, Jason Schneider, also was honored on the preseason team. Schneider set a Jackrabbit single-season record with 78 receptions for 1,088 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2013 to earn first-team all-MVFC honors.
Completing the Jackrabbits' selections on the offensive side of the ball was offensive lineman Trevor Greger. A senior, Greger has been the starter at right tackle since late in his redshirt freshman season in 2011.
Sophomore Cole Langer, a member of the MVFC Newcomer Team in 2013, was selected to the preseason team after a freshman season in which he recorded 35 tackles.
Honorable mention selection T.J. Lally rounded out the Jackrabbit preseason honorees. A junior linebacker, Lally finished second on the team in tackles each of his first two seasons, including 89 stops in 2013.
North Dakota State led the league with eight selections to the preseason team, followed by SDSU and UNI with six.
RABBITS RANKED: The South Dakota State University football team moved up in both major Football Championship Subdivision polls this week following its victory last week at Indiana State. The Jackrabbits rose three spots to 19th in both the Sports Network media and FCS Coaches' polls.
The Jackrabbits entered the 2014 campaign with their second-consecutive preseason top-10 national ranking as an FCS member. SDSU was ranked 10th in both the Sports Network FCS coaches preseason polls and rose to as high as ninth before an Oct. 4 loss at Illinois State. SDSU been ranked in both polls every week since Oct. 29, 2012.
In all, seven of the 10 Missouri Valley Football Conference teams are ranked in the top 25 of one or both of the polls.
MUELLER HONORED: South Dakota State senior Andrew Mueller was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in the Jackrabbits' 32-17 win at Indiana State on Nov. 8.
A guard from Peculiar, Missouri, received a championship grade of 1.82 to help lead a South Dakota State offensive line that paved the way for a season-high 510 yards of total offense. Mueller threw a key block that freed Zach Zenner for a 94-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Jackrabbits did not allow a sack in the game.
STEADY SYROVATKA: The Jackrabbits have gotten a boost in their special teams play with the consistent kicking of senior Justin Syrovatka.
A Sioux Falls native, Syrovatka has made 12-of-13 field-goal attempts and all 30 extra-point tries so far this season for 66 points. He has made at least one field goal in all 10 games this season and 12 games in a row dating back to 2013, extending the streak by tying a season long with a 46-yarder Nov. 8 in blustery conditions at Indiana State.
Syrovatka is on track to become the most accurate kicker in Jackrabbit football history. His career field goal percentage of 73.8 percent (48-of-65) currently stands as the best in program history, while his 98.5 percent mark on PATs (134-of-136) also tops the all-time SDSU charts. Syrovatka needs only two PATs to pass Parker Douglass' career mark of 135 set from 2004-07.
In addition, Syrovatka's 48 career field goals are tied for second among active Football Championship Subdivision kickers.He also ranks second in career field goals at SDSU, trailing Douglass, who made 62 field goals.
Syrovatka holds the Jackrabbit record for consecutive field goals made with 15. His streak began on Oct. 11, 2012, in a victory over Western Illinois. He made his last 12 field goal attempts of the 2012 season and first three attempts of the 2013 campaign, going 7-for-7 from 20-29 yards, 3-for-3 on field goals of 30-39 yards and 5-for-5 from 40-plus yards. His streak ended when he missed a 29-yard attempt at Nebraska on Sept. 21, 2013.
The previous Jackrabbit record for consecutive made field goal attempts was 13, which was set by Parker Douglass between the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Syrovatka's current streak is nine consecutive made field goal attempts, including a 44-yard field goal with 1 minute, 47 seconds to play in the game at Northern Iowa on Oct. 18 that provided the winning margin in a 31-28 Jackrabbit victory.
Syrovatka also put together a streak of 47 consecutively made PATs, which ended Nov. 9, 2013, against Indiana State. His 33 consecutive PATs to start the season were a Jackrabbit record.
SUMNER RETURNS: South Dakota State starting quarterback Austin Sumner returned to the Jackrabbit starting lineup Nov. 1 at North Dakota for his first action since suffering a broken foot in the season opener at Missouri.
Sumner completed 14-of-28 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown in his return. The career passing leader at SDSU, Sumner hit the 8,000-yard mark for his career in the game.
The following week at Indiana State, Sumner shook off two first-half interceptions by throwing two second-half touchdowns in a 32-17 Jackrabbit victory. He finished the game 21-of-35 for 298 yards and upped his career touchdown total to 53 — three shy of the school record set by Ryan Berry from 2005-08.
Sumner's 8,316 career passing yards rank fourth among current Football Championship Subdivision quarterbacks.
LUJAN FILLS IN: Sophomore Zach Lujan stepped in for an injured Austin Sumner and led the Jackrabbits on two scoring drives in the Aug. 30 season opener at Missouri, including a touchdown drive to open the second half and pull SDSU to within 21-18. A native of Anchorage, Alaska, who played last season at Chabot College (Calif.), Lujan completed 21-of-28 passes for 239 yards with one interception at Mizzou.
Lujan started seven games for the Jackrabbits, helping lead the team to five victories. In his first career start, Sept. 6 against Cal Poly, Lujan finished the night 12-of-20 passing for 236 yards and three touchdowns.
Lujan went on to establish a new season-high in yards in three of four Missouri Valley Football Conference games, including a 329-yard performance on 28-of-42 passing with two touchdowns in his last start, Oct. 25 against Youngstown State.
WIENEKE ON RICE WATCH LIST: Jackrabbit wide receiver Jake Wieneke was recently to the initial watch list for the Jerry Rice Award, which is presented to the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision.
A redshirt freshman from Maple Grove, Minnesota, Wieneke has recorded five 100-yard receiving games so far this season. He opened his collegiate career by catching six passes for 107 yards, including a 45-yarder in the third quarter, in the Jackrabbits' season opener at nationally ranked Missouri. Wieneke became the first Jackrabbit freshman in the Division I era to top the 100-yard receiving mark in a game, and the first since current receivers coach Josh Davis accomplished the feat three times during the 2002 season.
Wieneke is the third Jackrabbit in the four seasons the Jerry Rice Award has been presented to be under consideration for the award, joining Austin Sumner (2011) and T.J. Lally (2012).
ZENNER FOR PAYTON: South Dakota State University running back Zach Zenner is one of 25 players currenlty under consideration for the Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision by The Sports Network.
A 6-foot, 220-pound senior, Zenner is the only two-time finalist in the pool of players being considered for this year's award. A native of Eagan, Minnesota, Zenner placed seventh in the balloting in 2012 and sixth in 2013. The watch list will be updated periodically during the 2014 season, with the Walter Payton Award to be presented for the 28th time on Dec. 15. The award is selected by a panel of more than 150 sports information directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.
During the 2013 season, Zenner became only the second player in FCS history to rush for 2,000 yards in two separate seasons, gaining 2,015 yards and scoring 25 touchdows — 23 rushing, two receiving — as the Jackrabbits made a return trip to the postseason. He burst onto the FCS scene in 2012 by leading the nation in rushing with 2,044 yards — an average of 157.2 yards per game.
In addition, Zenner moved into a pair of Football Championship Subdivision career top 20s during South Dakota State's victory over Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Sept. 20. The active career leader among all current NCAA football players in both categories, Zenner has since moved into fourth place for FCS career rushing with 5,955 yards and also upped his career all-purpose yardage total to 7,450 yards to rank sixth all-time. Both of his yardage totals are Missouri Valley Football Conference records, as are his 57 career total touchdowns (52 rushing, 5 receiving). Current Northern Iowa running back David Johnson is right behind with 54 career touchdowns. Zenner's 52 career rushing touchdowns have tied the league career mark first set by Southern Illinois' Tom Koutsos from 1999-2003.
Zenner has crossed the 100-yard mark 29 times in the team's 37 games over the past two-plus seasons, including seven performances of 200-plus yards. He currently ranks fifth among FCS backs this season with an average of 142.6 yards per game.
For updates throughout the 2014 season, follow via Twitter by using the hashtag #ZennerForPayton.
MORE AWARDS FOR ZENNER: Jackrabbit running back Zach Zenner has added to his list of accolades this by being named to the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, as well as a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
A senior from Eagan, Minnesota, Zenner was presented his Allstate AFCA Good Works award during an event Sept. 23 at Hillcrest Elementary School in Brookings. Zenner has served a key role in numerous community service events as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, including Summit League Food Fight (yearly competition among league schools for donations to local food pantry), Project Joy (holiday toy drive) and campus cleanup. He also has worked the past three years with the State-a-Thon event to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network and has devoted countless hours to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, including coaching children on fundamental football skills, leading devotionals at FCA Power Camp and speaking to area youth groups at other FCA events.
This past winter, Zenner served as a student-athlete ambassador, testifying before state House and Senate Appropriations committees as the state Legislature debated passage of a bill to authorize construction of a new on-campus football stadium.
Zenner's lengthy community service résumé extends beyond the campus and local community as he was one of 25 SDSU student-athletes who traveled to Harmons, Jamaica, in March 2014 on a mission trip to help build two homes and interact with members of the village through the Won by One organization.
Zenner is the second Jackrabbit student-athlete in as many years to be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, joining 2013 honoree Winston Wright.
On Oct. 30, Zenner was one of 17 student-athletes named to the 2014 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Team, also becoming a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy award to the top scholar-athlete in college football.
Each member of the 2014 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and will be honored during ceremonies Dec. 9 at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City. The winner of the Campbell Trophy will receive a $7,000 increase in postgraduate funds for a total of $25,000. Zenner was one of 17 finalists selected from a poll of 169 semifinalists.
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators.
Zenner has earned All-America accolades for his efforts both on the field and in the classroom during a record-setting career at South Dakota State. One of only two players in Football Championship Subdivision history to rush for 2,000 yards in two separate seasons, Zenner was a consensus All-American in both 2012 and 2013 and is a two-time finalist for the Walter Payton Award. He has again topped the 1,000-yard mark during the 2014 season in adding to his Missouri Valley Football Conference records for career rushing and all-purpose yards.
A biology/pre-medicine major, Zenner has compiled a 3.87 grade-point average. He was selected to the Capital One Academic All-America Second Team in 2012, before receiving first-team honors in 2013. Zenner plans to attend medical school following graduation.
Zenner is the second Jackrabbit student-athlete to be honored as a National Scholar-Athlete, joining Ryan Berry in 2008.
OFF TO THE RACES — AGAIN: Jackrabbit running back Zach Zenner scored on a 75-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the season, Aug. 30 at Missouri. It marked the third season in a row that Zenner scored on one of his first two carries of the season. In 2012, he scored on a school-record 99-yard run on his second carry at Kansas, followed by a 36-yard run on his second attempt in the 2013 season opener versus Butler.
Zenner finished the game at Missouri with 103 yards on 17 carries. He has 11 career touchdown runs of at least 50 yards after his 94-yard touchdown run Nov. 8 at Indiana State.
LALLY RACKING UP THE TACKLES: Junior linebacker T.J. Lally has solidified his hold on the team lead in tackles in recent weeks.
A native of the Chicago area, Lally has totaled 30 tackles over the last two games to up his team lead to 82. His 20 tackles at North Dakota State on Nov. 1 were the most by a Jackrabbit player in the Division I era, which dates back to 2004.
Lally followed that performance with a team-high 10 tackles in last week's win at Indiana State. It was the 10th time Lally has recorded double digits in tackles during his Jackrabbit career.
GREGER STREAK ENDS: Right tackle Trevor Greger had his consecutive games started streak end at 33 when he sat out the Sept. 20 game against Wisconsin-Oshkosh due to injury.
A senior from Wagner, Greger started the final three games of the 2011 season at right tackle, and extended his streak by starting all 13 games of the 2012 season and all 14 contests in 2013. His streak reached 33 as he drew a starting assignment in the Jackrabbits' first three games of the 2014 campaign.
Greger, who was tabbed as a 2014 preseason all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection, returned to the lineup Oct. 4 at Illinois State and has now started 39 of the Jackrabbits' last 40 games.
ACADEMIC HONORS: Six South Dakota State University football student-athletes, highlighted by repeat selections Jason Schneider and Zach Zenner, were named Nov. 6 to the Capital One Academic All-District 6 Team. The Jackrabbits' recorded the most selections among all University Division members across seven districts and all six honorees will advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration later this month.
A senior running back from Eagan, Minnesota, Zenner was nameded to the academic honor squad for the third consecutive year after posting a 3.87 grade-point average as a biology/pre-medicine major. Zenner has crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season with 1,426 yards through nine games. He is one of only two players in Football Championship Subdivision history to rush for 2,000 yards in two separate seasons and currently ranks fourth in FCS career rushing yards with 5,955.
Zenner has been named to the Capital One Academic All-America Team each of the past two seasons, earning second-team honors in 2012 and first-team accolades in 2013.
A senior wide receiver from Andover, Minn., Schneider earned his second consecutive selection with a 3.98 GPA while majoring in pharmacy. He set a Jackrabbit single-season record with 78 receptions in 2013, and has tallied 42 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns so far this season.
Schneider also was a first-team selection to the Capital One Academic All-America Team in 2013.
Also earning academic all-district honors for the second time was offensive lineman Nick Purcell, who previously earned a spot on the squad in 2012. A senior from Rapid City, Purcell has compiled a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in biology and pre-medicine. He has started 11 games over the past two seasons, including the first eight games of the 2014 campaign.
Three other Jackrabbits — Cole Langer, Nick Mears and Ethan Sawyer — were honored for the first time.
Langer, a sophomore from Dell Rapids, made the honor squad with a 3.78 GPA while majoring in mechanical engineering. A member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team in 2013, Langer has started all 10 games so far in 2014 and has registered 37 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, from his defensive tackle position.
A sophomore from Milbank, Mears has settled into a starting role at safety this season and ranks second on the team with 63 tackles, while sharing the team lead with six pass breakups. An economics major, Mears has a perfect 4.0 GPA.
Sawyer, a senior punter from Brandon, earned a spot on the Academic All-District Team with a 3.88 GPA as a biology/pre-medicine major. He has handled the punting duties for the Jackrabbits for three seasons, averaging 38.8 yards per punt this season and landing 12 of his 37 attempts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
Selections to the Capital One Academic All-District 6 Team are determined by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America in Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Candidates must be at least a sophomore in athletic and academic standing, a starter or key reserve on her team and carry at least a 3.3 GPA. Team members are selected by position with a total of 24 players named to the honor squad.
In addition, the Jackrabbits were presented their sixth consecutive Missouri Valley Football Conference Team Academic Award on Oct. 25. SDSU compiled a team GPA of 3.03 during the 2013-14 academic year.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Jackrabbit running back Zach Zenner and offensive lineman Dylan Seiter each received Missouri Valley Football Conference Player of the Week honors for their efforts in SDSU's victory over Cal Poly on Sept. 6.
A senior from Eagan, Minn., Zenner rushed 30 times for 193 yards and a touchdown. He also became the career rushing leader in MVFC history, ending the night with 4,825 yards and surpassing the 4,746 yards by Herb Donaldson of Western Illinois from 2005-08.
Zenner also was named a National All-Star by College Sporting News.
Seiter, meanwhile, was tabbed MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week after recording a 1.62 grade and a team-high nine knockdown blocks against Cal Poly.
Redshirt freshman Jake Wieneke joined the list of award winners Oct. 12, when he was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Week after recording career highs of eight catches, 183 yards and three touchdowns in the Jackrabbits' 32-28 victory over Missouri State a day earlier.
Wieneke also was named national Co-Freshman of the Week by The Sports Network, and also recognized as FCS National Receiver of the Week by College Football Performance Awards.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Three true freshmen have been impact performers on the defensive side of the ball this season for the Jackrabbits.
The Jackrabbit secondary has been bolstered by the addition of cornerback Trey Carr. The Omaha native shares the team lead with six pass breakups along with two interceptions. He also has contributed on special teams, posting a team-best 26-yard average on eight kickoff returns.
At linebacker, J.T. Hassell made his first career start at linebacker Nov. 1 at North Dakota State after playing in a reserve role the first eight games of the season. The Titusville, Florida, native recorded his first career interception in the game at NDSU, along with notching a career-best eight tackles. He has 31 stops on the season, including his first career sack and forced fumble Nov. 8 at Indiana State.
Defensive end Chase Kern made his collegiate debut in the Oct. 4 conference opener at Illinois State and has posted a pair of sacks and six total tackles over the last six games. The Sioux City, Iowa, product's first sack came in his home debut Oct. 11 against Missouri State.
CLOCK MANAGEMENT: The Jackrabbit offense has displayed a ball-control attack this season that has led to the unit ranking 11th among FCS squads for time of possession with an average of 32 minutes and 28 seconds per game.
SDSU held an edge in time of possession nine times, including each of first eight games of the 2014 season. The Jackrabbits have turned in five games with at least an eight-minute advantage. The biggest disparity came in the Sept. 13 matchup at Southern Utah, where the Jackrabbits held the ball 13 minutes and 42 seconds (36:42 to 23:18) longer than SUU.
The second-largest disparity came Oct. 18 at Northern Iowa, where SDSU held the ball for 36:14, compared to 23:46 by UNI. The Jackrabbits put together three touchdown drives of at least 10 plays and five minutes.
WORKING OVERTIME: SDSU's 37-34 double-overtime victory over Northern Iowa on Oct. 26, 2013, upped the Jackrabbits' record in overtime games to 2-0 against Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents. SDSU also defeated Missouri State in a double-overtime game, 43-36, in 2011.
Overall, SDSU is 3-4 in games decided in overtime since the format was adopted in the mid-1990s. The Jackrabbits won their inaugural overtime game, 30-27 in two overtimes against Nebraska-Omaha in the 1998 Hobo Day game.
Following is a complete list of SDSU's overtime games:
1998: SDSU 30, Nebraska-Omaha 27 (2 OT — at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium)
2002: Augustana 39, SDSU 33 (3 OT — at Sioux Falls)
2004: Southern Utah 23, SDSU 17 (2 OT — at Cedar City, Utah)
2007: Western Illinois 29, SDSU 26 (4 OT — at Macomb, Ill.)
2008: McNeese State 46, SDSU 44 (3 OT — at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium)
2011: SDSU 43, Missouri State 36 (2 OT — at Springfield, Mo.)
2013: SDSU 37, Northern Iowa 34 (2 OT — at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium)
COACH STIG HONORED: South Dakota State University head football coach John Stiegelmeier received the 2014 Ralph Ginn Award for Coaching Excellence in conjunction with Jackrabbit Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on Oct. 11.
Stiegelmeier, who is in his 18th season as Jackrabbit head coach, has compiled a 117-85 career record, passing Ginn atop the SDSU career victories chart earlier this season. Stiegelmeier, who marked his 200th game as head coach on Oct. 25, has led SDSU to a winning record in 13 of 17 full seasons, including eight of 10 at the Division I level.
The Selby native was named North Central Conference Coach of the Year in 1999 and Great West Football Conference Coach of the Year in 2007 after leading SDSU to its first conference title at the Division I level and their first league championship in 44 years.
Prior to becoming head coach, Stiegelmeier served as an assistant coach for the Jackrabbit football team from 1988-96. He joined Wayne Haensel's coaching staff as secondary coach and recruiting coordinator before being elevated to defensive coordinator under new head coach Mike Daly in 1991. In six seasons as defensive coordinator, Stiegelmeier helped guide the Jackrabbits to a 41-23 overall record. SDSU turned in a winning record all six seasons, including five seven-win campaigns. That track record of success helped Stiegelmeier secure his first collegiate head coaching position in December 1996, when he was named Daly's successor.
A 1979 graduate of South Dakota State with degrees in mathematics and physical education, Stiegelmeier served as a student assistant for the Jackrabbit team that made its lone appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. He furthered his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern Iowa before coaching at the prep level at Eau Claire (Wis.) North High School from 1981-84. He returned to collegiate coaching as defensive coordinator, secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at Northern State from 1984-87 and later served a stint at the University of Wisconsin while working on his doctorate.
The Ralph Ginn Award for Coaching Excellence was first awarded in 1972. Ginn coached Jackrabbit football teams to a 113-89-9 record and won nine North Central Conference titles in 22 seasons from 1947-68.
JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2014 football season, head coach John Stiegelmeier will be a guest on the “Jackrabbit Insider,” a weekly behind-the-scenes look at South Dakota State University athletics.
The half-hour television show which features interviews with Jackrabbit coaches and student-athletes, airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on Sioux Falls-based MyUTV. The show is also broadcast on KELO-TV at 11 p.m. Central Sunday and at 10 p.m. Mountain Time Sunday on KDLO-TV. Online, the show can be viewed at GoJacks.com.
STIG SHOW: The John Stiegelmeier Radio Show airs each Monday throughout the 2014 football season.
The show is scheduled to air at 6 p.m. on the Jackrabbit Sports Network, originating with flagship station WNAX 570 AM in Yankton. In addition, the weekly show also will be streamed online at GoJacks.com as part of the Jackrabbit Extra package.
Hosted by Tyler Merriam, the John Stiegelmeier Radio Show will also feature interviews with Jackrabbit student-athletes and assistant coaches. Jackrabbit fans are encouraged to attend the show in person at Cubby's Sports Bar and Grill, 307 Main Ave., in downtown Brookings.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits wrap up the regular season next Nov. 22 by hosting the University of South Dakota in the annual South Dakota Showdown Series presented by South Dakota Corn. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., in what will be the final regular season matchup between the two in-state rivals at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium.
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