Upcoming Event: Women's Soccer at South Dakota on September 24, 2026 at 6 p.m.
/
6 p.m.
Women's Soccer
at South Dakota
South Dakota State University Athletics
Thursday, August 3
Brookings, S.D. (Training Field on Campus)
6 p.m.
South Dakota State University
vs
Blue vs. Yellow Scrimmage
Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
JACKRABBITS GEAR UP FOR 2023 SEASON
8/1/2023 3:56:00 PM | Women's Soccer
BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State soccer gets the 2023-24 athletic year started this week when the Jackrabbits host their annual Blue vs. Yellow Scrimmage on Thursday at 6 p.m. on their training field which is located northeast of the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center.Â
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The Jacks returned to campus Monday and officially opened their preseason training schedule with their first session Tuesday morning. The mix of returners and newcomers took part in their first practice as a team ahead of the 2023 regular season which begins on August 17 in Brookings.
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"The first day has been exciting and it's been exciting because of the players we have returning and the new ones that have joined our program," South Dakota State head coach Brock Thompson said. "I think everybody would share that feeling as we've got started."
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The preseason ramp-up to the regular season is a busy one for the Jacks. Following the Blue vs. Yellow Scrimmage on Thursday, SDSU will get a couple more training days in before heading south for a pair of exhibitions. The Jackrabbits face Nebraska in a "friendly" on the Huskers' campus at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, then take on Kansas in Lawrence at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11.Â
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Thompson said he wants his team not looking ahead and instead continuing to focus on the steps it consistently takes every season to be at its best as the year wears on.
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"Our team really commits to focusing on growth instead of any one goal. It's a good way to sum up what we want to see this week is just growth. It should be easy the first week because sometimes the information feels like it's coming from a fire hose and other times it may involve breaking some bad habits or re-breaking them. The focus is to grow and get better session to session and day to day."
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SDSU will feature a blend of returners and newcomers this season. Maya Hansen and Jocelyn Tanner headline the group as they serve as The Summit League's reigning Offensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Year award winners. They are part of a set of players who have spent five years on campus which includes Reagan Anderson and Delaney Grant. Those four – along with returning all-conference performers in Kaycee Manding, Laney Murdzek, Hayley Lindaman and Avery Murdzek – are included in with 15 letterwinners back for another year in Yellow and Blue after a 2022 season that saw the Jackrabbits go 13-1-5 overall.Â
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"Obviously we've got four older players in our camp that have been around our program for a long time in Jocelyn, Reagan, Delaney and Maya," Thompson said. "You see their experience within our program help lead. But we have a very experienced team under those players and that's shown from the very first session."
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The Jackrabbits get their first opportunity to break their rust on their training pitch Thursday in as close to a game situation they can get before facing an opponent. It gives SDSU a chance to see their returners back in action along with the Jacks' double-digit number of newcomers who are still meshing with those in the program.Â
Â
"I think we've always trusted our process," Thompson said. "The first few sessions we don't build up to 11v11, we really focus on our objectives and principles. The Blue/Yellow Scrimmage will be the first time to see us on an 11v11 field and really that's the start tactically. It's when we start to see how we want to play and who plays where. Sometimes that can be when some position changes happen from year to year and so Thursday is always a fun day to see that first step."
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Spectator Information
Fans are welcome to attend the Blue vs. Yellow Scrimmage at SDSU's training field on Thursday with free admission to the facility. Parking for fans is available in the lot east of the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center. The training field is located directly north of that parking lot. Fans are encouraged to bring their own seating option.
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The Jacks returned to campus Monday and officially opened their preseason training schedule with their first session Tuesday morning. The mix of returners and newcomers took part in their first practice as a team ahead of the 2023 regular season which begins on August 17 in Brookings.
Â
"The first day has been exciting and it's been exciting because of the players we have returning and the new ones that have joined our program," South Dakota State head coach Brock Thompson said. "I think everybody would share that feeling as we've got started."
Â
The preseason ramp-up to the regular season is a busy one for the Jacks. Following the Blue vs. Yellow Scrimmage on Thursday, SDSU will get a couple more training days in before heading south for a pair of exhibitions. The Jackrabbits face Nebraska in a "friendly" on the Huskers' campus at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 8, then take on Kansas in Lawrence at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11.Â
Â
Thompson said he wants his team not looking ahead and instead continuing to focus on the steps it consistently takes every season to be at its best as the year wears on.
Â
"Our team really commits to focusing on growth instead of any one goal. It's a good way to sum up what we want to see this week is just growth. It should be easy the first week because sometimes the information feels like it's coming from a fire hose and other times it may involve breaking some bad habits or re-breaking them. The focus is to grow and get better session to session and day to day."
Â
SDSU will feature a blend of returners and newcomers this season. Maya Hansen and Jocelyn Tanner headline the group as they serve as The Summit League's reigning Offensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Year award winners. They are part of a set of players who have spent five years on campus which includes Reagan Anderson and Delaney Grant. Those four – along with returning all-conference performers in Kaycee Manding, Laney Murdzek, Hayley Lindaman and Avery Murdzek – are included in with 15 letterwinners back for another year in Yellow and Blue after a 2022 season that saw the Jackrabbits go 13-1-5 overall.Â
Â
"Obviously we've got four older players in our camp that have been around our program for a long time in Jocelyn, Reagan, Delaney and Maya," Thompson said. "You see their experience within our program help lead. But we have a very experienced team under those players and that's shown from the very first session."
Â
The Jackrabbits get their first opportunity to break their rust on their training pitch Thursday in as close to a game situation they can get before facing an opponent. It gives SDSU a chance to see their returners back in action along with the Jacks' double-digit number of newcomers who are still meshing with those in the program.Â
Â
"I think we've always trusted our process," Thompson said. "The first few sessions we don't build up to 11v11, we really focus on our objectives and principles. The Blue/Yellow Scrimmage will be the first time to see us on an 11v11 field and really that's the start tactically. It's when we start to see how we want to play and who plays where. Sometimes that can be when some position changes happen from year to year and so Thursday is always a fun day to see that first step."
Â
Spectator Information
Fans are welcome to attend the Blue vs. Yellow Scrimmage at SDSU's training field on Thursday with free admission to the facility. Parking for fans is available in the lot east of the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center. The training field is located directly north of that parking lot. Fans are encouraged to bring their own seating option.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
MF
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/ Women's Soccer
GK
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