JACKS FEATURED ON WATCH LISTS, COACHES POLL

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — South Dakota State's soccer team was picked to finish second in The Summit League standings as the conference announced its Preseason Coaches' Poll on Tuesday.

A season after taking second in the regular season standings, the Jackrabbits were again chosen to finish as the league runner-up during the upcoming slate. Denver earned 61 points behind five first-place votes, while the Jackrabbits claimed 59 points along with three first-place votes. Omaha was third in the coaches' poll with 50 points and picked up a first-place vote.

Rounding out the preseason poll were Oral Roberts (43), South Dakota (32), Kansas City (26), North Dakota State (24), St. Thomas (15) and North Dakota (14).

The 2023 campaign saw Denver earn the conference's regular season title after sitting atop the Preseason Poll, however South Dakota State came away with the Summit League Tournament title. The Jackrabbits eventually hosted No. 4 seed Omaha in Brookings and recorded a 1-0 victory en route to the program's seventh Summit League Tournament championship.

Several Jackrabbits have been recognized during the preseason.

Kaycee Manding and Avery Murdzek were both listed to United Soccer Coaches Players to Watch Lists in the past week. Manding was one of 27 defenders across the Division I chosen to the organization's women's Watch List. The Waipahu, Hawaii, native has been a back-to-back First Team All-Summit League performer and a season ago led SDSU in minutes played (1,667). Murdzek was one of 26 women's midfielders to be chosen as a USC Player to Watch. The Hudson, Wis., native was the 2023 Summit League Midfielder of the Year while leading the Jackrabbits in points (21), goals (8) and assists (5).

Katherine Jones and Laney Murdzek were chosen as the Jackrabbits' Summit League Players to Watch. Jones has earned three Summit League All-Tournament selections, including a Tournament MVP award as part of SDSU's title run last season. She played a career-high 1,508 minutes on the pitch. Murdzek was a Second Team All-Summit League performer in 2023. She started in all 20 SDSU matches last season and scored nine points.

South Dakota State begins the 2024 season on Thursday at Fishback Soccer Park in Brookings as the Jackrabbits host Kansas at 7 p.m.

-GoJacks.com-

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Players Mentioned

Katherine Jones

Kaycee Manding

Avery Murdzek

Laney Murdzek

Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus Northern State on April 19, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Soccer at Sioux Falls on April 15, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Soccer at Augustana on April 9, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Soccer at Minnesota on March 28, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Soccer at Nebraska on March 7, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus Alumni Game on March 1, 2026 ,

South Dakota State University Athletics