SDSU SOFTBALL FINALIZES 2025 ROSTER

BROOKINGS, S.D. — The South Dakota State softball program will have a double-digit class of additions as 16 student-athletes are expected to join the Jackrabbits ahead of the 2024 fall semester.

The incoming set of newcomers to the Jackrabbit program includes freshmen Tayler Baker, Mia Buske, Kendall Daniel, Cece Hanson, Delaney Madson, Lila McNeill, Sylvia Shromoff, Emily Siurek, Kaleigh Small, Amanda Vacanti, Ivy Walker, Alissa Wernz, Claire Wynja, Vivian Acosta, Aaliysah Gomez, along with junior transfer Madi Mangulus.

"We knew we wanted to compile a really good 2024 list because we're replacing nine seniors that, for a majority of them, have won multiple championships," said South Dakota State head coach Kristina McSweeney. "We felt this freshmen class had to be a prototypical, dynamic set of players that can come in and do something similar to what this senior class just accomplished.

"We feel like there are several recruits that can make immediate impacts and take our team to the next level."

Vivian Acosta | 5-0 | Outfield | L/R | Pacoima, Calif. | Granada Hills Charter H.S.
Vivian Acosta is a Granada Hills Charter standout out of California. During her high school career, she was named to the City-Section First Team and earned a Player of the Month award in 2023. Outside of high school softball, Acosta was on the Central America Team in the International Games in 2023. The 2024 year saw her represent the United States in the International Games. Acosta was named to an All-American team in 2022. She plans to major in nursing at South Dakota State.

Tayler Baker | 5-5 | Pitcher | L/R | Madison, Wis. | Sun Prairie East HS
Taylor Baker is a multiple-sport standout at Sun Prairie East High School. She's a four-time first team all-conference and all-district performer. Baker helped her high school team make state title game appearances in both 2022 and 2021, while Sun Prairie East was a semifinalist in 2023 and a quarterfinalist in 2024.

Last season, Baker was a threat both at the plate and in the circle. She hit .512 as a senior with four home runs, nine doubles, 25 runs scored and 30 RBIs. She pitched 81 2/3 innings and had a 1.11 ERA. She accumulated a 11-1 record with 135 strikeouts to just 21 walks given up. Her performance earned her the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year award.

Baker is also a member of her high school's bowling team. She helped contribute to a state championship team in 2023 after previously taking third two straight years. Baker finished her career with a second-place finish in 2024. The team finished second at the national championships in 2021 and 2022, as well as eighth in 2023. She placed 14th individually at the national level in 2023. Baker plans to minor in health sciences at South Dakota State.

Mia Buske | 5-9 | Catcher | R/R | West Bend, Wis. | West Bend West HS
Mia Buske has been strong both on the field and in the classroom at West Bend West High School. A three-time team captain earned First Team All-Conference, First Team All-District and Second Team All-State her senior year while hitting .482, slugging .807 and driving in 36 runs. She earned a first team All-Conference selection in 2023, along with second team honors in 2022 and 2021. Buske was also honorable mention all-district in 2023 and 2021. Buske has been an NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete and Honor Roll member four times. She's also been a member of the National Honor Society for three years. Buske plans to major in criminology.

Kendall Daniel | 5-7 | First Base/Catcher | R/R | Sweetwater, Texas | Sweetwater HS
Kendall Daniel has produced big offensive numbers for Sweetwater High School while playing at a high level in travel ball. Daniel has hit over .500 in every prep season she's played including a career-best .612 as a sophomore. Her career stats totaled over 60 doubles, 40 home runs, nearly 200 RBIs and 164 runs scored.

Daniel has earned numerous accolades. She's claimed multiple District Offensive MVP honors and been all-district multiple seasons. Daniel has been named by Big Country Preps as a Softball 1st Team performer at catcher and as a utility player. She's been an All-State honorable mention and helped her school win two bi-district championships. In travel ball, Daniel has been a member of a team that won the 16u Alliance national championship and has taken third at the 16u Colorado Sparkler tournament. She also was honored as a USA Softball HPP 16u National Selection Event Top Performer.

Daniel also played basketball for her high school. She is a three-time honorable mention performer in basketball, while she's an academic all-district performer in it and softball. A member of the National Honor Society, Daniel plans to major in business economics.

Aaliysah Gomez | 5-4 | Infield | R/R | Watsonville, Calif. | St. Francis Salesian College
Preparatory
Aaliysah Gomez is a speedy righty from Watsonville, Calif. She is a two-time First Team PCAL selection over her high school career hitting .432 and stealing 60 bases. Gomez adds first team all-league selections in basketball and track as well and ended her high school career by being named the 2024 Pajaronian Female Athlete of the Year. Her excellence extends to the classroom as well as she is a four-time Academic First Honors recipient.

Gomez hails from an athletic family. Her father, Robert Gomez, played college basketball and uncle, James Gomez, played college baseball. She plans to major in nursing at South Dakota State.

Cece Hanson | 5-10 | Outfield | L/R | Rosemount, Minn. | Rosemount HS
Cece Hanson is a multiple sport standout at Rosemount High School. Hanson helped lead Rosemount to two state championships in 2021 and 2023. During her four-year career she was an All-Tournament Team selection (2023), as well as a four time All-Conference, All-State and All-Section winner. Hanson's senior year saw her be named team captain, Rosemount Female Athlete of the Year and as a freshman in 2021 she was named Rookie of the Year. She was chosen as the state of Minnesota's 2024 Ms. Softball award winner.

During her prep career, Hanson recorded 134 hits, scored 117 runs, stole 45 bases, and racked up 70 RBIs. She played on her varsity hockey team since eighth grade helping the squad to multiple state tournaments. A three-time A-Honor Roll student, Hanson is a three-time academic letterwinner and three-year Scholar Athlete in both softball and hockey. She will be the fourth Hanson to compete in college sports. Her father, Lynn Hanson, and uncle, Matt Hanson, played hockey at St. Lawrence University. Her brother played baseball at St. Scholastica. Hanson plans to major in business economics.

Delaney Madson | 5-4 | Third Base/Catcher | R/R | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln Southwest HS
Delaney Madson has been a contributor for Lincoln Southwest High School for multiple seasons. In 2021, Madson was a member of a Nebraska Class A State Championship team.

The next year, she was an honorable mention choice by the Lincoln Journal Star. Last season, Madson hit .405 to go along with a .448 on-base percentage. She also produced 49 hits with four home runs, six triples, 12 doubles and 42 RBIs leading her to earning All-State Super State Second Team and Class A First Team honors.

Madson has been on her school's Honor Roll with Highest Distinction each year of her prep career. She plans to major in biochemistry at South Dakota State.

Madi Mangulis | 5-11 | Pitcher | R/R | Mankato, Minn | Mankato East HS | Junior
Madi Mangulis will join the Jackrabbits after two seasons at the University of South Dakota. During the 2024 season she made 17 appearances for the Coyotes while posting a 2.52 ERA with 12 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .246.

Prior to college, Mangulis was a standout pitcher for Mankato East earning all-conference honors after going 10-4 with a 1.54 ERA as a senior in 2022. She struck out 98 batters in 82 innings. Mangulis looks to add some experience to the Jackrabbits' young pitching staff and intends to study sports management.

Lila McNeill | 5-6 | Outfielder | L/L | Salem, Wis. | Westosha Central HS
Lila McNeill heads to Brookings coming off a big year in the box for Westosha Central. As the captain and offensive player of the year for her team, McNeill hit .547 behind 41 hits and 34 runs scored. She set the single season stolen base record with 32 and the single game record with 5. McNeill was voted unanimously as the Southern Lakes Conference Player of the Year. She also earned First Team All-Conference, All-District and All-State honors.

She adds this to previously earning two First Team All-Conference performer, First Team All-Area and All-District selections. A three-year captain, McNeill hit over .450 on three occasions. She recorded double-digit doubles and triples during her prep career.

McNeill is a multiple time Academic Honor Roll recipient. She plans to major in advertising with
a minor in marketing.

Sylvia Shromoff | 6-0 | Pitcher | L/L | Shakopee, Minn. | Shakopee HS
Syliva Shromoff has been a four-year varsity starter and two-time captain for Shakopee High School. In 2024, Shromoff was a first team All-State, All-Metro and All-Section honoree behind a 1.06 ERA, .683 WHIP and .102 batting average against stat line. As a junior in 2023, Shromoff was an All-Conference, All-Metro and All-Section performer. She helped her team to a 2AAAA section championship and state tournament appearance. She pitched 100 innings and struck out 109 batters while registering a 2.30 ERA. As a sophomore, Shromoff helped Shakopee win a conference title and claim runner-up in their section. Shromoff has been on her school's A-Honor Roll all four years of her prep career. She plans to major in sport and rec management.

Emily Siurek | 5-3 | Pitcher | R/R | Munster, Ind. | Munster HS
Emily Siurek has been a member of two conference championship teams for Munster High School. Siurek is a two-time All-Area performer and All-Conference choice. Her senior season saw her add another First Team All-Conference and All-Area selection. She was named to the Indiana All-Star team in 2024 after finishing her career with 348 innings pitched, recording 342 strikeouts and hitting 33 doubles and 17 home runs.

In her junior season, Siurek had a 2.05 ERA with 112 strikeouts. She also was a contributor at the plate as she hit a team-leading .438 batting average and .853 slugging percentage. Siurek also had six home runs.

Suirek was selected to the National Honors Society in 2024 while also being named an Academic Scholar Athlete. Her father, Brandon Siurek, played hockey at Purdue University. She plans to major in aviation at South Dakota State.

Kaleigh Small | 5-8 | Infielder | R/R | Basehor, Kan. | Basehor-Linwood HS
Kaleigh Small is a standout middle infielder for Basehor-Linwood High School. In her senior campaign, she was named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-State by hitting .429 behind 14 doubles and 22 RBIs. Small was previously a first team All-Conference selection and claimed two honorable mention picks. She's also been an honorable mention to the Kansas All-State team two times.

As a sophomore on a state championship runner-up team, Small hit .419 with 11 extra-base hits. She's contributed to two regional and conference championships. Her junior year, she had a career-best .970 fielding percentage with five double plays turned. Small has been on her school's Honor Roll with a 4.0 GPA all four years and was selected to the National Honors Society in 2024 . She plans to major in architecture.

Amanda Vacanti | 5-9 | Pitcher/Infielder | R/R | Wentworth, S.D. | Madison Central School
District
Amanda Vacanti will make the short journey to Brookings from down the road at Madison Central School District. In the state of South Dakota's first year of high school softball, Vacanti earned numerous accolades. She was a First Team All-State performer and was First Team DAK IIX as well as the MVP last spring. Her junior year saw her hit .700 at the plate with 15 home runs. In the circle, she recorded a 0.92 ERA and struck out 167 batters. She finished her career by posting a 1.24 ERA and striking out 222 in 101 innings of work. At the plate as a senior, she hit .704 while blasting 15 home runs and driving in 39 runs.

In 2024, Vacanti was named to the Academic All-State team. During her high school career, she was also an All-Conference volleyball player. She will join her older sister at SDSU and will be majoring in biotechnology.

Ivy Walker | 5-6 | Outfielder | R/R | Yucaipa, Calif. | Yucaipa HS
Ivy Walker has been a multiple year captain during her prep career. She has been her high school team's batting average leader back-to-back seasons, while she had a top-five batting average in the Citrus Belt League. Walker posted a .326 batting average her senior year while being named First Team All-League and winning the T-Bird Award for on field performance and leadership. She was also recognized as a scholar athlete in 2024 and earned an All-Tournament selection in 2022. Walkers plans to major in exercise science.

Alissa Wernz | 5-7 | Outfielder | R/R | Hamel, Minn. | Maple Grove Senior HS
Alissa Wernz has been a contributor to the Maple Grove varsity program for multiple years. Wernz has been a first team all-conference performer two consecutive seasons after claiming an honorable mention as a freshman. Wernz was chosen by The Star Tribune to its 2nd Team All-Metro and earned an Athlete of the Week accolades in May of 2024. In 2023, Maple Grove took third at the state tournament as Wernz served as a team captain.

As a junior, Wernz hit .339 with an on-base percentage of .418 and .457 slugging percentage. She's been a CCX All-Area Team choice in both 2023 and 2022 and was listed on the Breakdown Top 75 Minnesota Juniors list. She was previously picked back-to-back years as a Breakdown Elite 35 Minnesota Underclassmen list. Her senior year saw her named First-Team All State. Wernz intends to study pre-med at South Dakota State.

Claire Wynja | 5-6 | Infielder | R/R | Dell Rapids, S.D. | Dell Rapids HS
Claire Wynja makes a short trek to Brookings from her hometown of Dell Rapids. During her high school's first sanctioned season of softball, Wynja was chosen Dak 12 First Team All-Conference, a State All-Tournament and SDHSAA All-State. She hit .707 with a 1.293 slugging percentage and .759 on-base percentage. In her senior season, she hit a team-leading .596 and was named All-Conference, All-State, All-Tournament Team and Academic All-State. Wynja, who's a member of National Honor Society, plans to major in exercise science at South Dakota State.

-GoJacks.com-

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Upcoming Event: Softball versus Georgia Tech on April 11, 2026 at 10 a.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at Iowa on April 11, 2026 at 4 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball versus Georgia Tech on April 12, 2026 at 10 a.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at Iowa on April 12, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at Omaha on April 17, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Softball at Omaha on April 18, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Completed Event: Softball at Kansas City on April 3, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 4

Completed Event: Softball at Kansas City on April 2, 2026 , Loss , 5, to, 7

Completed Event: Softball at Kansas City on April 2, 2026 , Loss , 4, to, 10

Completed Event: Softball versus North Dakota on March 30, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 1

Completed Event: Softball versus North Dakota on March 29, 2026 , Win , 8, to, 0 , 5 Inn.

Completed Event: Softball versus North Dakota on March 28, 2026 , Win , 14, to, 6

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SDSU SOFTBALL FINALIZES 2025 ROSTER

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