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CLAYBORNE HONORED AS TOP MVFC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE
12/5/2025 10:01:00 AM | Football
ST. LOUIS — South Dakota State defensive lineman Kobe Clayborne was honored Friday as the Missouri Valley Football Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year and four other Jackrabbits were selected to the MVFC Scholar-Athlete Team by a vote conducted among the league's sports information directors.
A graduate student from Sioux City, Iowa, Clayborne has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as both an undergraduate majoring in finance and as a graduate student in economics. He has started at both the defensive tackle and end positions each of his two seasons with the Jackrabbits since transferring from Northwest Missouri State and tallied 37 total tackles during the 2025 regular season, including 8.0 tackles for loss and 4 sacks en route to first-team all-MVFC recognition.
Clayborne is the second consecutive winner of the MVFC Scholar-Athlete Award from SDSU, following 2024 recipient Adam Bock.
While Clayborne was SDSU's lone representative on the MVFC Scholar-Athlete First Team, two other Jackrabbits — linebacker Bryce Johnson and long snapper Kaydon Olivia — repeated on the second team.
A junior from Parker, Colorado, Johnson has compiled a 3.93 GPA as a human biology/pre-medicine major. He registered 25 total tackles in a reserve role and on special teams during the 2025 regular season.
Olivia, a senior from Schertz, Texas, holds a 3.96 GPA while majoring in sport and recreation management. He is a two-time all-conference performer and has been perfect on snaps throughout the 2025 season.
Earning honorable mention recognition on the MVFC Scholar-Athlete Team were Grahm Goering and Andrew Gustad. A senior wide receiver from Iowa City, Iowa, Goering has turned in a 3.58 GPA as an exercise science/pre-chiropractic medicine major. He also ranked second on the team through the regular season with 33 receptions for 444 yards and a touchdown.
Gustad, a junior from Volin, has compiled a 3.93 GPA while majoring in civil engineering. A fullback/tight end, both of his receptions during the regular season resulted in touchdowns.
South Dakota State continues play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs Saturday with a visit to third-seeded Montana. Kickoff is slated for noon Mountain Time (1 p.m. Central).
-GoJacks.com-
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A graduate student from Sioux City, Iowa, Clayborne has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as both an undergraduate majoring in finance and as a graduate student in economics. He has started at both the defensive tackle and end positions each of his two seasons with the Jackrabbits since transferring from Northwest Missouri State and tallied 37 total tackles during the 2025 regular season, including 8.0 tackles for loss and 4 sacks en route to first-team all-MVFC recognition.
Clayborne is the second consecutive winner of the MVFC Scholar-Athlete Award from SDSU, following 2024 recipient Adam Bock.
While Clayborne was SDSU's lone representative on the MVFC Scholar-Athlete First Team, two other Jackrabbits — linebacker Bryce Johnson and long snapper Kaydon Olivia — repeated on the second team.
A junior from Parker, Colorado, Johnson has compiled a 3.93 GPA as a human biology/pre-medicine major. He registered 25 total tackles in a reserve role and on special teams during the 2025 regular season.
Olivia, a senior from Schertz, Texas, holds a 3.96 GPA while majoring in sport and recreation management. He is a two-time all-conference performer and has been perfect on snaps throughout the 2025 season.
Earning honorable mention recognition on the MVFC Scholar-Athlete Team were Grahm Goering and Andrew Gustad. A senior wide receiver from Iowa City, Iowa, Goering has turned in a 3.58 GPA as an exercise science/pre-chiropractic medicine major. He also ranked second on the team through the regular season with 33 receptions for 444 yards and a touchdown.
Gustad, a junior from Volin, has compiled a 3.93 GPA while majoring in civil engineering. A fullback/tight end, both of his receptions during the regular season resulted in touchdowns.
South Dakota State continues play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs Saturday with a visit to third-seeded Montana. Kickoff is slated for noon Mountain Time (1 p.m. Central).
-GoJacks.com-
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