6 JACKRABBITS EARN ALL-SUMMIT HONORS

BROOKINGS, S.D. - Six members of the South Dakota State women's basketball team were recognized with Summit League honors Tuesday in the postseason awards released by the conference office.

The group was highlighted by head coach Aaron Johnston being named the Summit League Coach of the Year for the ninth time in his career, with Brooklyn Meyer, Paige Meyer, Haleigh Timmer, Mesa Byom and Katie Vasecka also earning recognition.

Johnston picked up his fifth consecutive Coach of the Year recognition. In his 25th season, Johnston guided SDSU to a 26-3 overall regular season record and 16-0 mark against conference teams. The Jackrabbits went unbeaten in Summit League play for the third straight year and won at least a share of the regular season title for the fifth straight season and 11th time overall. SDSU has won at least 20 games in each of the last 14 season, including at least 25 in each of the last four years.

Brooklyn Meyer and Paige Meyer were both named to the Summit League First Team for the second straight year, and were also selected to the Summit League All-Defensive Team.

Brooklyn Meyer, a junior, averaged 18.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game during the conference slate and shot .693 from the floor for those games. She scored at least 20 points in 10 conference games, including a pair of games with at least 30 points. Meyer tallied 16 steals and 16 blocks in Summit action. She scored a career-high 34 points at Kansas City on February 20, the most points by a Jackrabbit in a regulation game in the team's Division I era.

Paige Meyer, a senior, landed on the First Team for the second time in her career and finishes her career with either First- or Second-team honors in all four seasons. Meyer tallied 13.1 points and a league-high 5.8 assists per game through the Summit season. She dished at least seven assists eight times, including a season-high 10 assists against North Dakota on January 18. Meyer led the Jacks with 24 steals through the conference season. In the regular-season finale, Meyer tallied a season-high 27 points to go with six rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Haleigh Timmer, a redshirt junior, earned an honorable mention nod from the voters. She averaged 12.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per conference game. Timmer scored at least eight points in all but one game, shot 47 percent from the field and 41 percent from the free throw line in Summit action. She scored 22 points against Denver on February 27, her season high against a Division I opponent.

Mesa Byom joined the Meyer duo on the All-Defensive Team as the Jackrabbits made up three of five selections for the squad. Byom paced the Jackrabbits with 6.9 rebounds per game and 18 total blocks in the conference season. She reached double-digit rebounds in five conference games and had four multi-block games. The trio leads the SDSU defense that ranks first in the conference in opponent scoring, opponent field goal percentage and rebounding.

Katie Vasecka was selected to the Summit League's All-Freshman Team. She finished the conference season averaging 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. She shoots 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from the 3-point line. Vasecka posted six conference games in double figures, including two 20-plus-point performances.

SDSU now turns its attention to the Summit League Tournament, which kicks off Wednesday in Sioux Falls. The Jackrabbits take on the winner of No. 8 Omaha vs. No. 9 Denver Thursday afternoon at approximately 2:30 p.m.

2024-25 Summit League Women's Basketball Awards
All-Summit League First Team
Taleyah Jones, Oral Roberts (Jr., G)*
Avery Koenen, North Dakota State (So., F)
Grace Larkins, South Dakota (Sr., G)**^
Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State (Jr., F)*
Paige Meyer, South Dakota State (Sr., G)***
Jalei Oglesby, Oral Roberts (RJr., G)*

All-Summit League Second Team
Grace Cave, Omaha (Sr., G)*
Alayna Contreras, Kansas City (Jr., G)
Abbie Draper, North Dakota State (Sr., F)
Jordan Jones, Denver (Jr., G)*
Kiera Pemberton, North Dakota (So, F)

All-Summit League Honorable Mention
Ja Harvey, Omaha (Sr., G)
Jade Hill, St. Thomas (Sr., G)*
Jo Langbehn, St. Thomas (Sr., F)
Amber Scalia, St. Thomas (Jr., G)*
Haleigh Timmer, South Dakota State (RJr., G)*

^Player of the year automatically earns a spot on the first team
*previous all-league selections noted above

All-Defensive Team
Mesa Byom, South Dakota State (Sr., F)
Fatima Ibrahim, North Dakota (So., C)
Grace Larkins, South Dakota (Sr., G)
Brooklyn Meyer, South Dakota State (Jr., F)
Paige Meyer, South Dakota State (Sr., G)

All-Newcomer Team
Ja Harvey, Omaha (Sr., G)
Molly Lenz, North Dakota State (So., G)
Ana Oliveira, Kansas City (So., G)
Aaliyah Moore, Omaha (Sr., F)
Laia Monclova, Denver (So., G)

All-Freshman Team
Marisa Frost, North Dakota State (Fr., G)
Alyssa Sand, St. Thomas (Fr., F)
Jocelyn Schiller, North Dakota (Fr., G)
Katie Vasecka, South Dakota State (Fr., G)
Harriet Ford, Omaha (Fr., C)

Player of the Year: Grace Larkins, South Dakota
Newcomer of the Year: Ja Harvey, Omaha
Freshman of the Year: Jocelyn Schiller, North Dakota
Sixth Woman of the Year: Jalei Oglesby, Oral Roberts
Defensive Player of the Year: Fatima Ibrahim, North Dakota
Coach of the Year: Aaron Johnston, South Dakota State

-GoJacks.com-

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

Players Mentioned

Mesa Byom

Brooklyn Meyer

Paige Meyer

Haleigh Timmer

Katie Vasecka

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 6 Washington on March 20, 2026 , Loss , 54, to, 72

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus -/RV No. 1 North Dakota State on March 8, 2026 , Win , 64, to, 51

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 3 South Dakota on March 7, 2026 , Win , 74, to, 59

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 7 Kansas City on March 5, 2026 , Win , 75, to, 61

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus South Dakota on February 28, 2026 , Win , 82, to, 49

Completed Event: Women's Basketball at -/RV North Dakota State on February 25, 2026 , Win , 59, to, 44

South Dakota State University Athletics