Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus #2 St. Thomas on March 5, 2026 , Loss , 67, to, 80
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FINAL
Men's Basketball
67
vs #2 St. Thomas
80
South Dakota State University Athletics
Photo by: Evan Patzwald
FOUR NEWCOMERS JOIN SDSU MEN’S BASKETBALL
5/29/2026 2:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University men's basketball head coach Bryan Petersen announced on Friday that the program has added four transfers that will join the team as a part of its 2026-27 roster. The four student-athletes in Jon MeKonnen, EJ Ryans, Myles Thompson and Jesse Van Kalsbeek have submitted their paperwork before the team's summer workouts commence.
"We are very excited to announce our four signings this spring to our basketball program, to go along with our three incoming freshmen that signed this past fall," Petersen said. "Our staff did a tremendous job of identifying student-athletes that have the type of experience to come in and be able to make an impact for our team, fit into our culture and be great representatives for South Dakota State University. We look forward to getting them on campus."
Jon MeKonnen | Forward | 6-8 | Sophomore | Eagan, Minn. | Eastview HS | Colorado State
MeKonnen arrives in Brookings after spending his last two years in Fort Collins, Colo., at Colorado State. Following a redshirt season as a part of an NCAA Tournament team, MeKonnen made his collegiate debut during the 2025-26 season.
He played in 11 games for the Rams this past year. He competed for double-digit minutes in two appearances, including a 13-point performance in a 16-minute showing against Northern New Mexico on Dec. 14. He also had seven rebounds and four assists in that contest.
MeKonnen graduated from Eastview High School in Eagan, Minn., in 2024. He was a three-star prospect by 247Sports and the seventh rated recruit in the state that year. He helped the Lightning as a junior lead his high school team to a second consecutive MSHSL Class 4A State semifinal berth, eventually claiming All-Tournament Team honors. His senior campaign saw him carry Eastview to a section championship game appearance while he surpassed 1,000 career points during the year. MeKonnen was named a South Suburban All-Conference 1st Team performer in consecutive seasons.
"Jon will provide a great amount of athletic versatility to our program on both sides of the basketball this upcoming year. We recruited him out of high school where at Eastview he had a tremendous career. He was really well coached there and he's been in a very good program at Colorado State the last two seasons. We're looking forward to working with Jon's ability to play multiple positions, which we think can provide a big-time impact for our team."
EJ Ryans | Guard | 6-3 | Junior | Grand Rapids, Mich., | Northview HS | Western Michigan
Ryans was a contributor to the Western Michigan men's basketball program the past two seasons. His freshman campaign saw him play in 31 games and make eight starts. This past year as a sophomore saw Ryans start in all 31 games he competed in.
The starting guard for the Broncos played 27.2 minutes per game while averaging 7.5 points and nearly two rebounds and assists apiece. His sophomore campaign saw him score in double digits nine times, including a 20-point performance at SIU Edwardsville on Dec. 6. Ryans had 11 games where he dished out at least three assists as well.
A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Ryans helped his Northview High School squad earn three conference titles and two district championships. The Wildcats also advanced to the state's Final Four in 2022. Ryans was a two-time First Team All-Conference and All-State selection, while he was named a 1st Team MLive Dream Team Honoree for the 2024 Gottagetit Hoop Classic. He averaged 15 points, six assists and five rebounds per game over his first three prep seasons.
"We're really excited to add EJ Ryans to our program. His Division I experience stands out and he's played valuable minutes in his two seasons at Western Michigan, including as a full-time starter this past year. He has a great ability to guard the ball as a tough, hard-nosed defender, but then also help run a basketball team and make others around him better. He presents standout leadership skills that we know will have a positive effect on our team both on and off the floor."
Myles Thompson | Forward | 6-7 | Graduate | Hutchinson, Kan. | Hutchinson HS | SIU Edwardsville
Thompson has experienced team success in both of his collegiate stops prior to Brookings. He spent the last two years at SIU Edwardsville after beginning his college career at Barton Community College.
Thompson played in eight games this past season before it was ended due to injury. He had been playing 28.5 minutes per game and averaging 10.8 points and 6.1 rebounds with his last showing in a Dec. 6 contest against Western Michigan. The year prior, Thompson helped the Cougars earn an NCAA Tournament bid. He was a selection to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Tournament Team after averaging nine points and four rebounds in two tournament games. On the 2024-25 season, Thompson averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds. He recorded his first career double-double that yea as he shot 46.2% from the field across 34 games.
Prior his time at SIUE, Thompson was a standout at Barton. He was an impact performer on a squad that went 36-1 and won the NJCAA Division I National Championship. The Cougars completed the season on a 27-game winning streak with Thompson scoring a career-high 27 points in the national title tilt. He he grabbed 13 rebounds en route to his seventh double-double of the season in that game. Thompson was named a 1st Team All-Region selection in his last season at Barton. He started all 37 games and averaged 14 points on 48.3% shooting from the field. Thompson also averaged 6.7 rebounds per game. His first year at Barton saw him average 7.1 points and 5.5 points per game across 31 contests. Thompson was honored as the NJCAA Foundation Champion award winner in 2024.
Thompson was a prep standout at Hutchinson in both football and basketball. He led his high school basketball team to a state quarterfinal appearance for the first time in over a decade as a senior. That year he was named the Salthawk of the Year. He was also named to the first team all-AVCTL Division I list and was a first team all-Reno County Basketball selection.
"Myles is another very experienced player we're thrilled to be able to add to our front court. He has some versatility to play both forward positions and brings some physicality. He's always been a part of winning and we love that aspect of Myles's game. We like his ability to score around the rim and he can rebound the basketball at a really high level."
Jesse Van Kalsbeek | Forward | 6-6 | Junior | Sheldon, Iowa | MOC-Floyd Valley HS | Northwestern College
Van Kalsbeek makes his way to Brookings following a decorated two-year stretch to begin his college career at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.
His sophomore campaign saw Van Kalsbeek lead the NAIA level scoring 27.8 points per game. He finished second in rebounds with a 12.4 per game clip. Van Kalsbeek's 2025-26 season saw him honored as the Bevo Francis Award, given annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball (NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and junior colleges). He was named the GPAC Player of the Year, NAIA Player of the Year, as well as an NAIA and NABC First Team All-American. He helped lead the Raiders to a GPAC tournament championship and a trip to Kansas City with an appearance in the Round of 16 at the NAIA Final Site.
Van Kalsbeek had a strong start to his college career in 2024-25. He was chosen as the GPAC Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-GPAC selection. He shot 59.6% from the field, and 38.9% from long range, as he averaged 20.6 points per game.
The MOC-Floyd Valley High School product had a stellar prep career as well. He was selected as Mr. Iowa Basketball for 2023-24 by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association. Van Kalsbeek's senior year saw him average 26 points per game while he totaled 1,376 points, 517 rebounds, 158 assists and 117 steals during his time at the prep level. He led MOC-Floyd Valley to a Class 3A semifinal tournament appearance during an All-State First Team campaign as a senior. He was chosen as the KCAU9 SportsZone Player of the Year two consecutive years to go along with back-to-back years claiming Class 3A All-State honors.
"We feel the addition of Jesse will have a major impact on our program this year. We've known about Jesse for awhile with him being in our area. He's coming off an unbelievable start to his college career at Northwestern. He's an athletic, hybrid forward that can score the ball in a variety of ways. Jesse is also a great rebounder and good passer that has been a part of back-to-back NAIA national tournament teams. We're excited to get to work with him and utilize his versatile skillset."
The South Dakota State men's basketball team welcomes the four newcomers along with its previous fall signings to the program. Previously signed in November were Blake Ellwein, Semaj Stampley and Cam Swearengen. The Jackrabbits begin preparations for the 2025-26 season as summer workouts start the first week of June.
"We are very excited to announce our four signings this spring to our basketball program, to go along with our three incoming freshmen that signed this past fall," Petersen said. "Our staff did a tremendous job of identifying student-athletes that have the type of experience to come in and be able to make an impact for our team, fit into our culture and be great representatives for South Dakota State University. We look forward to getting them on campus."
Jon MeKonnen | Forward | 6-8 | Sophomore | Eagan, Minn. | Eastview HS | Colorado State
MeKonnen arrives in Brookings after spending his last two years in Fort Collins, Colo., at Colorado State. Following a redshirt season as a part of an NCAA Tournament team, MeKonnen made his collegiate debut during the 2025-26 season.
He played in 11 games for the Rams this past year. He competed for double-digit minutes in two appearances, including a 13-point performance in a 16-minute showing against Northern New Mexico on Dec. 14. He also had seven rebounds and four assists in that contest.
MeKonnen graduated from Eastview High School in Eagan, Minn., in 2024. He was a three-star prospect by 247Sports and the seventh rated recruit in the state that year. He helped the Lightning as a junior lead his high school team to a second consecutive MSHSL Class 4A State semifinal berth, eventually claiming All-Tournament Team honors. His senior campaign saw him carry Eastview to a section championship game appearance while he surpassed 1,000 career points during the year. MeKonnen was named a South Suburban All-Conference 1st Team performer in consecutive seasons.
"Jon will provide a great amount of athletic versatility to our program on both sides of the basketball this upcoming year. We recruited him out of high school where at Eastview he had a tremendous career. He was really well coached there and he's been in a very good program at Colorado State the last two seasons. We're looking forward to working with Jon's ability to play multiple positions, which we think can provide a big-time impact for our team."
EJ Ryans | Guard | 6-3 | Junior | Grand Rapids, Mich., | Northview HS | Western Michigan
Ryans was a contributor to the Western Michigan men's basketball program the past two seasons. His freshman campaign saw him play in 31 games and make eight starts. This past year as a sophomore saw Ryans start in all 31 games he competed in.
The starting guard for the Broncos played 27.2 minutes per game while averaging 7.5 points and nearly two rebounds and assists apiece. His sophomore campaign saw him score in double digits nine times, including a 20-point performance at SIU Edwardsville on Dec. 6. Ryans had 11 games where he dished out at least three assists as well.
A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Ryans helped his Northview High School squad earn three conference titles and two district championships. The Wildcats also advanced to the state's Final Four in 2022. Ryans was a two-time First Team All-Conference and All-State selection, while he was named a 1st Team MLive Dream Team Honoree for the 2024 Gottagetit Hoop Classic. He averaged 15 points, six assists and five rebounds per game over his first three prep seasons.
"We're really excited to add EJ Ryans to our program. His Division I experience stands out and he's played valuable minutes in his two seasons at Western Michigan, including as a full-time starter this past year. He has a great ability to guard the ball as a tough, hard-nosed defender, but then also help run a basketball team and make others around him better. He presents standout leadership skills that we know will have a positive effect on our team both on and off the floor."
Myles Thompson | Forward | 6-7 | Graduate | Hutchinson, Kan. | Hutchinson HS | SIU Edwardsville
Thompson has experienced team success in both of his collegiate stops prior to Brookings. He spent the last two years at SIU Edwardsville after beginning his college career at Barton Community College.
Thompson played in eight games this past season before it was ended due to injury. He had been playing 28.5 minutes per game and averaging 10.8 points and 6.1 rebounds with his last showing in a Dec. 6 contest against Western Michigan. The year prior, Thompson helped the Cougars earn an NCAA Tournament bid. He was a selection to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Tournament Team after averaging nine points and four rebounds in two tournament games. On the 2024-25 season, Thompson averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds. He recorded his first career double-double that yea as he shot 46.2% from the field across 34 games.
Prior his time at SIUE, Thompson was a standout at Barton. He was an impact performer on a squad that went 36-1 and won the NJCAA Division I National Championship. The Cougars completed the season on a 27-game winning streak with Thompson scoring a career-high 27 points in the national title tilt. He he grabbed 13 rebounds en route to his seventh double-double of the season in that game. Thompson was named a 1st Team All-Region selection in his last season at Barton. He started all 37 games and averaged 14 points on 48.3% shooting from the field. Thompson also averaged 6.7 rebounds per game. His first year at Barton saw him average 7.1 points and 5.5 points per game across 31 contests. Thompson was honored as the NJCAA Foundation Champion award winner in 2024.
Thompson was a prep standout at Hutchinson in both football and basketball. He led his high school basketball team to a state quarterfinal appearance for the first time in over a decade as a senior. That year he was named the Salthawk of the Year. He was also named to the first team all-AVCTL Division I list and was a first team all-Reno County Basketball selection.
"Myles is another very experienced player we're thrilled to be able to add to our front court. He has some versatility to play both forward positions and brings some physicality. He's always been a part of winning and we love that aspect of Myles's game. We like his ability to score around the rim and he can rebound the basketball at a really high level."
Jesse Van Kalsbeek | Forward | 6-6 | Junior | Sheldon, Iowa | MOC-Floyd Valley HS | Northwestern College
Van Kalsbeek makes his way to Brookings following a decorated two-year stretch to begin his college career at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.
His sophomore campaign saw Van Kalsbeek lead the NAIA level scoring 27.8 points per game. He finished second in rebounds with a 12.4 per game clip. Van Kalsbeek's 2025-26 season saw him honored as the Bevo Francis Award, given annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball (NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and junior colleges). He was named the GPAC Player of the Year, NAIA Player of the Year, as well as an NAIA and NABC First Team All-American. He helped lead the Raiders to a GPAC tournament championship and a trip to Kansas City with an appearance in the Round of 16 at the NAIA Final Site.
Van Kalsbeek had a strong start to his college career in 2024-25. He was chosen as the GPAC Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-GPAC selection. He shot 59.6% from the field, and 38.9% from long range, as he averaged 20.6 points per game.
The MOC-Floyd Valley High School product had a stellar prep career as well. He was selected as Mr. Iowa Basketball for 2023-24 by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association. Van Kalsbeek's senior year saw him average 26 points per game while he totaled 1,376 points, 517 rebounds, 158 assists and 117 steals during his time at the prep level. He led MOC-Floyd Valley to a Class 3A semifinal tournament appearance during an All-State First Team campaign as a senior. He was chosen as the KCAU9 SportsZone Player of the Year two consecutive years to go along with back-to-back years claiming Class 3A All-State honors.
"We feel the addition of Jesse will have a major impact on our program this year. We've known about Jesse for awhile with him being in our area. He's coming off an unbelievable start to his college career at Northwestern. He's an athletic, hybrid forward that can score the ball in a variety of ways. Jesse is also a great rebounder and good passer that has been a part of back-to-back NAIA national tournament teams. We're excited to get to work with him and utilize his versatile skillset."
The South Dakota State men's basketball team welcomes the four newcomers along with its previous fall signings to the program. Previously signed in November were Blake Ellwein, Semaj Stampley and Cam Swearengen. The Jackrabbits begin preparations for the 2025-26 season as summer workouts start the first week of June.
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