The SDSU men’s golf team finished in eighth place and the women’s squad finished in last place among nine teams at the Summit League Championships in Primm, Nev. The Jackrabbit men compiled a 54-hole score of 882 in the 10-team, 50-player field. The women, against the same 10 teams and 50 players, finished with a 54-hole score of 956.

Greg Fehrman led the Jacks firing a 213 and finished tied for seventh. Hudson Carpenter, who was recently named second team all-league, carded a 222 and finished tied for 34th. For the women, Brittany Hanten led the Jacks firing a 226 and finished tied for sixth. Hanten’s 54-hole score of 226 is the sixth best in school history.

IUPUI won the men’s event with a score of 849. Oral Roberts, the only women’s team to ever win the conference, took the Summit League title for the 15th consecutive year with a score of 909.

The SDSU men’s tennis team has qualified for the Summit League tournament for the first time in school history after a 5-2 win over Oral Roberts April 21 in Kansas City, Mo.

The Jacks (7-13, 2-3) rebounded from a shutout loss to UMKC the day before with a win over ORU to claim the No. 4 seed at the league tournament.

“[The ORU] win feels great for everyone,” head coach Michael Engdahl said. “Dominic Rossetto and Justin Pyle have put in a lot of time on the tennis court … and they certainly earned this trip to the finals.”

The Jackrabbits will meet the top-seeded Kangaroos once more in Kansas City on Friday at 10 a.m., with IPFW and IUPUI playing for the other spot in the finals. The championship is April 28.

SDSU hosted Little International (Little I) on March 30 and March 31 in the Animal Science Arena.

The event is one of the longest-standing traditions on campus and this year’s theme was “Cultivating Our Future.” Little I presents the opportunity for high school and college students to participate in judging and showing livestock. The contests ranged anywhere from livestock judging, to natural resource competitions, to meat products judging.

The morning program started at 7:30 a.m. and the evening program at 6 p.m. Events included the Ag and Bio Teacher of the Year announcement, an exotic showmanship competition among professors and other faculty, and an auctioneer contest.

Dr. Cody Wright, professor and extension beef specialist, compared the event today to his collegiate experience.

“The biggest difference is that there are more clubs and organizations involved with Little I, [now]” Wright said. “It hasn’t changed a great deal, though. It’s a model that has worked for a long time.”

Nike was SDSU’s previous apparel supplier. The multi-year agreement gives Under Armour the right to provide on-field and training gear to 21 varsity sports including football and men’s and women’s basketball. Under Armour will also outfit coaches and members of the athletic department staff.

“I want to thank Coach Liles for his 19 years of service to South Dakota State University and the wrestling community,” SDSU Director of Athletics Justin Sell said.

The winningest coach in SDSU wrestling history with a 148-143-5 record, Liles took over the reins during the 1993-94 season. He built a powerhouse program at the NCAA Division II level, leading teams to nine consecutive top-five finishes at the national tournament from 1994-2002 before Liles guided the Jackrabbits through their transition to Division I. SDSU sent wrestlers to the NCAA Championships three times (2007, 2009, 2010) but found little team success over time, going 1-29 in the squad’s last 30 duals.

They will be located on the main level of The Union after the expansion is complete.

Anthony Sutton, Students’ Association vice president, said the university used results from a student survey to make the selection.

“I’m excited that we’re going to have a blend of national options and local options,” he said.

Chick-fil-A was founded in College Park, Ga., during the late 1940’s and is one of the nation’s largest privately owned restaurant chains. As the name suggests, this fast food chain is all about chicken. They use 100 percent pure breast meat and cook it in peanut oil to reduce trans fat.  The chain sold more than 282 million Chick-fil-A sandwiches in 2010, and on Jan. 9 the company announced more than $4 billion worth of sales for 2011.

Panda Express is a division of the Panda Restaurant Group headquartered in California. The first Panda Express opened in 1983 in Glendale, Calif. The chain’s first university location was opened 10 years later in 1993 at the University of California-Los Angeles.

Extreme Pita was founded by brothers Alex and Mark Rechichi in 1997 in Ontario, Canada. The company quickly expanded through Canada and in 2003 opened its first U.S. location in Arizona.

The Jackrabbits opened the weekend at Edwardsville, Ill., losing a dual to Indiana, 30-8, before returning to knock off the home-standing Cougars of Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, 25-15. SDSU also fell to the University of Northern Iowa, 25-12.

The Hoosiers took the first two matches by decision before SDSU got on the board at 141 pounds. Dustin Walraven, back in the lineup after an injury, took the decision at that weight by a score of 12-6.

Indiana added a fall at 149 pounds to build a lead, which proved important as Nick Flynn and Dillon Reid posted back-to-back decisions at 157 and 165 pounds. Flynn held on for a tight 3-2 win, while Reid won by a 6-1 margin.

The Hoosiers would go on to dominate the rest of the match, scoring a fall, technical fall, major decision and decision in the final four matches.

SDSU 25, SIUE12

Later the Jacks would take on the host Cougars and SDSU got off on the right foot, as SIU-Edwardsville forfeited at 125 pounds. The Cougars took the next two matches by decision and fall before SDSU started a run of its own. Andrew Youngblom, also back from injury, started the streak with a 7-4 decision at 149 pounds.

Flynn and Reid continued the streak and capped off their nights in fashion, improving to 2-0 on the day with major decisions at 157 and 165 pounds, respectively.

SIUE scored two decisions, but Nick Mart sealed the victory for the Jacks with an 8-4 decision at 197 pounds. SDSU pulled away in score with a Cougar forfeit at heavyweight.

“We wrestled tough, but failed to execute at key times,” head coach Jason Liles said. “We won three matches against a Big Ten opponent and had other opportunities. We made the SIUE dual hard on ourselves, but fought back to get the win.”

UNI 25, SDSU 12

SDSU hasn’t defeated UNI in wrestling in 29 years and that streak will have to continue for another year after the Panthers defeated the Jacks, 25-12 in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Feb. 5.

The Jacks started the dual on fire, as Aaron Pickrel scored a fall in the first match at 125 pounds. Pickrel deferred to start the second period, his opponent chose down and Pickrel recorded the fall 3:36 into the match.

Dustin Walraven added to the SDSU lead at 141 pounds with a 2-0 decision. Walraven scored an escape in the second period and held the riding time advantage for his points.

The Panthers rattled off three straight decisions, two of which came by three points or less.

Joe Rasmussen drew the Jacks within one team point with a 10-5 decision at 174 pounds. Rasmussen scored a takedown early in the first period and did not relinquish his lead, recording the three points to move the match score to 13-12.

The one-point deficit was the closest SDSU would get, though, as UNI took the next three matches by technical fall, decision and major decision.

The Jacks drop to 4-6 overall, 0-3 in the Western Wrestling Conference.

The lot east of The Union is now a pay lot. (photo by Kathy Kroeger)

The pay lot east of The Union will be in operation starting Jan. 9 and free of charge until Jan. 15.

To enter the lot, press the blue button on the device and pull the ticket once dispensed. Upon exiting, insert the ticket into the machine and proceed to exit.

After Jan. 15 the rates will be $2 for the first hour and $1 for any following hour, or $8 a day. These rates will apply from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m., Monday through Friday, the lot will be free of charge. During this time frame the automated gates will still remain down to ensure proper car count for the lot. On the weekends, the gates will be raised and the lot will be free to park.

From 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. any vehicle left in the lot will be ticketed for overtime parking, which is Parking Violation 4.4.7 and towed immediately at the owner’s expense. All vehicles towed from lot will be placed in the Remote Lot east of the Performing Arts Center.

For more information about The Union’s parking situation, read this week’s issue that comes out Jan. 11.

The center’s programs assist students, build relationships and develop worldwide connections. Because of the wide range of programs, the office lends a hand to about 1,500 students.

The Multicultural Affairs office allows students to gain guidance from several programs and provides a place for students to congregate with one another. (Photo by Cassie Malik)

The office’s main priority is to provide students of diverse backgrounds with a support system and welcoming environment, said C.D. Douglas, executive director of Multicultural Affairs and the TRiO program.

“We want to make students feel at home and help them transition to SDSU,” Douglas said.

“It’s important because I feel like it gives minority students a place to congregate and a welcoming environment to turn to,” said Wendy Elad, a junior pre-pharmacy student involved with the Black Student Alliance.

Douglas focuses on more than just being the director.  He develops friendships with students through being the advisor for the Black and Latin American Students’ Associations.

“C.D. makes it a point of not just being a mentor, but also a friend,” Elad said.

Multicultural Affairs provides services to the African, Chinese, Indian and Nepalese Students’ Associations, International Relations Council, and Native American Club, according to the Multicultural Affairs page on SDSU’s website.

About 600 students of different ethnicity at SDSU have the option of using the Multicultural Center, though many students choose not to, said Douglas.

Helping minority students is not the only way the office assists the student body.  The office offers disability services to students.

The office provides services to 281 students with documented disabilities, said Nancy Hartenhoff-Crooks, coordinator of disability services. These students have a range of disabilities from learning to medical. Hartenhoff-Crooks said a majority of these students have hidden disabilities, like learning-related disabilities for instance.

Such students are provided services that include scanning and printing documents in larger font for easier reading, making sure classrooms are accessible, recorded lectures and more time for taking exams, Douglas said.

Hartenhoff-Crooks said disability services are available on and off the campus, including all of SDSU’s satellite education centers. The largest number of off-campus students using disability services is located at the University Center in Sioux Falls, she said.

Another program is International Affairs.  Even though it has been a part of Multicultural Affairs for some time, the program will be moved by next summer.

Kathleen Fairfax, assistance vice president of International Affairs and Outreach, said International Affairs will join offices with the Student Study Abroad Program.

“These services are fairly similar and it’s good to have these students working together,” Fairfax said.

The program’s main purpose is to assist international students with immigration requirements and to help students acclimate to SDSU, Fairfax said. The program includes about 250 students this semester who will get advising, orientation and involvement with student organizations.

“We do anything to support our international students, including being a point of referral for other services on campus,” Fairfax said.

Possible locations are being looked into, Fairfax said. Until then, International Affairs will join Study Abroad in a temporary office in Wecota Hall, she said.

After separating, the Multicultural Center have will a five-member staff and will include a program advisor for Multicultural Affairs, both a Disability Services coordinator and program assistant, an executive director of Multicultural Affairs, and a secretary, Douglas said.

“Any student can come down here and utilize the space.  It’s the Multicultural Center, but all students are welcome” Douglas said.

Soccer Coach Luma Mufleh and her team of young refugees in a rural community are the inspiration for the 2011 SDSU Common Read and a variety of enrichment activities surrounding the book describing their experiences.

The Common Read is a program to enhance student learning and engagement through a common intellectual experience.

The common read program was instituted in Fall 2009 to increase diversity awareness at SDSU. According to Tim Nichols, dean of the Honors College and coordinator of the common read initiative, SDSU was not performing to the standards of the National Survey for Student Engage­ment — an organization that works towards things like exposure to diversity, pro­viding enriching educational experiences and active and collaborative learning.

“We are thrilled that both the book’s author, New York Times Columnist Warren St. John, and its central figure, Coach Luma Mufleh, will be on campus this fall,” said Nichols, dean of the SDSU Honors College and coordinator of the common read initiative.

Outcasts United tells the inspiring story of the Fugees, a refugee soccer team in rural Georgia, who come together despite differences to overcome obstacles and find friendships, strength and success. “The lessons of the book are important for our students and our community,” Nichols said.

The common read initiative will include more than readings, quizzes and classroom lectures. “We have put together a compelling series of enriching educational experiences designed to actively engage students and community members in the themes of the book,” Nichols said. “We are particularly excited about possibilities for involvement with SDSU, Brookings and Sioux Falls soccer,” he said. “Sport brings people together, and soccer is truly a global game. As Coach Mufleh suggests, the Fugees are about changing the world, one game at a time.”

This fall’s common read activities begin with a “Kicking It” event at 7 p.m. Sept. 20, in Frost Arena featuring comments fromSDSU Women’s Soccer Coach Lang Wedemeyer and conversation about soccer and diversity.

At 7 p.m. Sept, 22, in Agriculture Engineering 100, Amy Zimbelman of Lutheran Social Services in Sioux Falls will present “Refugees in South Dakota: Who Are the New Faces?”

The South Dakota World Affairs Council will host the Consul General of Mexico Sept. 26 to talk about issues that include immigration and relations between Mexico and the U.S.
It will be Common Read Day at the SDSU Women’s Soccer team’s home game against Oral Roberts, starting at 6 p.m. Sept. 30, at the Fishback Soccer Park. The SDSU team will also host a soccer clinic at the fields for local youth on Oct. 16.

An award-winning documentary, God Grew Tired of Us, tells the harrowing story of three Sudanese “lost boys” and their journey to America, and it will be shown at 7 p.m. Oct. 3, in Alumni Auditorium at the South Dakota Art Museum.

A common read hunger banquet community night is scheduled at 7 p.m. Oct. 11, on campus in the Volstorff Ballroom at The Union. This annual event features a meal based on world food distribution along with a panel discussion about local service opportunities. Tickets are $2 each and are available throughSDSU’s Teaching and Learning Center.

The book’s author, St. John, will give an address at 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Performing Arts Center titled, “The Changing Face of America: Building Communities Through Diversity.”

Coach Luma Mufleh will cap the common read sequence of events when she delivers the Griffith Honors Forum Lecture in Frost Arena at 7 p.m. Nov. 9. Free tickets are required for admission and will be available on line in October.

This marks the third year of SDSU’s common reading program. Past books included Mountains Beyond Mountains in 2009 and Three Cups of Tea in 2010. As was the case in 2010, the city of Brookings will partner with SDSU in the common readprogram. Local benefactors will provide Brookings public school students with copies of Outcasts United or related age-appropriate material.

Portions courtesy of sdstate.edu/news