Jan. 31: The movie “Green and Gold” opened nationwide. It is about a Wisconsin dairy farmer who is in debt and bets everything that the Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl. Craig T. Nelson of the TV series “Coach” plays the farmer and Madison Lawlor plays his farming side-kick granddaughter. Lawlor grew up in Rapid City and was a track star at Rapid City Stevens.
Feb. 1: Pierre graduate and North Dakota State University offensive lineman Grey Zabel was named the top practice player for the Reese’s Senior Bowl college football all-star game. Zabel, who can play every OL position well, earned the prestigious award in a poll of NFL executives from all 32 teams. NFL scouts and various media said the 6-foot-6, 305-pound Zabel was impressive during the game’s three days of practice in Mobile, AL. The American Team defeated Zabel’s National Team 22-19 in the Senior Bowl. Zabel’s parents, Mark and Tanna (Negaard) Zabel, were athletic standouts at Northern State.
Feb. 1: The USC men’s basketball team ended No. 7 Michigan State’s 13-game winning streak, handing the Spartans their first loss in the Big Ten 70-64. USC is coached by Eric Musselman. Musselman’s first head coaching job came at the age of 23 when he was hired by the Rapid City Thrillers of the Continental Basketball Association in 1989. He was the youngest coach in CBA history and the fastest to win 100 games.
Feb. 1: Providence Academy (MN) junior guard Maddyn Greenway became the fourth high school girls’ basketball player in Minnesota history to reach 4,000 career points when she scored 38 points in the Lions’ 101-68 victory over St. Michael-Albertville. She is the daughter of former Minnesota Vikings’ standout Chad Greenway, a Mount Vernon native. Greenway is the third to reach the milestone in the past five weeks. Minnehaha Academy senior Addison Mack surpassed the mark Dec. 28. Crosby-Ironton junior Tori Oehrlein surpassed 4,000 points Jan. 28. Rebekah Dahlman of Braham is the all-time leading scorer with 5,060 points.
Feb. 2: Doland native Duane Koslowski (Aug. 16, 1959-Feb. 2, 2025) of Palmyra (Va.) has died at age 65. Duane and twin brother Dennis (two-time Olympic medalist) were wrestlers for Team USA at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Duane placed eighth at 130 kilograms after injuring his shoulder against the eventual gold medalist Alexander Karelin of Soviet Union during the fourth round match and was unable to continue. Duane was a three-time national Greco Roman champion at the 130 kg weight class from 1986 to 1988. He won the 1987 Pan American Games and was a place winner at a couple of world championships. Duane was a football All-American and national wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota-Morris. At Doland High School, Duane was an all-state football player and a state champion wrestler. Duane and Dennis along with twins Bill and Jim Scherr (also Olympic wrestlers) of Mobridge appeared on the Regis Philbin show prior to the 1988 Olympics.
Feb. 2: Alabama hired Ryan Grubb as its offensive coordinator. The move reunites Grubb with his long-time coaching partner, Milbank native and Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. They first coached together in 2007 at the University of Sioux Falls. Grubb was fired after one season as the OC of the Seattle Seahawks and Alabama went 9-4 in DeBoer’s first season with the Tide and did not make the playoffs.

Feb. 5: The SDSU women’s basketball team has made it a tradition to play in rare air. Coach Aaron Johnston and his Jackrabbits now have three 1,000-point scorers playing together this season in Paige Meyer, Brooklyn Meyer and Haleigh Timmer, who just registered her 1,000th point. More rare air stuff by the Jacks: 57 straight regular-season conference wins; 14 straight 20-win seasons; 19 Summit League titles; 11 NCAA DI national appearances and five WNIT appearances, including the 2022 national WNIT title. Here is the SDSU 1,000-point club:

1, Macy Miller (2014-19) 2,355; 2. Myah Selland (2017-23) 2,167; 3. Shannon Schlagel (2001-05) 1,887; 4. Megan Vogel (2003-0) 1,850; 5. Madison Guebert (2015-19) 1,821; 6. Paiton Burckhard (2018-23) 1,769; 7. Melissa Pater (1999-03) 1,747; 8. Brenda Davis (2000-04) 1,688; 9. Jennifer Johnson (1981-85) 1,678; 10. Deb Van Klei (1985-89) 1,621; 11. Karla Stevenson (1983-87) 1,562; 12, Kristin Rotert (2007-11) 1,484; 13. Leah Klaassen (1994-98) 1,466; 14. Sherri Brende (1997-01) 1,444; 15. Tara Tessier (1984-88) 1,424; 16. Nancy Joyce (1976-80) 1,411; 17. Megan Waytashek (2010-15 )1,390; 18. Tylee Irwin (2017-22 )1,379; 19. (tie) Kerri Young (2013-17) 1,370; 19. (tie) Laurie Kruse (1987-91) 1,370; 21. Maria Boever (2006-10) 1,360; 22. Jill Young (2008-12) 1,356; 23, Jennifer Warkenthien (2005-09) 1,349; 24. Angela Swenson (1993-97) 1,335; 25. Pat Dobratz (1970-74) 1,334; 26. (tie) Erin Reiten (1992-96) 1,281; 26. (tie) Carleen Rose (1989-93) 1,281; 28. Ellie Thompson (2014-18) 1,278; 29. Jodi Bergemann (1990-94) 1,270; 30. Lora Kluis (1995-99) 1,235; 31. Jennie Sunnarborg (2008-12) 1,232; 32. Ann Just (1992-96) 1,227; 33. Paige Meyer (2021-) 1,223; 34, Lisa Kurtenbach (1985-89) 1,174; 35. Brooklyn Meyer (2022-) 1,158; 36. Rachel Halsrud (1990-
94) 1,154; 37. Tori Nelson (2019-2024) 1,149; 38. Lori Fish (1986-90) 1,133; 39. Lisa Kannegieter (1990-94) 1,130; 40. Dawn Hull (1992-96) 1,125; 41. Ashley Eide (2009-12) 1,095; 42. Ketty Cornemann (2006-10) 1,042; 43. Haleigh Timmer (2021-) 1012; 44. Sarita DeBoer (2001-05) 1,003.
Feb. 6: SDSU basketball had its two basketball centers honored as two of the best post players in the nation. SDSU men’s senior Oscar Cluff was named as one of 10 finalists for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. Jacks’ junior Brooklyn Meyer is up for the women’s award, the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year. Also up for the men’s award is Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia. He is the son of former Black Hills State standout athletes David and Stacy Garcia. Stacy is a Milbank native.
Feb. 6: NSU standout Madelyn Bragg became the 37th women’s basketball player in NSU history to scored more than 1,000 points. She is a junior and an Aberdeen Roncalli graduate. Julie Jensen (1991-95) is the NSU leading scorer in program history with 2,058 points followed by: Jammie Coyle (1996-2000) 1,879; Noelle Hall (2004-08) 1,691; Renee Ruesink (1984-88) 1,638; Barb Schmidt (1989-93) 1,610; Rianna Fillipi (2020-) 1,579; Miranda Ristau (2014-18) 1,461; Rachel Krogman (2011-15) 1,440; Lori Burkhardt (1977-81) 1,434; Ronda Moe (1981-85) 1,428; Jane Nicolaisen (1976-80) 1,375; Janel Birrenkott (1982-86) 1,352; Cathy Coyle (1979-83) 1,342; Jane Konz (1987-91) 1,341; Michelle Cox (1984-88) 1,328, and Emily Becken (2008-12) 1,328; Memory Johannsen (1997-01) 1,320; Alison Kusler (2010-14) 1,289; Beth Barnes (1976-80) 1,287; Jill Conrad (2014-18) 1,283; Jenny Seesz (1991-95) 1,269; Chris Swanhorst (1993-97) 1,260; Myrna Becker (1976-80) 1,243; Deb Esche (1980-84) 1,203; Tanna Negaard (1986-90) 1,192; Amanda Mikuska (1996-2000) 1,186; Shari Carney (1993-97) 1,180; Carolin Becker (2003-07) 1,172; Brianna Kusler (2016-20) 1,129; Tami Jones (1987-91) 1,117; Lexi (Wadsworth) Roe (2018-22) 1,110; Nancy King (1991-95) 1,079; Mikayla Barondeau (2008-12) 1,062; Paige Waytashek (2013-17) 1,043; Carin Rambow (2000-04) 1,026; Madelyn Bragg (2022-) 1,020; and Laura Hummel (1980-84) 1,017.

Feb. 7: Rapid City Stevens has a new all-time leading girls’ basketball scorer. Senior Taaliyah Porter now has 1,432 career points, surpassing WNBA legend Becky Hammon, who scored 1,417 in her career.

Feb. 8: Class A boys’ basketball in South Dakota has a new single-game record holder. Marvin Richard III scored 62 points to help Pine Ridge defeat Lakota Tech. The junior is averaging 35.2 points per game and has six games of 40 or more points this season. The old Class A record of 60 points in a game was held by Alejandro Rama of Mahpiya Luta (formerly Red Cloud) and Josh Mueller of West Central. Rama scored 60 in his team’s 82-72 win over St. Francis on Feb. 1, 2019. Mueller scored 60 in his team’s 94-80 win over Sioux Valley in the State A Tournament semifinals on March 16, 2001.

Feb. 9: Britton-Hecla and SDSU graduate Dallas Goedert and his Philadelphia Eagles’ teammates won Super Bowl LIX (59) 44-22 over the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Goedert has established himself as one of the top tight ends in the NFL.

Feb. 10: For the fifth time this season and fourth time in the last six weeks, Grace Larkins (Altoona, IA) of USD was named the Summit League player of the week. Larkins broke her own school record in scoring 47 points in a 75-65 losing effort to NDSU on Feb. 8.

Feb. 11: Rapid City Christian defeated Belle Fourche 77-36 in boys’ basketball. RCC teammates Benson Kieffer and Julius Frog each surpassed 1,000 career points in the game.

Feb. 11: Watertown senior Emery Thury collected 21 points and 12 rebounds to pace the Arrows over Sioux Falls Jefferson 50-37 in girls’ basketball. It was the first time in varsity basketball that a Watertown team beat SFJ since the school opened in 2021. The Arrow girls are now 1-4 against SFJ and the WHS boys are 0-5 against the Cavaliers.

Feb. 12: One of South Dakota’s most iconic basketball arenas has received a $1.5 million technology upgrade to replace outdated equipment. The 74-year-old Huron Arena has a new scoreboard and other updates. The arena will host the State B girls’ basketball tourney March 13-15.

Feb. 14: Neighboring towns Ethan and Parkston – 14 miles apart – played each other in girls’ basketball for the first time in 44 years. Ethan won 47-31 just as the Rustlers did in 1981 when they beat Parkston 40-25 (Linda Neugebauer 13 for EHS) for seventh-place in the State B tourney. Ella Pollreisz led the 2025 Ethan charge with 17 points and six rebounds.

Feb. 15: Paige Meyer scored 23 for SDSU as the Jackrabbits defeated USD 71-61 to win the Jacks’ 60th regular-season Summit League game in a row. SDSU’s last conference loss was 65-42 to USD on Jan. 8, 2022. For USD, Grace Larkins scored 23 to become the third player in program history to have scored more than 2,000 points. Mandy Koupal (2001-04) is the USD career leader with 2,142 points while Nicole Seekamp (2012-16) is second with 2,056. With the win, SDSU clinched its fifth conference title in a row and the No. 1 seed in the March 5-9 Summit League Tournament. This was the 103rd meeting between the two schools with SDSU leading the series 68-35.

Feb. 16: Dakota State graduate and veteran NBA official Tre Maddox worked the 74 th annual NBA All-Star Mini-Tournament in San Francisco. Maddox visited Madison and his college last fall.
Feb. 17: Aberdeen’s Olivia Braun took second place at the Phoenix Junior Open in Mesa (AZ). The junior at Aberdeen Central shot a tournament best round of 67 on the final day at Toka Sticks Golf Club to finish with a 54-hole total of 218, just three strokes off the pace of tourney winner Nicole Iniakov of Prunedale (CA). Braun had rounds of 76 and 75 to start the three-day tourney.
Feb. 18: The Minnesota men’s basketball team made the most of their trip to California to play Big Ten opponents USC (Feb. 15) and UCLA (Feb. 18). The Gophers rallied from 14 points down to beat USC 69-66. Three days later, Minnesota rallied from 17 points down to beat UCLA 64-61. During the two games, the Gophers got 39 points, 16 rebounds, three steals, and three assists from Dawson Garcia (whose parents were former Black Hills State standout athletes). Meanwhile, former NSU star and fellow Minnesota starter Parker Fox gave the Gophers solid minutes as well.
Feb. 19: Jacksen Moni had 28 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals to lead NDSU over SDSU 77-68. Moni is a former NSU standout. It was the SDSU’s first loss at First Bank & Trust Arena in Brookings where the Jacks are 12-1. First Bank & Trust Arena opened this season when the former Frost Arena received a $66 million makeover.
Feb. 20: The heart of the Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team turned 26. Former NSU standout Parker Fox is in his eighth and final season of college basketball and is one of the oldest college players in the nation.
Feb. 20: Former NSU basketball standout Steve Smiley now has the most wins (84) in the NCAA DI era at the University of Northern Colorado. The Bears began its DI era in the fall of 2005. Thurman Wright is the winningest men’s basketball coach in UNC history as his teams won 156 games from 1960-83. Smiley is sixth in wins at UNC.
Feb. 21: Rapid City Stevens senior Taaliyah Porter is now her school’s leading scorer in basketball, girls or boys. In doing so, she surpassed a couple of RCS graduates who became successful professionals. Former NBA veteran Eric Piatkowski held the RCS school record for boys (1,517 points) and WNBA legend Becky Hammon (1,417 points) held the girls’ mark. Porter now has 1,529 points.
Feb. 22: After a 2-26 season, NSU parted ways with its men’s basketball coach. Saul Phillips spent six seasons with the Wolves. In stops at NDSU (starting in 2007), Ohio University and then NSU, Phillips’ teams have gone 316-233. His NSU teams went 101-72, with three conference titles, three national tourney appearances and two conference tourney titles.
Feb. 23: The Yankton Fire/EMS and Yankton Police Department/County Sheriff’s Office held their annual “Battle of the Badges” basketball game won by Fire/EMS 47-45. Also, Yankton High graduate, USD freshman, and Paralympic badminton silver medalist, Miles Krajewski, schooled Yankton school administrators Tony Beste and Carey Mitzel in a badminton exhibition. The event raised more than $13,000 for Yankton Special Olympics and a scholarship fund for YHS seniors.
Feb. 23: The NSU women’s basketball team (18-10) ended another successful regular season with weekend home wins over No. 17 Southwest Minnesota State 78-75 and the University of Sioux Falls 75-72. The Wolves also honored its three seniors Rianna Fillipi (Lennox), Michaela Jewett (Brookings) and Alayna Benike (Castlewood). In attendance was Jewett’s dad, Mike, a Flandreau native who is a former SDSU and USD assistant who now is a women’s assistant coach at Creighton.

Feb. 23: In his travels with CBS Sports Network, play-by-play sportscaster Alex Heinert did seven broadcasts in 10 days that covered four states in three time zones. The White River native traveled about 6,000 miles.
Feb. 24: KELO did a feature on 2019 Lennox graduate Rianna Fillipi, who is in her final year of playing basketball at NSU. Wolves coach Paula Krueger, who has been around the Aberdeen university’s program for many years as a player, assistant and head coach, told the Sioux Falls-based TV station that there hasn’t been another player like her in NSU history. She is the first player in program history to record more than 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 250 steals.
Feb. 26: One pro hockey team’s winning streak continued while another one collapsed at The Monument Ice Arena in Rapid City. The Rapid City Rush defeated the Idaho Steelheads 4-3 in overtime on Blake Bennett’s goal 45 seconds into extended play. The Rush has now won 10 games in a row while Idaho’s 12-game winning streak ended. This is Rapid City’s longest winning streak since it joined the ECHL in 2014. The Rush began play in 2008.
Feb. 27: Ashlyn Koupal of Wagner registered a rare quadruple double in her Red Raiders’ 55-38 win over McCook Central-Montrose. Only a junior who has accomplished the feat before, Koupal had 19 points, 19 rebounds, 11 blocks, 10 assists plus three steals.
Feb. 28: The No. 1 Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team ended the month defeating No. 11 Auburn 197.925 to 196.9. Helping the sooners take care of business was South Dakotan Danielle Sievers of Gary. The Deuel High School graduate is a multiple All-American who has helped the Sooners win two national titles.
Feb. 28: After 29 seasons, Brent Norberg is retiring as a head boys’ basketball coach to spend more time with his family. Norberg coached nine seasons at Chester, and then the last 20 at Aberdeen Central. He won a State A title at Chester in 2004 and his Golden Eagles were State AA runners-up three times. Norberg also guided the Chester girls’ basketball program to a 59-23 record in six seasons; his career boys’ record was 332-313. Norberg played basketball at Watertown and NSU and was later a student assistant men’s basketball coach to former NSU head coach and athletic director Bob Olson. Norberg was an all-state player at Watertown who as a senior in 1991 led the Arrows (19-4) to their first Eastern South Dakota Conference title in 32 years and a fourth-place finish in the state tourney. Norberg replaced Derek Robey as the Aberdeen Central boys’ head coach in 2005; Robey took over the Sioux Falls O’Gorman program. Norberg led the Golden Eagles to State AA runner-up finishes in 2007, 2010 and 2017, all titles won by SFO.

Email us at dave@sdsportscene.com if you think we missed something or if you have an event you would like us to consider for this feature.