College Athletic Triumphs
Multi-Sport Wave of Success: USD, Augustana, and SDSU Athletes Dominate 2025-26 Season Honors
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Rounds became the first USD Division I-era swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Championships in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles, while also setting four USD pool records (two of them in 2026).
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Ramberg finished the season 19-0 at 197 pounds and capped it with a 4-2 win over No. 2 Nicholas Johnson at the Division II Wrestling Championships, giving Augustana its 12th national champion and making him the program’s single-season and career tech-fall leader.
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Harland cleared 18 feet 5 1/2 inches (5.50 meters) to tie for 10th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, earning second-team All-America status and becoming the first Yote men’s athlete to earn All-America honors since 2021, while also winning the Summit League title at 17-10 1/4.
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Benhart started all 20 games for SDSU with a 0.71 GAA, .859 save percentage, and a 12-3-5 record; she had eight saves in a win over Wyoming (the most by a Jackrabbit keeper since 2019) and 85 saves on the season, earning Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year and contributing to SDSU’s third straight conference tournament title.
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Rohlwing closed a record-setting junior season with a school-record 10-under 62 in the final round of the La Tour Intercollegiate, finishing the year with a 71.56 scoring average and four top-10 finishes.
South Dakota college sports had one of its best years in recent memory, and six athletes are being recognized for it. The 2025-26 College Athletes of the Year span five sports across three schools — USD, SDSU, and Augustana — with standout performances at the national level in swimming, wrestling, pole vault, soccer, and golf, according to Sioux Falls Live.
The honorees include a national wrestling champion who went 19-0, a swimmer who made history at the NCAA Championships, and a goalkeeper who helped her team win a third straight conference crown. Together, they reflect a growing belief that South Dakota programs are no longer underdogs — they are contenders.
Ramberg Goes 19-0 and Wins Augustana's 12th Title
Max Ramberg of Augustana University capped a perfect season with a 4-2 win over No. 2 Nicholas Johnson at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. He finished 19-0 at 197 pounds. The title was the 12th in Augustana history, according to Augustana Athletics. Ramberg is also the program's single-season and career leader in technical falls.
Ramberg kept his eye on the process, not the record. "Staying undefeated was just a byproduct of the daily grind in our room," he said. "We knew the win over Johnson would be a dogfight." His 19-0 run has also put him on the radar for international freestyle competition ahead of the 2028 Olympic trials.
Rounds Makes NCAA History in the Pool for USD
Carina Rounds became the first University of South Dakota swimmer in the Division I era to qualify for the NCAA Championships in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles. She also won three individual titles at the Summit League Championships and was named Summit League Swimmer of the Year, per Sioux Falls Live. She set four USD pool records during the season, two of them in 2026.
Rounds credited the program's culture for her breakthrough. "Representing USD at the national meet in two events is a testament to what Coach Mahowald has built here," she said, per USD Media Relations. Her performance signals a new high-water mark for Coyote swimming on the national stage.
Harland and Benhart Shine in Vault, Soccer for Their Programs
Joe Harland cleared 18 feet 5.5 inches — 5.50 meters — to finish 10th at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene. That earned him second-team All-America honors and made him the first USD male athlete to earn All-America status since 2021, according to Sioux Falls Live. He also won the Summit League title at 17 feet 10.25 inches earlier in the season.
At SDSU, goalkeeper Jocelyn Benhart started all 20 games and posted a 0.71 goals-against average with a .859 save percentage. Her 12-3-5 record helped the Jackrabbits win their third straight Summit League Tournament title. "This third straight title is for the backline that makes my job easier every game," Benhart said, per The Brookings Register. She had 85 saves on the season, including eight in a single win over Wyoming.
Rohlwing's Record 62 Caps a Career-Best Golf Season
SDSU junior Ty Rohlwing shot a 10-under 62 in the final round of the La Tour Intercollegiate — a new school record. He finished the year with a 71.56 scoring average and four top-10 finishes, earning second-team All-Summit League honors, per Sioux Falls Live. His scoring average is one of the lowest in program history for a player at his stage.
Rohlwing's season has sparked talk of a dedicated indoor golf facility at SDSU to support future recruiting. Analysts note that his record-setting round puts him in the national conversation for collegiate golf. His junior season sets a high bar heading into his senior year in 2026-27.
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