Yotes, Jacks Yearlong Competition Helped Raise $70,000 for Feeding South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The fifth annual Showdown Series – an athletic and academic competition between collegiate in-state rivals University of South Dakota Coyotes and South Dakota State University Jackrabbits – was won by USD with a score of 14-13.

Culminating the 2016-17 season, this marks the Coyotes’ second victory since Showdown inception, with SDSU winning the previous year, 16-11. Presented by South Dakota Corn, the South Dakota Showdown Series operates on a point system in which each school can earn a maximum of 22 points per year based on head-to-head competition between the Jacks and the Yotes in a total of 17 men’s and women’s athletic events. The universities are awarded points for academic success as well.

“This is such a unique partnership with the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council that has harnessed the rivalry between our schools for the betterment of those in the state,” said University of South Dakota Director of Athletics David Herbster. “The sportsmanship, service and academic excellence showcased through the South Dakota Showdown Series has only been enhanced each year to benefit the philanthropic efforts of Feeding South Dakota.”

The Series’ philanthropic partner Feeding South Dakota will be able to provide 350,000 meals for adults and children throughout the state due to the $70,000 donation from generous funds raised and the efforts of USD and SDSU fans, students and campus community. A significant portion of these monies for Feeding South Dakota resulted from the brand-new “Get Off the Bench” campaign which took place at several USD-SDSU rivalry games during the 2016-17 season. Both universities encouraged their fans and the community to “Get Off the Bench” in support of the overall goal to ultimately provide much-needed funding toward the state’s fight against hunger.

“All season long both SDSU and USD have been able to showcase academic and athletic excellence with the help of the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council,” SDSU Director of Athletics Justin Sell said. “As Division I institutions, we are proud to place a high value on sportsmanship and community service to meaningful organizations, such as Feeding South Dakota.”

According to South Dakota Corn’s Marketing Director Teddi Mueller, “Farmers’ No. 1 mission is to feed the world and do it in a sustainable manner. We’re taking it a step further by partnering with Feeding South Dakota and making it a priority to provide nutritious meals for those who are less fortunate. Through a series of events throughout the year, we’re able to raise a significant amount of money, which ensures that families don’t go hungry. The Showdown Series plays an important role in these efforts.”

Throughout the school year, Yotes and Jacks’ fans can visit www.sdcornshowdown.com, www.goyotes.com or www.gojacks.com to track progress and see point totals. Spearheading the initiative with the athletic departments and South Dakota Corn are Coyote Sports Properties and Jackrabbit Sports Properties, the multimedia rights holders for USD Athletics and SDSU Athletics respectively. Both are properties of Learfield, which manages multimedia rights for nearly 125 collegiate properties around the country. Other Learfield partners hosting rivalry series include Oklahoma/Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series) and Iowa/Iowa State (Cy-Hawk Series).