The South Dakota State women’s basketball program signed its largest freshman class since 2009-10 with five members of the high school Class of 2018 signing National Letters of intent to enroll at SDSU and play for 18th-year head women’s basketball coach Aaron Johnston and the Jackrabbits.
Signing Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period, were: Paiton Burckhard, 6-0, F, Aberdeen, S.D. (Aberdeen Central High School); Jordan Ferrand, 6-2, F, Lino Lakes, Minn. (White Bear Lake High School); Addison Hirschman, 6-2, F, Kingsley, Iowa (Kingsley-Pierson High School); Lauren Rongisch, 5-7, PF, Omaha, Neb. (Millard West High School); Sydney Stapleton, 5-10, F, Blaine, Minn. (Centennial High School).
“We are honored to have Addison, Jordan, Lauren, Paiton, and Sydney join our Jackrabbit family. These student-athletes are incredibly talented basketball players and all five of them will be great additions to our campus and community,” Johnston said. “It was fun building relationships with them and their families throughout the recruiting process.
“Our staff is looking forward to helping them accomplish all of their collegiate goals, on and off the court.”
Burckhard is a two-time first-team Class AA all-state selection and three-time all-tournament pick at the state tournament.
She led the Golden Eagles to the state title in 2016 and a pair of third-place finishes in 2015 and 2017.
Additionally, Burckhard has been a three-time All-Eastern South Dakota Conference honoree.
The 1,000-point scorer and finalist for 2016-17 South Dakota Player of the Year enters her senior season averaging 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for her career.
Ferrand is a two-time All-Suburban East Conference selection after averaging 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Bears. The three-year letterwinner enters her senior season with more than 600 points and 400 rebounds.
Hirschman joined the 1,000-point club last season and enters her senior year averaging more than 22.2 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.8 blocks and 2.1 steals per game for her career.
She set school records for most points (486) and field-goal percentage (54.97) as a junior.
The 2016-17 Iowa Newspaper Association second-team all-state selection was a three-time Western Valley Conference pick and two-time Iowa Coaches Association all-region honoree.
Hirschman was named the Le Mars Daily Sentinel Player of the Year last season and Breakout Player in 2015.
Rongisch is a three-time all-state honorable mention selection, a second-team All-Metro pick in 2016 and honorable mention in 2015 and 2017 for the Wildcats.
Additionally, the three-year letterwinner was named to the All-Metro Conference Tournament team in 2016.
The two-time team captain, who helped Millard West to the 2016 Class A state title, enters her senior season with 593 points and averaging 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game for her career.
Rongisch also is shooting 30.6 percent from 3-point range and 71.8 percent from the free-throw line.
A four-year letterwinner, Stapleton enters her senior season with 866 points, 116 3-pointers, 503 rebounds, 192 assists, 65 blocks and 134 steals.
She is shooting 32 percent from 3-point range and 67.7 percent from the foul line.
Stapleton was an All-Minnesota Girls’ Basketball Association honorable mention all-state pick last year. She is a three-time Northwest Suburb Conference selection.
Stapleton helped the Cougars to the 2014 and 2015 Class 4A state basketball tournament and was twice awarded the team’s Miss Defense Award.
The South Dakota State women’s basketball program has made seven trips to the NCAA Tournament after winning seven Summit League Tournament titles.
The Jackrabbits have also won five regular-season league titles in the last nine years.
SDSU hosts NJIT Friday in its season and home opener at 6 p.m. in the friendly confines of Frost Arena.
