SIOUX FALLS — The South Dakota State men’s golf team was picked to finish third in the Summit League Championship in April in the preseason poll released by Summit League officials Thursday.

SDSU senior Ty Kretz was tabbed a player to watch. He led all Summit golfers this fall with a 71.0 stroke average over four events, posting nine of 12 rounds at par or better. He was the top Jackrabbit finisher in all four fall events with a pair of top-15 finishes. At the 2024 championship, Kretz tied for 12th with a 54-hole total of 212 (-4), helping the Jacks to a runner-up finish.

NDSU collected 97 total points to earn the top spot in the poll voted on by the League’s 11 head coaches. The Bison secured eight first-place votes in total, while the Golden Eagles collected two and finished second with 89 points. The Bison are seeking their third team title and first since 2018, while the Golden Eagles will be looking to claim their eighth overall championship and first since 2010.

South Dakota State earned the remaining first-place vote as the Jackrabbits finished third with 81 points. Reigning champion Kansas City was tabbed fourth with 75 points. The Roos won the team title a season ago, which was their fourth overall and second since rejoining the conference prior to the 2019-20 campaign.

St. Thomas took fifth with 67 points, while Denver was sixth with 53 points. The Coyotes, who are under the direction of first-year head coach Chad Green, claimed seventh with 41 points. Northern Colorado, a new affiliate member for the sport, followed in eighth with 36 points.

Omaha was pegged to finish ninth with 28 points, while Weber State, the second new affiliate for this year, trailed the Mavericks in 10th with 24 points. North Dakota rounded out the poll with 14 points.

The SDSU men kick off their spring schedule at the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate Feb. 24-26 in Palm Desert, California.

Women

The South Dakota State women’s golf team was picked to finish fourth at the Summit League Championship in April in the preseason poll released by conference officials Thursday.

Jackrabbit senior Piper Stubbs was named a player to watch. The Australia native played 28 rounds across 10 events last season and ranked second on the team with a 75.29 stroke average. She posted six top-10 finishes, two of which were top five, as a junior. She tied for 11th place at the 2024 Summit League Championship.

For the 12th consecutive season, Denver was selected by the Summit League’s eight head coaches to win the conference title in April. The Pioneers, who have represented the league at the NCAA Tournament 10 times since becoming a member in 2013-14, received all seven first-place votes they were eligible for and topped the poll with 49 points.

North Dakota State claimed the remaining first-place vote to finish in second with 41 points. Oral Roberts secured third with 38 points, while South Dakota State (27) and Omaha (26) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

St. Thomas was pegged to finish sixth with 23 points, while South Dakota sat in seventh with 13 points. North Dakota rounded out the poll with seven points.

The SDSU women start their spring season at the Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational on Feb. 21-23 in Greensboro, Georgia.