At South Dakota State University (SDSU), there is a culture of giving, says senior associate athletic director for development Ryan Christy.
One alumnus who started this movement was Jerry Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines in Northern California. A 1958 graduate, Lohr continued to support his alma mater with substantial donations, creating a ripple effect for others to step up.
“If he wouldn’t have started a culture of giving, you wouldn’t see any athletic facilities that we have now,” said Christy.
While there are too many donors to list (a good problem to have), there are a few honorable mentions, including Van and Barb Fishback of First Bank & Trust, Dana Dykhouse of First PREMIER Bank, T. Denny Sanford, the Larson Family Foundation of Larson Manufacturing, and Reece and Al Kurtenbach of Daktronics.
Christy also gives kudos to David Chicoine and Peggy Miller, who were both SDSU presidents during the NCAA Division I transition era.
This journey of philanthropy by “Jackrabbit Nation” also grew the SDSU Foundation, which has raised over $600 million for areas in the university with the Bold & Blue campaign.
605 was able to see some of these funds put into (impressive) action with a private tour of the First Bank & Trust Arena and Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
FROST ARENA
THE FROST ARENA OPENED IN 1973 AND SERVED MEMORABLE JACKRABBIT MOMENTS.
FIRST BANK & TRUST ARENA
Formerly the Frost Arena (named after former SDSU coach and athletic director R.B. “Jack” Frost), the First Bank & Trust Arena opened in the fall of 2024 with a complete renovation.
The multi-purpose, state-of-the-art facility serves as a competition venue for Jackrabbit basketball, volleyball, and wrestling.
“It still feels like the Frost Arena, but now you have that same warm feeling in a facility that’s brand new when it comes to concessions, restrooms, and accessibility,” said Christy. “That makes it a very unique venue.”
Athletic director Justin Sell kept nostalgia top of mind when working on the project, while envisioning what the future would look like.
Just up the stairs from the Brookings Health Box Office entrance is an homage to the original arena with a wall made completely from the old court and displays of historical photos, trophies, and a mural from the original floor.
“We reused all of the old floor and displayed it on the wall here in an artistic manner to really remember where Jackrabbit athletics has come from, Division II to Division I,” said Christy. “All of these squares you’ll see as you go along are a variety of memories and things that happened within the Frost Arena.”
“THIS WALL IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE THE ICONIC THING THAT EVERYONE SEES WHEN THEY COME IN HERE.”
Ryan Christy on the original arena display
DID YOU KNOW?
A LARGE AMOUNT OF THE FURNITURE IN THE FIRST BANK & TRUST ARENA WAS DONATED BY SOUTH DAKOTA FURNITURE MART.
The venue can seat up to 5,000 attendees, and includes a variety of guest experience options like the Midco Club, loge boxes, the Dakota Layers Deck, and more.
Brian and Darren Hefty of Hefty Seeds donated to create the Hefty Student Club to commemorate their time at SDSU and create memories for current and future students.
“Looking around, we have not really seen many other places, if at all, that have a premium type of space for students,” said Christy. “That was the vision for this area.”
Students continue to have their own entrance that faces campus for quick access to their section.
“The idea is they can walk over, enter here, and their student section is just around the corner,” said assistant athletic director Rachael Anello.
With the renovation complete, the team says all the video boards, bleachers and seating, flooring, sound system, lighting, and even paint are new—but the school spirit remains the same.
“Being able to interact with people on game day when they’re so excited to be here, or people’s faces lighting up if it’s their first time in this building, that’s my favorite part,” said Anello. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun.”
“THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SEASON TICKET HOLDERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE WITH US SINCE THE BEGINNING.”
rachael anello
DANA J. DYKHOUSE STADIUM
Jackrabbit football moved into their new home in the fall of 2016 with the completion of Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
The new venue started out with a bang, with the first game played on September 10, 2016 when the Jackrabbits defeated Drake University, 56-28. The first event at the stadium was the Jacks Bash concert days earlier, featuring country music artists Lee Brice, Little Big Town, and Luke Bryan.
At the time of our tour, SDSU was headed into their 10th season, and Christy says the last decade had flown by.
“This is arguably the best—if you combine the newest and best facility—in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level football,” said Christy.
With a capacity of 19,340 (up from 11,000), the stadium has a soy-based turf field with bleachers and chairback seats, suite and loge seating, and a 3,100-square-foot LED video board by Daktronics.
The facility’s namesake comes from lead donor Dana Dykhouse—a former 1970s SDSU football player whose team number was 71.
“TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT’S STILL THE BIGGEST SCOREBOARD IN FCS FOOTBALL.”
Austin Buysse
CONTINUE THE CULTURE
WANT TO JOIN THE CULTURE OF GIVING AT SDSU? BE PART OF ONE DAY FOR STATE—A 24-HOUR GIVING CHALLENGE UNITING ALUMNI, FRIENDS, AND STUDENTS TO SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY. SDSU RAISED A WHOPPING $3.2 MILLION FROM 6,126 DONORS IN 2025. CELEBRATE “A DECADE OF GENEROSITY AND PRIDE” FOR THE 2026 EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 10.
“It was a $65 million project, and First PREMIER Bank is a big corporate sponsor of ours,” said Christy.
The game-day crowd continues to grow each year, and Christy says the average attendance is around 18,500 with four stadium sellouts in 2024.
“Most recently, we’ve been close to selling out the majority of our games in the regular season,” said assistant athletic director of facilities and events and operations Austin Buysse.
Along with general seating, Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium offers 29 Executive Suites and Community Suites on the west side of the venue, accommodating guests with indoor and outdoor seating. There are also Loge Boxes and Club Seats available.
The President’s Suite can hold up to 60 people and is used for hosting a variety of constituents, donors, and campus partners.
“You can’t substitute the hospitality and entertainment you can provide,” said Christy.
Club-level ticket holders also have access to Club 71—a premium, climate-controlled experience that includes complimentary food and beverages, indoor lounge seating, and extra-wide outdoor chairback seating.
GET YOUR GEAR
STOP BY THE JACKRABBIT CENTRAL STADIUM STORE LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE DANA J. DYKHOUSE STADIUM. BONUS: THIS LOCATION FEATURES MANY ITEMS NOT FOUND IN OTHER JACKRABBIT CENTRAL STORES.
The 12,000-square-foot space can hold up to 500 guests and opens two hours prior to kick-off.
“During football games we have couches, pub tables, and round tables out here for our club scene,” said Buysse. “Anyone from the suite level can come down here and hang out, so we have a lot of people in here.”
Outside of football games, Club 71 is used for around 85 events a year, including holiday parties, weddings, career fairs, and corporate events. Meeting rooms are also available, like the Coughlin-Alumni Lounge, ideal for breakout discussions or welcoming “special guests.”
When it does come to game day, though, the SDSU crew says the stadium is the heartbeat of Jackrabbit Nation.
“There’s a great palpable feeling on the day of football when you’re walking around the city, but it’s especially felt here,” said Buysse.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT SDSTATE.EDU+
