WEDNESDAY SPORTS, NOVEMBER 4, 2026
MITCHELL KERNELS
— Mitchell Kernels volleyball were swept at O’Gorman on Tuesday night 3-0, losing 25-13, 25-19, 25-16. Nia Talley led Mitchell with 12 kills, while Ruthie Robinson led O’Gorman with 14 kills. The Kernels fell to 8-14 on the season and will host Tea Area on Thursday night at 7 pm for Senior Night to wrap up the regular season. The No. 12 seed Mitchell could return to Sioux Falls next week to face No. 5 seed O’Gorman next Thursday in the Class AA SoDAK 16.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN.
— Grand View defeated Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball 77-72 on Tuesday night in Des Moines, handing the Tigers their first loss of the season. DWU trailed by as many as 20 points in the second half but rallied to get within three in the final seconds. Tyson Stevenson and Ethan Determan led the Tigers with 11 points apiece. Dakota Wesleyan falls to 2-1 and will be at York (Neb.) on Saturday at 2 pm.
— Dakota Wesleyan volleyball closed its regular season with a 3-0 sweep of Waldorf on Tuesday night. The Tigers won 25-9, 25-14, 25-20 to finish the regular season 18-10 overall and 7-9 in the GPAC. Keatyn Liebsack led DWU with 13 kills, while Madisyn Grimsrud added 10. Kayleigh Hybertson recorded 40 assists. The Tigers will face the No. 2 seed Concordia on Saturday in the GPAC tournament quarterfinals at 7:30 pm.
— Dakota Wesleyan women’s soccer lost at Morningside 3-1 in the GPAC tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday night. The Tigers end the season with a 5-4-7 record.
— Dakota Wesleyan sophomore Evan Bolster has been named the GPAC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season. The Ireland native scored twice in the regular-season finale against Briar Cliff and added another goal in the GPAC quarterfinals. Bolster ranks second in the conference with 12 goals and third with 27 points, helping DWU reach the GPAC tournament semifinals for the first time in 15 years.
— No. 2 Dakota Wesleyan women’s basketball, 2-0 on the season, will face Dakota State in Seward, Neb. on Friday at 2 pm.
— Dakota Wesleyan men’s soccer faces top-seed Concordia on Friday in Seward, Nebraska at 7 pm in the GPAC tournament semifinals.
— Dakota Wesleyan football, 4-5 on the season and 4-4 in the GPAC, hosts No. 12 Dordt on Saturday at 1 pm.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State men’s basketball opened its season with a 68-66 win at Kansas State on Tuesday night. The Jackrabbits overcame injuries to their starting frontcourt and a second-half deficit to earn their first win over a Big 12 opponent since 2020. Redshirt freshman Davis Kern led SDSU with 24 points in his college debut. Kalen Garry and Jon Mekonnen each added 14 points. The Jackrabbits led by six with 90 seconds remaining and held on when Kansas State’s final shot fell short. SDSU will have its home opener on Friday night vs. Briar Cliff at 8:30 pm.
— South Dakota State’s Sylvie Zgonc and Taylor Byl have earned Summit League Volleyball Player of the Week honors. Zgonc was named Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season after recording 52 kills and 30 digs in two matches against St. Thomas and Omaha. Byl earned her third consecutive Defensive Player of the week award after totaling 16 blocks, averaging 1.6 per set.
— South Dakota State volleyball, 11-10 overall and 7-3 in Summit League play, will be at Oral Roberts on Thursday at 7 pm. The Jacks sit two game back of USD for first place in the conference with four matches remaining in the regular season.
— South Dakota State women’s soccer hosts St. Thomas on Friday at 6 p.m. in a Summit League tournament quarterfinal.
— South Dakota State women’s basketball hosts Northern Iowa on Friday at 6 pm.
— No. 5 South Dakota State football will be at Northern Iowa on Saturday at 1 pm. Coverage starts with the Jackrabbit pregame show at 11 am on KORN News Radio.
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD men’s basketball hosts Northern Kentucky on Wednesday at 7 pm.
— USD women’s basketball hosts UTRGV on Friday at 11 am.
— USD women’s soccer travels to Omaha on Friday for a 2:30 p.m. Summit League tournament quarterfinal.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
— Undefeated Miami is the top team in the first College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday. Georgia is second, followed by undefeated Utah and defending national champion Indiana. Alabama is fifth, while Notre Dame sits 11th despite being ranked fourth in the latest AP poll. Ohio State is 12th after suffering its second loss. The rankings include 10 SEC teams in the top 25. Miami hosts Notre Dame on Saturday in one of several key matchups that could shake up the playoff picture.
MLB
— Major League Baseball owners have proposed delaying the start of a salary cap until 2028 as labor negotiations continue with the players’ union. The proposal includes a $258 million spending cap and a $180 million minimum payroll. Owners say the delay would give teams time to adjust, while also proposing higher minimum salaries and increased player bonuses. The players’ union remains firmly opposed to a salary cap, calling the plan harmful to the sport. The current labor agreement expires Dec. 1, raising the possibility of a lockout that could threaten the 2027 season.
— The Seattle Mariners have hired 36-year-old Jason Kanzler as their new manager. Kanzler comes from the Chicago Cubs organization, where he served as director of player development. He replaces Dan Wilson, who was fired after Seattle finished 76-86 this season. Kanzler has no previous managerial experience but spent five seasons in the Houston Astros organization, including serving as an assistant hitting coach. He becomes the second-youngest manager in Major League Baseball.
NASCAR
— Spire Motorsports has suspended NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar for Sunday’s season finale at Miami following his on-track actions at Martinsville. Hocevar was accused of intentionally brake-checking Austin Cindric, causing multiple collisions that damaged Cindric’s car. Hocevar denied acting intentionally but later apologized, saying he crossed the line. Justin Haley will replace Hocevar in the No. 77 Chevrolet. Hocevar is expected to return to the team in 2027.
NFL
— The Buffalo Bills have released safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, one day after completing a one-game suspension for spitting at Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. Gardner-Johnson started Buffalo’s first six games, recording 26 tackles, two pass breakups and one interception. The 28-year-old signed with the Bills during the offseason.
NHL
— The Winnipeg Jets snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 5-4 overtime win over Montreal after trailing 4-0. Winnipeg scored four goals in 2 minutes, 8 seconds, tying the game with 32 seconds left. It marked the latest four-goal comeback in NHL history
NBA
— The Oklahoma City Thunder will retire Russell Westbrook’s No. 0 jersey Feb. 7 when they host the New York Knicks. Westbrook played 11 seasons in Oklahoma City and remains the franchise leader in points, rebounds, assists and several other categories. He won the NBA MVP award in 2017 after becoming the second player in league history to average a triple-double for an entire season,
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS – SEMIFINALS – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6
CLASS 11AAA
No. 1 SF Jefferson vs. No. 4 Harrisburg, 5 pm
No. 2 SF Lincoln vs. No. 3 Brandon Valley, 7:30 pm
CLASS 11AA
No. 1 Pierre vs. No. 5 Sturgis
No. 2 Yankton vs. No. 3 Watertown, 7 pm
CLASS 11A
No. 1 SF Christian vs. No. 5 Dell Rapids
No. 2 West Central vs. No. 3 Lennox
CLASS 11B
No. 1 Elk Point-Jefferson vs. No. 4 Winner
No. 2 St. Thomas More vs. No. 3 Clark/Willow Lake
CLASS 9AA
No. 1 Parkston vs. No. 4 Britton-Hecla
No. 2 Hamlin vs. No. 3 Platte-Geddes
CLASS 9A
No. 2 Freeman vs. No. 3 Castlewood
No. 5 Bennett County vs. No. 8 Kimball/White Lake
CLASS 9B
No. 1 Wall vs. No. 4 Avon
No. 2 Dell Rapids St. Mary’s vs. No. 3 Warner
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL REGIONS – TUESDAY, NOV. 3
REGION 5A
No. 4 McCook Central/Montrose 3, No. 5 Parker/Marion 2
No. 3 Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 3, No. 6 Bon Homme 0
REGION 2B
No. 3 Deubrook Area 3, No. 6 Wessington Springs 0
REGION 3B
No. 1 Colman-Egan 3, No. 9 Canistota 0
No. 2 Chester Area 3, No. 7 Ethan 0
No. 3 Dell Rapids St. Mary 3, No. 6 Hanson 0
No. 4 Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan 3, No. 5 Sanborn Central/Woonsocket 1
REGION 4B
No. 2 Parkston 3, No. 7 Viborg-Hurley 0
No. 3 Freeman 3, No. 6 Sioux Falls Lutheran 0
REGION 5B
No. 1 Avon 3, No. 9 Gregory 0
No. 2 Corsica-Stickney 3, No. 10 Crow Creek 0
No. 3 Lyman 3, No. 6 Tripp-Delmont/Armour 1
CLASS AA VOLLEYBALL – TUESDAY, NOV. 3
No. 2 Brandon Valley 3, Watertown 0
No. 3 SF Lincoln 3, Yankton 1
No. 5 RC Stevens 3, Spearfish 0
Huron 3, Pierre 0
Aberdeen Central 3, SF Roosevelt 0
SF Jefferson 3, Brookings 0
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL REGIONS – THURSDAY, NOV. 5
REGION 5A
No. 1 Wagner vs. No. 4 McCook Central/Montrose
No. 2 Lennox vs. No. 3 Mt. Vernon/Plankinton
REGION 6A
No. 2 Platte-Geddes vs. No. 3 Mobridge-Pollock
REGION 3B
No. 1 Colman-Egan vs. No. 4 Bridgewater-Emery
REGION 4B
No. 2 Parkston vs. No. 3 Ethan
REGION 5B
No. 1 Avon vs. No. 4 Burke
No. 2 Corsica-Stickney vs. No. 3 Lyman