Head coach John Stiegelmeier announced Wednesday that 21 standout players have committed to play for the Jackrabbit football program and will continue their education at South Dakota State University.

In announcing the recruiting class on the first day of the national signing period, Stiegelmeier said: “We are excited about this signing class for a number of reasons. First of all, they are a picture of what our program is based on — great student-athletes who will fit in and make a difference in all that they touch. Secondly, I am excited about the number of good schools that we went head to head with during recruiting and won the battle. Finally, we are excited for the signing of this class because a busy recruiting season symbolically ends and our whole football program, including this class, can now focus on taking the next step as a program.”

Joining the Jackrabbits for the 2010 season are:
• Zacharia Bowers, 6-1, 230, defensive end, Topeka, Kan.;
• Alex Dominguez, 6-4, 280, offensive lineman, Ridgecrest, Calif.;
• Trevor Greger, 6-5, 285, offensive lineman, Wagner, S.D.;
• Matthew Korus, 5-11, 180, defensive back, Humphrey, Neb.;
• Nick Krings, 6-4, 215, defensive end, Humphrey, Neb.;
• Auston LaBlance, 6-3, 230, defensive end, Kansas City, Mo.;
• Nick Lee, 6-5, 220, tight end, Blue Earth, Minn.;
• Andrew Mueller, 6-4, 245, offensive lineman, Peculiar, Mo.;
• Nicholas Purcell, 6-3, 265, offensive lineman, Rapid City, S.D.;
• Ethan Sawyer, 6-2, 185, punter, Brandon, S.D.;
• Jason Schneider, 6-5, 210, wide receiver, Andover, Minn.;
• Jack Sherlock, 6-4, 215, linebacker, Chicago, Ill.;
• Alex Smith, 6-4, 240, offensive lineman, Scottsdale, Ariz.;
• Dijon Starr, 6-2, 260, defensive lineman, New Brighton, Minn.;
• Austin Sumner, 6-5, 215, quarterback, Brandon, S.D.;
• Justin Syrovatka, 5-9, 170, kicker, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
• Jordan Thomas, 6-2, 195, quarterback, Anaheim, Calif.
• Brad Tunge, 5-11, 205, running back, Monroe, S.D.;
• Eric Tuschen, 6-5, 230, defensive lineman, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
• Dom Wright, 6-0, 175, wide receiver, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; and
• Zachary Zenner, 6-0, 210, running back, Eagan, Minn.

Bowers, who already has enrolled at SDSU and will participate in spring practice, is a transfer from Fort Scott Community College (Kan.), where he recorded 16 sacks over two seasons. He also ranked among the league leaders with 6.5 tackles for loss in 2009. Previously, Bowers was an all-state selection at Shawnee Heights High School in Topeka, Kan. Bowers has yet to declare a major.

Dominguez played his first two seasons of college football at Antelope Valley College in Palmdale, Calif., where he was a two-time all-conference selection and all-state honoree as a sophomore. Dominguez earned all-conference honors in football and also competed in the throwing events in track and field at Burroughs High School, from which he graduated in 2008. He intends to major in sociology.

Greger anchored an offensive unit that amassed more than 11,000 yards of total offense during his four-year career at Wagner High School. Under the direction of coach Jason Knebel, Greger earned all-Southeast South Dakota honors three times and was an all-state selection each of the past two seasons. An all-around athlete, Greger has averaged a double-double for points and rebounds in basketball and also has competed in baseball and track and field. He plans to major in business.

Korus earned all-state honors three times as a running back for the Humphrey St. Francis football team, but will move to defensive back in college. The captain of the all-state team his senior season, Korus gained 2,108 yards on 238 carries, while scoring a school-record 49 touchdowns and 21 extra points. He added two receiving touchdowns to go along with 45 tackles and three interceptions. In addition, Korus has competed at the state track and field meet three times and has been an honorable mention all-conference basketball player two times. He plans to major in either construction management or business.

Krings was a force defensively on the Humphrey St. Francis state championship team his senior season, recording 89 total tackles, including 14 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and one safety en route to earning all-state honors and an invitation to play in the 2010 Nebraska Shrine Bowl. Krings, who was named to the Huskerland D-2 All-Decade Team, also earned all-state recognition as an offensive lineman in 2008. In addition to his success on the football field, Krings was an honorable mention all-state selection in basketball in 2009 and has lettered in track and field. An honor roll student, Krings plans to major in construction management and business management.

LaBlance, a finalist for the Bobby Bell Award as the top defensive player in the Kansas City metro area and a member of the Missouri All-Star Team, tallied more than 100 tackles in both his junior and senior seasons at University Academy in Kansas City. A three-time all-district honoree and two-time second-team all-state selection, he recorded 106 tackles and nine sacks as a junior and 121 tackles with 10 sacks and three interceptions his senior season. LaBlance also recorded more than 700 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a tight end. An honor roll student, LaBlance has been active in his community and has attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He is undecided about his college major.

Lee was a primary receiving target at Blue Earth Area High School last fall, catching 21 passes for 276 yards and accounting for eight touchdowns. He earned all-conference and first-team all-area recognition in football as a senior and has been an all-area honoree in basketball, as well. Although undecided about his college major, Lee is a member of the National Honor Society and was a recipient of the Triple A Award for arts, academics and athletics.

Mueller was a three-time all-conference selection at perennial power Raymore-Peculiar High School, while earning all-metro and all-state honors as a junior and senior. He also has been a member of the varsity wrestling program since his freshman year, placing sixth at the 2009 Class 4 state tournament in the heavyweight division and currently ranked second in the state as a senior. A three-time academic all-state selection, Mueller plans to major in engineering.

Purcell has excelled both academically and athletically at Rapid City Central High School. His senior season, Purcell recorded 84 tackles, including 13 for loss and two sacks, and also caught five passes in earning all-state honors. He also has competed in the throwing events at the state track and field meet and played varsity baseball two years. A member of the National Honor Society, he plans to major in nursing. Purcell also has served as a youth mentor and was a Boys’ State representative.

Sawyer handled both the punting and kicking duties at Brandon Valley High School, averaging 40 yards per punt his senior season and setting a school record with a 47-yard field goal. A state finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman award, Sawyer also earned all-Eastern South Dakota and honorable mention all-state recognition as a linebacker after leading the team in tackles during both his junior and senior seasons. An academic all-state selection and top-ranked student in his class, Sawyer plans to study pre-veterinary science.

Schneider put up big receiving numbers at Andover High School, finishing his career with 152 catches for 2,056 yards in earning all-Northwest Suburban Conference honors two times. Selected to play in the Minnesota All-Star Game this summer, Schneider set single-season school records with 72 receptions and 930 yards while receiving all-state recognition from the St. Paul Pioneer Press and all-metro honors from both the Minneapolis Star Tribune and KARE 11 Television. Schneider also has competed in track and field and has been a two-year starter in basketball. An academic all-state selection and a member of the National Honor Society, Schneider plans to pursue a degree in pharmacy.

Sherlock was a first-team all-area and second-team all-state selection at linebacker for Mount Carmel High School in Chicago his senior season, while also seeing playing time at safety and wide receiver. He also has played baseball and has held a light heavyweight boxing championship for the past three years. Sherlock plans to major in education.

Smith played two years at Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, earning first-team 5A Desert Valley all-region honors and honorable mention all-East Valley Tribune recognition for a squad that reached the state quarterfinals in 2009. An honor roll student, he plans to pursue a pharmacy degree.

Starr has earned all-state recognition in both football and track and field at Blaine High School. A two-time all-state honoree in football, Starr was named Northwest Suburban Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player this past season. He also has thrown the shot put 59 feet, placing third at the Minnesota state track and field meet as a junior. He is undecided about his college major.

Sumner rewrote the record book during a standout career at Brandon Valley High School. A three-year starter for coach Chad Garrow, Sumner set 14 school records and eight state passing records, including 7,612 career yards and 88 career touchdowns. A two-time all-state selection who was nominated to played in the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, Sumner was selected as South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year and was named captain of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45. He has yet to declare a college major.

Syrovatka (pronounced seer-oh-VAHT-kah) earned honorable mention all-state honors as Roosevelt High School won the state championship in 2007, setting a state record with 65 points after touchdowns. A 2009 all-city selection, he finished his prep career by making 12-of-20 field goal attempts. Syrovatka also has played on four Region II state champion soccer teams as a member of the Great Plains Force club team. A recipient of the President’s Education Award, Syrovatka plans to pursue a degree in pre-chiropractic medicine.

Thomas is a transfer from Santa Ana  College (Calif.), who is enrolled in classes at SDSU this spring. After playing sparingly as a freshman, Thomas took over the starting duties in 2009 and completed 53 percent of his passes for 1,851 yards with 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. An all-conference selection, Thomas set a single-game school record with five touchdown passes. Thomas graduated in 2008 from Canyon High School, where he earned all-league recognition three times. He plans to major in business economics.

Tunge (pronounced TUNG-ee) rolled up 5,699 career rushing yards and 70 touchdowns during his prep career at with the Marion and Hurley/Marion football programs. In earning Class 9AA all-state and Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 honors the past two seasons, Tunge rushed for 2,197 yards as a junior and 1,494 yards in four fewer games as a senior. Twice he topped the 300-yard mark in a game. Tunge has lettered four times in basketball and also has placed in the 200-meter dash three times and twice in the 100-meter dash at the state track and field meet. He plans to major in health promotion.

Tuschen (pronounced TOO-shun) anchored the defensive line at Roosevelt High School, setting a school record with 10.5 sacks and added 62 tackles during his senior season. A two-year starter and team captain, Tuschen was an all-Greater Dakota Conference pick and honorable mention selection to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45. Tuschen, who plans to major in environmental science, has been honored for his work in the classroom as an academic all-state selection.

Wright tallied more than 1,300 all-purpose yards and scored eight touchdowns during his senior season at Blue Springs South High School. An all-state honoree in both football and track, he was named the Independence Examiner Athlete of the Year in 2009. His football totals included 44 receptions for 793 yards, 27 tackles and five interceptions, along with 550 yards of punt and kickoff returns. As a junior, Wright finished second in the state track and field meet in the 200-meter dash, recording top times of 10.5 seconds in the 100 meters and 21.5 seconds in the 200. He intends to major in business.

Zenner was a finalist for the Minnesota Mr. Football Award after averaging 8.9 yards per carry for Eagan High School. He tallied 1,181 rushing yards, 122 receiving yards and scored 17 total touchdowns, including one on a kickoff return, in earning all-metro honors from both the Associated Press and KARE 11 Television. Zenner also was part of a state tournament-qualifying baseball team at Eagan High School last spring and has been honored an academic all-state teams. He is currently undecided on his college major.

South Dakota State ended the 2009 season with an 8-4 overall record in qualifying for the Division I Football Championship Playoffs for the first time. The Jackrabbits finished as runners-up in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with a 7-1 mark in league play and were ranked 11th in the final Sports Network and FCS Coaches polls of the season.