BROOKINGS Four South Dakota women took home titles at the Miss SDSU Scholarship Competition on Nov. 10 in the Larson Concert Hall.
SDSU students Sydney Morgan, Rylin Yerdon and Sydney VanDenHemel, along with Lee University graduate Emily Deinken, will advance to the Miss South Dakota 2025 Competition on May 29-31 at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center in Brookings. A total of 22 Miss contestants and six teen contestants participated in Sundays event, a record number for the Miss SDSU Scholarship Organization.
Sydney Morgan, 19, of Hot Springs was crowned Miss SDSU 2025 and was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. A Microbiology major at SDSU, Morgan gave a vocal performance of They Just Keep Moving the Line in the talent portion of the competition and will use her new platform to share her service initiative, Community at Heart. Morgan was the top scorer in Private Interview among the Miss SDSU contestants.
Emily Deinken, 25, of Sioux Falls was awarded the title of Miss Brookings 2025 and will take home a $1,000 scholarship. She also earned recognition for being the high scorer in both Fitness and Talent. Deinken performed Bizets Habaera on the flute and shared about her service initiative, Advocate for Educators. Deinken works as a band director in Sioux Falls.
Sydney VanDenHemel, 19, of Sioux Falls, a respiratory care major and a member of The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band at SDSU, was crowned the first-ever Miss Pride of the Dakotas. VanDenHemel, who performed Cant Help Falling in Love on the tuba for her talent, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship and will share about her mental health initiative, Mind Matters, on the Miss South Dakota stage this summer.
Rylin Yerdon, 21, of Harrisburg was crowned Miss McCrory Gardens 2025 and was awarded a $500 scholarship. An Advertising major at State, Yerdon gave a vocal performance of When I Get My Name in Lights in the talent competition and will use her title to encourage women to pursue success in business.
The 2025 Ray Peterson Top Talent Award in the amount of $500 was awarded to Emily Deinken for her flute performance at Sundays competition. Deinken received the highest talent score of all 22 contestants in the Miss division to earn this scholarship, given by the late Raymond L. Peterson of Brookings. Peterson was a South Dakota Hall of Fame honoree; longtime designer, musical director, and director of theatre at South Dakota State; and dedicated Miss South Dakota volunteer of over 50 years. Peterson died on Aug. 27 at age 79.
Two titles were awarded on Nov. 10 to teens who will advance to the Miss South Dakotas Teen 2025 Competition, held concurrently with the Miss South Dakota 2025 Competition in Brookings. Hallie Carlson, 17, of Mitchell was crowned Miss Jacks Teen 2025, and Amelia Gubbels, 14, of Canton was crowned Miss Brookings Teen 2025. Each receives a $200 scholarship.
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