BROOKINGS The South Dakota State soccer team has received paperwork from eight student-athletes during the start of the signing period that intend to join the Jackrabbit program ahead of the 2025 season.
SDSU will welcome Leah Bacon (Windsor, Colo.), Emma Brezenski (Columbus, Neb.), MaKynlie Cade (Lincoln, Neb.), Brianna Finnegan (Spring Lake Park, Minn.), Deizha Lyn Jacinto (Waipahu, Hawaii), Jenna Maloy (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Alexa Ruppert (Lakeville, Minn.) and Gentry Williams (Waukee, Iowa) as freshmen to the squad next fall.
Leah Bacon | 5-4 | Goalkeeper | Windsor, Colo. | Windsor HS | Real Colorado
Leah Bacon is a three-year letter winner for Windsor High School at goalkeeper. Bacon was a two-time all-conference honorable mention and as a senior was an all-conference performer along with being nominee for the Player of the Year award.
A team captain as a senior, Bacon set her school record for most saves in a game. Bacon also had her best save percentage in 2024 of .885. For her career, Bacon played 2,724 minutes, made 176 total saves and accumulated a .829 save percentage.
Bacon was a member of a state Class 4A runner-up squad and a quarterfinalist team. She scored three goals during her career and was an Academic All-State First Team selection.
She is a member of National Honor Society and Student Council. Bacon plans to major in elementary education at South Dakota State.
Emma Brezenski | 5-4 | Midfielder/Forward | Columbus, Neb. | Scotus Central Catholic HS | Gretna Elite Academy
Emma Brezenski will join the Jackrabbits following a strong prep career for Scotus Central Catholic High School in Columbus, Neb. Brezenski has been a two-time First Team Super State and First Team Class B All-State selection. She also has been an honorable mention to the all-state team once.
As a freshman in 2022, Brezenski helped Scotus Central Catholic reach the state semifinals. That season she scored 38 goals and dished out 16 assists. Her junior campaign saw her add First Team All-Nebraska accolades to her resume behind 43 goals and nine assists.
Brezenski is a three-time Academic All-State and Academic All-Conference performer for the Shamrocks as she looks ahead to her senior campaign next spring. She plans to major in nursing at South Dakota State.
MaKynlie Cade | 5-3 | Midfielder/Defender | Lincoln, Neb. | Lincoln East HS | Gretna Elite Academy
MaKynlie Cade heads into her senior season next spring already a three-year standout at Lincoln East High School. Cade has been her varsity teams Offensive Player of the Year the past two seasons. As a junior, Cade scored 17 goals and registered 11 assists for 56 points. She also had a career-high 43 shots over the course of 18 matches.
Her efforts led Cade to earning Lincoln Journal-Star Class A All-State, All-City and 2nd Team Super-State honors, as well as Omaha World-Herald 1st Team Class A All-State and 2nd Team All-Nebraska accolades. Her freshman and sophomore seasons saw her claim honorable mention recognition from both publications. The three-year letter winner has scored a combined 28 goals and dished out 18 assists for 74 points.
Cade is a three-time Scholar Athlete Award winner. Shes been recognized as an Academic All-State selection three times and on her Academic All-Conference Team twice. Her career with the Spartans has seen her pick up Honor Roll with High Distinction two times and be tabbed Highest Distinction in 2024. Cade plans to major in exercise science at South Dakota State.
Brianna Finnegan | 5-3 | Forward | Spring Lake Park, Minn. | Spring Lake Park HS | Minnesota Thunder Academy
Brianne Finnegan completed her prep soccer career this fall and is a multiple-sport standout at Spring Lake Park High School.
Finnegan capped her senior season with 22 goals, five assists and 47 points on a one loss Spring Lake Park squad. She was a Class 3A Minnesota Miss Soccer nominee. Finnegan was selected to the All-State First Team, All-Minnesota Team and was on the watch list for the 2024 High School All-American game.
Prior to her senior year, Finnegan was an all-conference performer as a sophomore and honorable mention as a freshman. Her sophomore campaign saw her earn her teams MVP award as she scored 11 goals and dished out two assists for 24 points.
Finnegan is also a strong performer in sprint events in track and field. Shes been a multiple time All-State and all-conference runner. Last spring as a junior Finnegan advanced to the state championship meet in the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay. Finnegan holds her schools record time in the 200-meter dash of 25.37 seconds. She plans to major in nursing at South Dakota State.
Deizha Lyn Jacinto | 5-7 | Midfielder | Waipahu, Hawaii | Waipahu HS | Leahi SC
Deizha Lyn Jacinto heads into her senior season of soccer next month at Waipahu High School. Jacinto was an All-Hawaii Third Team selection a season ago and All-OIA West First Team choice. She previously was an All-OIA West Second Team performer in 2023 and 2021, while the 2021 year saw Jacinto be a part of a West Regional Team.
Jacinto scored 12 goals as a junior, 10 as a sophomore and six as a freshman during her prep campaigns for the Marauders. She plans to major in exercise science at South Dakota State.
Jenna Maloy | 5-5 |Midfielder | White Bear Lake, Minn. | White Bear Lake HS | Minnesota Thunder Academy
Jenna Maloy was a four-year letter winner for White Bear Lake High School who was named 2024 Miss Soccer for the Class 3A level in Minnesota this fall.
Maloy scored 28 goals and nine assists for 65 points as a senior. Her White Bear Lake High School squad was 12-0-2 before Maloy broke her foot in the regular season finale and the Bears eventually lost in their section championship game.
Her prep career was decorated as she played at a high level on the White Bear Lake attack. Over the course of four seasons, Maloy notched 73 goals and 26 assists. Maloy was chosen in 2024 as the Pioneer Press Girls Player of the Year. She was also named to the newspapers All-Metro Team choice, while she was tabbed a Star Tribune Athlete of the Week selection twice.
An all-conference performer every season of her high school career, Maloy was also a standout in club soccer. She was an ECNL All-Conference choice three times and a member of ECNL Champions League teams from 2022-24. Maloy looks to pursue sports science at South Dakota State.
Alexa Ruppert | 5-8 | Defender | Lakeville, Minn. | Lakeville North HS | Lakeville Soccer Club
Alexa Ruppert is a three-time letter winner for Lakeville North High School in Minnesota.
Ruppert claimed her first all-conference honors as a senior this fall. She was among her team leaders as she scored seven goals and six assists during the 2024 season. Ruppert previously earned all-conference honorable mention recognition as a junior and sophomore. In 2022 she scored 10 goals and three assists, while in 2023 she recorded five goals and dished out seven assists.
Ruppert also plays hockey at Lakeville North. She plans to major in business at South Dakota State.
Gentry Williams | 5-9 | Defender | Waukee, Iowa | Waukee HS | VSA Rush
Gentry Williams is in the midst of her senior year at Waukee High School. Williams is a multiple sport standout for the Warriors. Williams participates in basketball, soccer and track and field for Waukee. That includes her competing in both soccer and track and field during the spring.
Williams was a state quarterfinalist with Waukee last spring, while shes been an all-conference honorable mention three times. Williams claimed a state championship last spring in track and field in the sprint medley, won a Drake Relays spring medley gold and was an Elite All-State performer. In basketball she also was a state semifinalist and an all-conference honorable mention.
Williams is a three-time Academic Letter recipient. She also was honored with 1st Team Academic All-State laurels in 2024. Williams plans to major in civil engineering at South Dakota State.
The South Dakota State soccer program recently wrapped up 2024 season in the NCAA Tournament. The Jackrabbits made their eighth appearance on the national stage while earning their ninth conference tournament championship.
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