BROOKINGS, S.D. — The winningest wrestler in South Dakota high school history and a junior college All-American have each signed a National Letter of Intent, indicating they will enroll at South Dakota State University in the fall and compete for the Jackrabbits, head coach Jason Liles announced.

Signing recently were Zach Blindert of Salem and Kevin Kelly, a Chicago native who previously wrestled at Iowa Central Community College.

Blindert wrapped up his career at McCook Central High School with a state-record 275 victories, breaking the mark previously held by former Jackrabbit Dan Bonte. Projected to wrestle either at 184 or 197 pounds, Blindert finished third in the 171-pound weight class as a prep senior. He also was runner-up at 160 pounds as a junior and placed third as a sophomore at 140 pounds. A member of the National Honor Society and academic all-state selection, Blindert plans to major in ag engineering.

Kelly wrestled at Brother Rice High School in Chicago, where he was a state qualifier, before moving on to Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. Despite wrestling up a weight class or two, Kelly earned junior college All-America honors with an eighth-place finish in the 197-pound division. Kelly is expected to move down to either the 174- or 184-pound weight class for the Jackrabbits, while pursuing his degree in health, physical education and recreation.

Blindert and Kelly will join a Jackrabbit recruiting class that includes South Dakota standouts Brock Edgar (Redfield), Aaron Pickrel (Watertown) and Dustin Walraven (Huron). Also in the 2008 recruiting class are Kansas stalwarts Nick Flynn (Lansing) and Scott Elliott (Derby).