BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University football coach John Stiegelmeier announced Wednesday that 16 high school standouts and two transfers have signed a National Letter of Intent or been accepted for admission, indicating they will compete for the Jackrabbit football program.

“This class is the result of many miles, many calls and many hours of film evaluation. The result is exactly what we planned for,” Stiegelmeier said. “Our assistant coaches, through their hard work, have recruited a great class. As a staff, we work hard to find student-athletes who fit our mission at SDSU and these young men fit that mission. All our position needs are met with this class and we look forward to each student-athlete pursuing his dreams at SDSU.”

The 2009 recruiting class includes:
• Vince Benedetto (pronounced BEN-ah-det-oh), 6-4, 225, tight end, Crystal Lake, Ill.;
• Pat Brown, 6-0, 180, defensive back, Bettendorf, Iowa;
• Chase Douglas, 6-4, 245, defensive lineman, Brandon, S.D.;
• Malik Humphries, 6-2, 200, defensive lineman, Perris, Calif.;
• Joshua Jones, 6-1, 175, defensive back, Kansas City, Mo.
• Josh Kage (pronounced Cage), 6-4, 255, offensive lineman, Omaha, Neb.;
• R.C. Kilgore, 6-2, 210, linebacker, Cottage Grove, Minn.;
• Eric Koehlmoos (pronounced COOL-moose), 6-0, 195, defensive back, Pierce, Neb.;
• Lee Mondol (pronounced MON-dahl), 6-2, 200, quarterback, Ventura, Calif.;
• Alex Parker, 6-5, 270, offensive line, Brookings, S.D.;
• Anthony “Doug” Peete, 6-4, 215, linebacker, Olathe, Kan.;
• Trevor Tiefenthaler, 5-11, 170, wide receiver, Sioux Rapids, Iowa;
• Gianni Washington-Parker, 6-3, 200, defensive lineman, Lake View Terrace, Calif.;
• Jake Weiss, 6-3, 210, linebacker, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
• Mikel Whittier, 6-3, 210, quarterback; St. Louis, Mo.;
• Mason Winterboer, 5-11, 190, running back, Brookings, S.D.;
• Bryan Witzmann (pronounced WITS-man), 6-8, 255, offensive lineman, Houlton, Wis.;
• Walker Woods, 6-0, 190, running back, Waukee, Iowa

Benedetto will join the Jackrabbits after earning all-conference and first-team all-area honors from both the Northwest Herald and Daily Herald newspapers in suburban Chicago. A two-year captain and team offensive lineman of the year, Benedetto recorded 415 receiving yards and three touchdowns in helping lead Crystal Lake South High School to the Class 7A semifinals in 2008 under the director of coach Jim Stuglis. He plans to major in education.

Brown excelled on both sides of the ball during a standout prep career at Bettendorf High School, earning a spot on the Des Moines Register Elite All-State Team as well as first-team Class 4A all-state honors. He also was a second-team all-state selection by the Iowa Newspaper Association after tallying 24 tackles, two interceptions, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery on defense in 2008. On the offensive side of the ball, Brown caught 46 passes for 688 yards and six touchdowns, while also averaging 18.5 yards on punt returns and 29 yards per kickoff return. Brown also has qualified for the state track and field meet three times, attaining all-state recognition as a member of the 4x100-meter and 4x200 relays. He plans to major in health, physical education and recreation.

Douglas was a two-time all-Eastern South Dakota selection at Brandon Valley High School under coach Chad Garrow, anchoring a defensive line with 25 tackles and 4.5 sacks. A three-year letter winner, Douglas was named to the Class AA all-state team and Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 in 2008. In addition, Douglas placed second in the shot put at the 2008 Class AA state track and field meet and has competed in basketball. An honor roll student, Douglas has yet to declare a college major.

Humphries was a force defensively, notching 92 tackles, 12 sacks and four forced fumbles in helping lead Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, Calif., to a 10-0 regular season. Following the 2008 season, Humphries was selected to play for the Riverside County team in the Inland Empire All-Star Football Classic. Active in student government, he plans to major in nursing.

Jones was limited by injuries his last two seasons at Hickman Mills High School in Kansas City. After missing his entire junior season, Jones returned the lineup for four games in 2008, tallying 18 tackles, one sack and two interceptions. On offense, he caught nine passes for 229 yards and four touchdowns. Jones also has been an all-conferenced and all-district performer in basketball and track. An honor roll student, he plans to major in pre-medicine.

Kage has excelled in three sports at Papillion-La Vista High School in the Omaha area. He was named to the 2008 Super State First Team as an offensive lineman by the Lincoln Journal Star, as well as receiving recognition on all-district and all-Metro teams. Kage also has posted a fourth-place finish at the Nebraska state wrestling meet and placed third in the shot put at the 2008 state track and field meet. An honor roll student and member of the All-Metro Academic Team, Kage plans to major in health promotion.

Kilgore was a record-setting quarterback at Park High School in Cottage Grove, Minn., but is projected as a linebacker at the collegiate level. A starter since his sophomore season for coach Doug Ekmark, he set the career passing mark in earning all-conference honors twice as well as honorable mention all-state recognition.

Koehlmoos is perhaps the most decorated player in the recruiting class, earning all-area honors four times and first-team all-state recognition his sophomore through senior seasons in leading Pierce High School to state titles in 2007 and 2008. A two-year selection as captain of the Class C1 all-state team, Koehlmoos was named to the Lincoln Journal Star 2008 Super State Second Team as a running back after setting a Class C1 record with 86 career touchdowns. He also recorded nine interceptions on defense. In addition, Koehlmoos has qualified for the state track and field meet three times in the sprints and was a first-team all-state selection in basketball as a junior. An honor roll student and member of the National Honor Society, Koehlmoos plans to major in health promotion.

Mondol originally enrolled at Michigan, but transferred back home to Ventura College, where he played for two seasons. During the 2008 season, he completed 60.8 percent (166-of-273) of his passes for 2,134 yards and 22 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. As a senior at Ventura High School, Mondol threw for 3,400 yards and 35 touchdowns. Mondol, who enrolled in classes at SDSU at the start of the spring semester and will have two full years of eligibility remaining, plans to complete his degree in health, physical education and recreation.

Parker earned Class AA all-state recognition, as well as Brookings Register Player of the Year and Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 honors in 2008 under the direction of Brookings High School coach Gary Maffett. Parker, who has been selected to play in the 2009 South Dakota Football All-Star Game, follows in the footsteps of his father, Jay, who lettered at tight end for the Jackrabbits from 1984-87. He also has competed in basketball and baseball at the prep level. A scholar-athlete honoree, Parker plans to major in business economics.

Peete was a three-year starter at Olathe North High School, earning first-team Class 6A all-state honors. Selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, Peete recorded 90 tackles, including 12 for loss, and returned an interception for touchdown during his senior season. He also has lettered twice in basketball and track and field. An honor roll student, Peete plans to major in engineering.

Tiefenthaler has been a four-sport standout at Sioux Central Community School in Sioux Rapids, Iowa. In football, playing under his father and former Jackrabbit standout Jeff Tiefenthaler, he earned all-state honors at both wide receiver and defensive back his sophomore through senior seasons, including first-team honors from the Iowa Newspaper Association as a wide receiver his junior season and from the Des Moines Register as a defensive back his senior campaign. Selected to play in the 2009 Iowa Shrine Bowl, Tiefenthaler caught 91 passes for more than 1,200 yards and 17 touchdowns before moving to quarterback his senior season, when he rushed for 900 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also intercepted 15 passes. In track, Tiefenthaler won the state title in the 400-meter dash at the Class 1A state track and field meet as a junior and placed eighth in the open 400-meter dash as a sophomore. He also has earned all-conference honors twice in baseball and has been the starting point guard in basketball each of the last two seasons. An academic all-district selection and member of the National Honor Society, he has yet to declare a college major.

Washington-Parker earned defensive player of the year honors at Sylmar High School after recording 70 tackles, seven sacks and three fumble recoveries his senior season. He also caught 15 passes for 218 yards and five touchdowns. A four-year varsity basketball player, Washington-Parker has been a team captain in both football and basketball. A member of the honor roll, he plans to major in music and fine arts.

Weiss played on back-to-back state championship teams at Sioux Falls Roosevelt High School as a sophomore and junior under the direction of coach Brent DeBoer. A member of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45, Weiss has been selected to play in the South Dakota All-Star Game and was nominated to play in the Army All-American Bowl.

Whittier transferred to SDSU from the Air Force Academy Prep School at semester break and will have four years of eligibility remaining. A highly touted recruit at Webster Groves High School in St. Louis, Whittier earned all-Metro and all-state honors after throwing for 2,299 yards and 19 touchdowns against three interceptions during his senior season in 2007. His career totals included 6,151 yards and 57 passing touchdowns, along with 20 rushing touchdowns. Whittier also earned all-conference honors on a state championship basketball team. An honor roll student and academic award winner, Whittier is majoring in biology/pre-medicine.

Winterboer rushed for a combined 26 touchdowns and nearly 2,500 yards his final two seasons at Brookings High School, earning all-state honors as a senior. His 1,693 yards in 2008 set a Bobcat school record. In addition, Winterboer ran on the winning 4x400-meter relay at the 2007 state track and field meet and also has competed in hockey. An academic all-state selection, Winterboer plans to major in business economics.

Witzmann received all-state honors as an offensive lineman and was an honorable mention all-state selection on the defensive line during the 2008 season for Somerset High School, in addition to being named conference most valuable player. He also has competed in basketball and baseball at the prep level. An honor roll student and member of the National Honor Society, Witzmann plans to pursue a major in engineering.

Woods ranked among the leading rushers in Iowa each of the last two seasons, leading Class 4A with 1,656 yards in 2007 and rolling up 1,998 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2008 for Waukee High School en route to first-team all-state honors both years. Woods also earned all-state honors in baseball as a third baseman and ran on the school-record-setting 4x400-meter relay. An all-academic selection in both baseball and football, Woods has yet to declare a college major.

South Dakota State, a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, finished the 2008 season with a 7-5 overall record. The Jackrabbits played their inaugural season in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2008, ending the campaign in third place with a 6-2 mark in league play.

SDSU is scheduled to kick off the 2009 season Sept. 12, hosting Georgia Southern.
*Courtesy: SDSU Sports Information