Yote Notes
Yote Notes
Stay up-to-date on the most recent accomplishments and life events of fellow Yotes! View Yote Notes below by the category in which they were submitted.
- Madeline '18 and Eric Rueb welcomed their baby boy, Elliot on September 12, 2025! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Alicia Khatt Kuyper '18, '20 and her husband Brian Kuyper '19 welcomed baby boy, Harrison, on June 6, 2025! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Dani (Anderson) Markley '16 welcomed Saylor who was born 9/20 at 3lbs 12oz and spent some time in NICU. She is a tiny but mighty Yote who joins our house with two older sisters! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Emily (Benson) Paris '20, '16 welcomed her baby Yote, Scottie, on August 2, 2025. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Molly 16 and her husband Nelson welcomed their daughter, Atlee, on August 1, 2025. While it is a house divided, Molly trusts that Atlee will make the right decision when the time comes - Go Yotes! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Tia (Hemiller) Young '17 welcomed Brynley Rae Young on Sept. 5. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Marissa (Myer) Soukup '15, '13 welcomed Kendall on Sept. 21, 2025. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Reece (Andonov) Hall 19, 21 and Austin Hall 23 welcomed their first daughter, Sylvie Jane, in January 2025! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Kalynn 23 and Mitch Kinsey will welcome their first baby girl yote, early January 2026! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Jessica 19 and Charles Goodman welcomed their baby Gia on April 29, 2024. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Anna 25 and Ryan Cournoyer welcomed their daughter, Eliana, on August 9th 2025. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Justin '20, '25 and Dakota '22 Lincoln welcomed their daughter Ila in May of 2025. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Taylor (Gall) Douglas '16 and her husband welcomed Russell Douglas on June 8, 2025. He was welcomed home by his big sister and brother! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Jessica (Peterson) Welsh '23, '15 welcomed Bridger John Welsh on April 18, 2025. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Meredith Jarchow-Olson 24 and Sam Olson welcomed their first child, Elwood James Olson, into the world on September 1, 2025! (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Jake '19 and Alyssa '19, '22 Preble welcomed their daughter Emery in January 2025. (Submitted Summer 2025)
- Lucas Martin '16 and his wife Tess of Leander, TX welcomed their second Yote, Emmie Jo Martin on March 27th. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Kaylyn and Joe Mehlhaff '21 welcome their daughter Aurora Jane Mehlhaff to the world March 19, 2025. She was welcomed home by her proud older brother, Peter. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Tyler '15 and Erika '16 Tordsen welcomed Soliene Gabrielle on October 20. 2024. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Makenzie 22 and Mace Merkwan welcomed their newest bundle of joy, Crue Alexander Merkwan, on 01/22/2025. He is welcomed home by his feline sisters Geo and Mia! (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Josie Beacom born 5/26/24 to Corey Beacom '10 and Kate Beacom '13, joins three older siblings. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Tashena '22 and Chase Bronson welcome Briggs Colin Bronson on 10/28/24. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Congrats to Sarah '11 and Sam Schleisman! Poppy Schleisman joined the Yotes crew on Sept. 22, 2024. Her mom, a former USD student athlete, hopes shell find her way to the soccer field in Vermilion in the years to come. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Allyson '15, '18 and Luke '17 McFarland welcomed baby Ezekiel on September 11 who joins big brother Timothy, both future Yotes! (Submitted Fall 2024)
- D-Days baby August Joseph was born on October 10, 2024, joining big brother Owen and parents Adam '11, '12 and Ashley (Simon) '10 Geraets.
- Morgan '15 and Hank '17 Lentsch welcomed their Yote baby girl on June 13, 2024. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Lyndsay '17, '18 and Ryan '16 O'Toole welcomed their second son, and future Coyote, Benjamin Thomas OToole August 17th, 2024! (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Jerry and Brooke (Fodness) Palleschi 12 welcomed daughter Jerzi on August 3, 2024. She completes the Palleschi family joining older sister Jeryn (4). (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Kiana '16, '19 and Tim Wood welcomed their daughter Savannah Mae on July 15, 2024. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Brett '18 and wife Lindsey welcomed Van Ewald to the world in July of 2023. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Cody '16 and Rachel '17 (Meyer) Breen welcomed their second son, Hayden George, into the world on November 14, 2023. He is welcomed home by big brother Connor. Proud to pass on the love of the Yotes to our boys! (Submitted Spring 2024)
- Zachary Kraning '17 joined Winthrop & Weinstine as an Associate in their Tax Credit Financing & Syndication Practice. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Dana (Gross-Rhode) Bolwerk 05 was recently promoted to Sr. Communications & Member Services Specialist at Dairyland Power Cooperative, based in La Crosse, Wis. She was also recently inducted into the La Crosse Chapter of Kiwanis International and is a member of the River City Running Club. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Makayla Epp '21 is starting a new teaching position with the Lennox School District. (Submitted Summer 2025)
- Bryant Tchida '98 was elected to a three-year term as members of the firms Board of Directors at Moss & Barnett. Bryant is a member of the firm's litigation practice group and brings more than two decades of high-stakes trial and appellate courtroom experience to bear in protecting his clients products, practices, and competitive interests. He has tried and argued cases in state and federal courts throughout the Midwest. Bryant concentrates his practice on complex business disputes in a variety of settings, including shareholder and partnership disputes, prosecuting and defending lawsuits seeking emergency injunctive relief, agribusiness disputes, intellectual property and trade secret disputes, securities disputes, class actions, and corporate and government investigations. Bryant will continue practicing law on a full-time basis in addition to handling his management responsibilities. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- MaKenzie Pippitt, Dental Hygiene 25 will begin a new position at Promise Community Health Center as a Dental Hygienist. MaKenzie will be joining a dynamic, energetic, and genuinely caring dental team that works diligently to meet the basic needs of dental care for all patients, while also focusing on meeting the needs of underprivileged in our surrounding communities. Growing up in LeMars, Iowa, gives MaKenzie an advantage in understanding the needs of our community, while meeting her personal goal of making an impact in patients lives. MaKenzie will be exposed to a professional, collaborated work environment where departments such as Dental, Medical, Mental Health, Obstetrics, and Population Health work as one team to provide wholistic care to all patients. Promise has been recognized as the Top Work Place in 2023 & 2024, Among the Top 10% of Health Centers in the Nation, and Best of Northwest Winner, and we feel truly honored to have MaKenzie as part our Promise family. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Joe Wiltse '14 left private practice at Dorsey & Whitney to lead M&A activity of H.B. Fuller Company, a publicly traded company and the largest pure-play adhesives company in the world. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Sue Andrews '79 retired after 46 years of hard work, exceptional service, spirit and dedication to the mission of the Children's Home Society of 17勛圖厙. Sue was a Clinical Unit Supervisor, dedicating her time to the Black Hills Children's Home, Rockerville Campus. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Angie Poile '96 completed KeyMakers, Volunteers of Americas national, year long leadership training program as of August 2024 in Alexandria, Virginia. This is an award winning leadership training built specifically for those in this organization that works to serve the underprivileged in our communities. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Chad Smidt '20, '21 began a new position at Oak View Group as the General Manager at the Tyson Events Center (TEC). In this role, Smidt will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of all Sioux City venues. Smidt joined the TEC in 2021 and has since served in the roles of event manager, director of events, and assistant general manager. Read more here. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Elizabeth Ruen '20 (Master of Public Health) and '11 (Master of Science in Administration) recently earned a Doctor of Education in Public Health Policy from Nebraska Methodist College. Dr. Ruen is a program officer at The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Annie McClure '17 completed her masters in Special Education as an Intervention Specialist with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis in May 2021 from the University of Northern Colorado. She currently serves as the Director of Transition at The Joshua School- a Colorado facility school with a mission to serve students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities attain the highest quality of life valuing each unique mind, body and spirit. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- David Levavi '19 of Manchester, New Hampshire graduated from Touro University Worldwide in March 2024 with a Doctor of Health Science degree. His doctoral research focused on the development of habitual alcohol consumption-related, chronic nitric oxide-deficient hypertension in middle-aged non-Hispanic White men. (Submitted Spring 2024)
- Marilyn Hagerty '48 died September 16, 2025, at age 99. During her time at USD, she rose to be editor of The Volante and was Al Neuharth's first editor at the USD student newspaper. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- James Wunder '62, '60 passed away on August 27. He is survived by his spouse Peg, sons Daniel and Nathan, and his daughter Jennifer, all of who are alumni of the university. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Tim Kent '68, died on June 1 in Moreno Valley, CA. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta, wrote for the Volante and the school humor magazine, played on the tennis team, and loved his years in Vermillion, retaining those fond memories even in the depths of Alzheimers. (Submitted Summer 2025)
- Walter Leyse '54, age 91, passed away on October 9, 2024 in Sioux Falls. He was a proud USD alumni and loyal Coyotes fan for 70 years! (Submitted Summer 2025)
- Coach Larry Richard Donovan '68, Master of Arts in Educational Administration, passed away April 13, 2025, at his home. Coach Donovan and his college sweetheart, artist Georgia Donovan, enjoyed an amazing adventure together in their 59 years of marriage. He had the privilege of coaching incredible teams of military, college, corporate and professional football players and alongside committed and close staff members. He retired in Blaine, Washington where he continued a strong and successful legacy of community service and educational fundraising. He is survived by his wife Georgia and his three daughters, Andrea, Molly and Lindsay. The link to his Wikipedia page can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Donovan. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Mary Jo Stewart Jaqua '77 passed away at home on February 14, 2025 at the age of 82 after a brief illness. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Ryan Pachciarz '99, '01, age 48, passed away on February 5, 2025 in his home in the Seattle area. He was diagnosed in February 2024 with Glioblastoma Multiforme, a very aggressive brain tumor. He is survived by his wife, Kristy (Healey) Pachciarz, also a USD Alumni and his two children, Dylan (15) and Kamryn (14). Ryan was a member of the USD Swimming & Diving Team, representing the Coyotes from 1994-1997 and later became an Assistant Coach. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Karlee Faith Hughes, a USD freshman, passed away unexpectedly November 14, 2024 at the age of 19. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- James (Jim) Leto '73 passed away March 9, 2025, of heart failure at age of 75. Jim was a student and football player at USD. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Richard Black '53 passed away of a heart attack on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Gloria, sons Richard Jr and Terry; daughter Susan Latta, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Dr. Henry "Hank" Kosters '68 passed away on Oct. 17, 2023. He was a graduate in the Educational Doctorate Program at USD, was involved with the prestigious Beadle Club and received an Honorary Professor of Educational Administration certification from the School of Ed. at USD. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- John Lahey-Wiggs, Masters of Audiology, USD (1997). Bachelor of Fine Arts, USD (1991). John passed away August 20, 2024 with his family at his side. He was a gentleman of the finest kind, avid hunter and fisherman. He was never without his camera and had a wonderful eye for photography that drew him to nature and everything photogenic. He was admired, respected and cared for by everyone that knew his quiet, gentle soul. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Kenneth Koch '70 passed away on May 3, 2024. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Paul Wurth '18 recently accepted a publication contract for his debut YA Fantasy Novel The Last Conduit. Scheduled to be published July 1, 2026.(Submitted Fall 2025)
- Kim Lee '14 recently published a book as the only editor about the Minnesota River Bend Area Immigrant story. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- The 17勛圖厙 orchestra will premiere David Colwell's '75 new work entitled "Vermillion Air: Plain Talk on the Prairie" on Saturday October 25, 2025. If you live close to Vermillion, please come and hear the orchestra. (Submitted Fall 2025)
- Todd Pokrywa '13 Captained Team Viera in the first ever Florida Space Coast NHL Pro/Am for charity in February 2025. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- John Hoeppner '74 published the book "Winning the Naming Game When You're Not First: Smart Strategies for Second Place Brands." (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Anna Marie Thatcher '72 recently produced and directed "POWER OF POSSIBILITY: The Impact of Public Art is 17勛圖厙 Communities." The one-hour documentary includes a visual tour of public art in towns across 17勛圖厙, along with interviews with Joan Benefiel (the artist who created Power of Possibility for Dakota Wesleyan University), reknowned sculptor John Lopez, Dale Lamphere (17勛圖厙 Artist Laureate), and Marty Two Bulls, Jr. (Oglala Lakota Artist Laureate) about how public art projects are initiated and completed. The film, along with A Study Guide on Public Art for Teachers and Students, will be available to schools, colleges, and community organizations for use in their arts programming. 17勛圖厙 Public Broadcasting will air the documentary on October 3 and 6, 2024. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Dave Bakke '74 has written two books - "The Last of The Market Hunters" and "God Knows His Name" and has received many royalties from the Southern Illinois University Press after 30 years. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Matthew Meyer '00 was recently featured in the Omaha Magazine. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Craig Haugaard '14 became the 100th person in the world to run a half marathon on every continent when he finished a half marathon in Antarctica on March 21, 2024. (Submitted Spring 2024).
- Dann Hurlbert '97 and his teenage daughter Kennedy published a YA and Christian fiction novel, "Suddenly Rural Girl." (Submitted Spring 2024)
- Todd J. Pokrywa '13 played in a Celebrity Shinny hockey game at Amalie Arena with former NHL All-Star Brian Bradley vs the first Captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning Paul Ysebaert. (Submitted Spring 2024)
- The 17勛圖厙 Narcotics Officers Association honored Olivia Siglin '19 as their Prosecutor of the Year at the annual conference in Deadwood on April 30, 2025. Olivia was recognized for her skills in the courtroom and handling of narcotics distribution cases in 17勛圖厙. Olivia is a Senior Deputy State's Attorney at the Pennington County State's Attorney's Office in Rapid City. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Kyla Scott's '05, '08 husband, Travis Scott, will be riding his bicycle from their home in WA to his home state, Indiana, for their non profit Cycling On Purpose which works to support todays youth in fostering purposeful lives by advocating for improved mental health policies and services, encouraging responsible device usage, and connecting communities in real life. This 2,800 mile ride, will be an incredible feat that he will be finishing up, just as he turns 50 years old. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Meg Peitzmeier '11, a Kindergarten teacher at Pine Creek Elementary in Bennington, Nebraska was awarded a $500.00 check from KMTV 3 News Now Pay it Forward Campaign with First Interstate Bank. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Hugues Ngatchou '05 was awarded the Global Pan-Africanism Award by the Committee of Presidents of Africa. Hugues has worked globally on agribusiness, diversity and inclusion. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Morris Beato '14 was awarded the Lucy Blair Outstanding Service Award by the American Physical Therapy Association. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Rebecka Peterson '11 was recognized as the 2023 National Teacher of the Year by CCSSO and the White House. She spent the 23-24 school year as an ambassador for the teaching profession, listening, learning, and advocating for our profession. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Andrew Bremseth '13 was recently credentialed by the International Local Government Management Organization. (Submitted Fall 2024)
- Jim Tracy '83 was recently awarded the Business ICON of Idaho Award. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Stan Remer '66 was awarded the National Association of Social Workers Social Work Pioneer Award for this legislative effort in the state of Kansas establishing one of the first multi-state social work licensure laws. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Hillary Paul '10 was recently named the 2023 School Psychologist of the Year for Washington State through the Washington State Association of School Psychologists. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Pat Aylward, RDH '90 received the Abbott House Volunteer Children's Champion award. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Dr. Nora Strasser '82, '83 was named an Emeritus faculty member at Friends University earlier this year. (Submitted Summer 2024)
- Nichole Price '96, Senior Vice President of Risk, Process and Performance at Pathward, was recently named to American Bankers prestigious list of the Most Influential Women in Payments. The list celebrates senior executives who guide the future of the global payments industry and is an honor among a top banking media outlet. (Submitted Spring 2024)
- Rev. Warren Egebo '72 was inducted into the National Gym Association Hall of Fame on Nov. 18, 2023. He has produced 37 NGA bodybuilding shows in 23 years. (Submitted Spring 2024)
- Jeb H. Clarkson '83, was named Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pioneer Bank & Trust at their 2023 annual meeting. With banking locations in Buffalo, Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Sturgis and Rapid City, SD, the bank was founded in Buffalo, SD as First State Bank in 1913 by F.M. Clarkson and H.W. Clarkson, his grandfather and great uncle. (Submitted Spring 2024)
- Olivia Siglin '19 was elected Board President of C.O.R.E., which facilitates the Freshman Impact program throughout 17勛圖厙. (Submitted Spring 2025)
- Melissa "Missy" M. Shields (Gruener) '99, '03, joined Starbucks Corporation in early 2024 as a remote 'Partner' leading the Payments, Strategy and Operations group (one of the four branches within their Payments, Card and Fraud (PCF) team). Prior to Starbucks, she spent over 11yrs in publishing where she led recurring subscription operations, B2B and B2C payments as well as digital editions for Dotdash Meredith (an IAC company known for brands like People Magazine, Allrecipes and Better Homes & Gardens). In addition the recent career move, she is a regular speaker for the payments industry and was recently nominated as Chairman of the PaymentsEd Executive Board (current Vice Chairman), a volunteer non-profit, where she works industry leaders to educate fellow merchants how to drive operational excellence within the complex space-- while working with the industries' fintech leaders in pursuit of new innovative payments technology. (Submitted Summer 2024)
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