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In April 1977, five members of the South Dakota State University (SDSU) basketball team participated in a trip to Cuba as part of a South Dakota delegation. The idea for such an exchange was first considered following U.S. Senator George McGovern’s 1975 visit to Cuba. Shortly thereafter, SDSU sports director Dave Martin contacted Senator McGovern to explore potential opportunities for sports exchanges with Cuba. Despite the diplomatic complexities involved, plans were well underway by March 1977. With continued support from Senators McGovern and James Abourezk, the trip became a joint initiative between the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University. The delegation visited Cuba from April 4 to 8, 1977, and included 20 participants, among them five students and five advisors from SDSU.

In the early history of South Dakota State College, administrative support for varsity athletics was minimal, a sentiment common among land-grant institutions at the time. College leadership often viewed competitive athletics as incompatible with the educational mission of the institution. Consequently, students were responsible for organizing and managing early athletic activities.

Football was first introduced in the fall of 1885. Like baseball and track and field, early participation was primarily intramural, with competitions typically occurring between classes or divisions within the college. Before 1900, intercollegiate competition at South Dakota State included baseball, football, track and field, tennis, bicycle races, and oratorical contests. These contests were sometimes organized in conjunction with state oratorical competitions.

A significant challenge in the development of early athletics was the absence of formal coaching. Early teams were often led by older students or interested faculty volunteers.

The formation of the North Central Conference in 1922 marked a turning point for South Dakota State athletics. Dr. Harry Severin, a zoology professor at SDSU, played a key role in establishing and administering the conference, serving as its secretary for 40 years. South Dakota State won the first conference championship.

Since the 1920s, SDSU has been actively engaged in intercollegiate athletics and has achieved notable success within the North Central Conference. The university has also contributed to the development of new sports programs, including wrestling, gymnastics, field hockey, swimming, and various sports clubs. SDSU transitioned to full participation in NCAA Division I athletics at the beginning of the 2008–09 academic year.