We are honored to have Coach John Stiegelmeier deliver the keynote presentation at our upcoming fall conference Farming, Finance & Global Markets. Whether you are a banker, a farmer or someone in-between, John’s message is applicable to all walks of life! Register for Farming, Finance & Global Markets here! 

John Stiegelmeier, the winningest football coach in South Dakota State history, has built the Jackrabbit program into a yearly contender within the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Football Championship Subdivision. The Selby, S.D., native first became acquainted with the Jackrabbit football program as a student assistant under John Gregory during SDSU’s only NCAA Division II playoff season in 1979. After graduating from SDSU with degrees in mathematics and physical education, Stiegelmeier enrolled in graduate school at the University of Northern Iowa, where he served on the coaching staff of a Panther squad in 1981.

Stiegelmeier is the 20th head coach for the Jackrabbits. His tenure of 21 years as head coach is the second-longest head coaching stint in school history.

Aside from coaching, Stiegelmeier is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving on the state board of directors and as the organization’s SDSU faculty representative. The organization presented Stiegelmeier with the Grant Teaff Award in 2016.

Stiegelmeier’s 55 victories in MVFC play rank third in league history, while his 80 overall wins since joining the league in 2008 are fourth among all-time league coaches. SDSU has never had a losing record in MVFC play in the 10 seasons it has played in arguably the toughest FCS conference.

The 2016 Bruce Craddock Missouri Valley Football Conference Coach of the Year, Stiegelmeier led the Jackrabbits to their first league title, finishing with a 7-1 record in league play and earning a first-round bye in the FCS playoffs.

During the 2017 season, South Dakota State reached new heights, setting a single-season school record with 11 victories and reaching the FCS semifinals for the first time.

SDSU finished with its highest-ever rankings in the polls under the leadership of Coach Stiegelmeier, ending the 2017 campaign third in the STATS FCS media poll and fourth in the FCS coaches’ rankings. A program-best five Jackrabbits received All-America recognition, highlighted by unanimous selection Dallas Goedert at tight end.

Overall, Coach Stig has led the Jackrabbits to a 148-97 record (.604 winning percentage) in 21 seasons. With Stiegelmeier at the helm, SDSU has reached the FCS playoffs seven times (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) and is one of only four FCS programs to reach the postseason each of the past six seasons. The Jackrabbits have won play off contests in the years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, and have finished in the top 25 of both major FCS polls in nine of the last 12 seasons.