MITCHELL – A years-long dream of an indoor sports complex in Mitchell may just get its day under a roof as locals come together to plan a multi-purpose sports and community center.
Mitchell City Council member Mike Bathke shared with the hotelier’s tax district board that he and others are moving forward on a 116,000 square foot indoor sports facility in Mitchell, and that he is putting together a business plan and funds to move forward with the project.
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The Mitchell BID No. 4 Tax District board met on Wednesday, June 18, and during the citizen’s input portion, Bathke shared his plans for the project. Bathke told the board a construction cost of $21 million, according to rough numbers he has received from Palace Builders.
Bathke told the Mitchell Republic that the project will be a minimum of $17.5 million, and that there are many variables to consider, including insulated metal panels, lighting and turf. The rising prices of materials may also play into the cost of construction.
“We’re just trying to get the concept out there because this is what we’ve been hearing people actually want,” Bathke told the Mitchell Republic.
Bathke told the Mitchell Republic that now is the time to be bidding projects because the economy is slowing down. In a slow economy, projects could receive more competitive bids.
The board last met on March 26, when hoteliers clarified their preference for
The winter event center topic was the result of a survey conducted by BID No. 4 board vice-chair Jerry Thomsen.
Indoor sports facilities enable year-round practice, game play, and training free from the elements.
“We want to be very frugal with the taxpayers’ money,” said Bathke, who noted that the most cost effective construction option for the sports facility may be a steel building.
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A design could accommodate a larger expansion later, but the starting point is an affordable budget, according to Thomsen.
“The number one goal is to serve people who are currently not being served in the wintertime,” Mitchell Mayor Jordan Hanson said.
The indoor facility will have space for soccer, tennis, pickleball, and football, with talk of accommodating volleyball, softball, and other games.
Hanson and Bathke have formed a committee of sports leaders, hoteliers, and others to provide feedback on the indoor sports facility.
“We’re not going to pick a location yet,” Bathke told the board.
Bathke shared that he and his wife had considered building a tennis facility, and pivoted to a multipurpose facility. In addition, Bathke is working on a business plan for the indoor facility, something he has been critical of the Mitchell City Council for not doing on city projects.
“It doesn’t work with just throwing it out there, not understanding how we’re going to actually pay for it,” Bathke said.
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The indoor facility will not have a basketball gymnasium, according to Bathke, who said there were already 17 basketball gymnasiums in town. Bathke hopes that the Mitchell School District board will allow more use of gyms for the public, citing that the taxpayers paid for them.
Bathke’s son plays tennis, and Bathke told the board that Sioux Falls tennis players are better tennis players because they are able to practice year-round at indoor facilities in Sioux Falls.
“We don’t have the facilities to practice year-round like these other kids do,” Bathke said.
Jerry Thomsen speaks on the Business Improvement District No. 4 board during a meeting on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Mitchell.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
Thomsen called a potential indoor sports complex a win-win for the community and for the hospitality sector.
“I want these younger kids to have options that are healthy and good for them in the winter months, instead of just sitting behind a computer screen playing video games,” Thomsen said.
Thomsen told the Mitchell Republic that he is a Corn Palace supporter, and that if a donor paid for the Corn Palace expansion he would support it right now.
“My decision will be based on which has the biggest bang for the buck for both the community and the generation of revenue for the community, and I think this – at the end of the day – appears to be more favorable.” Thomsen said. “I just don’t think we have enough money to do the Corn Palace, a multi-use sports facility, and a lake.”
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Board member Tim Smith suggested that Bathke reach out to DWU to coordinate efforts.
Bathke cited the Fishback Indoor Training Facility in Brookings as a proven and successful model of how an indoor sports facility should work. The facility has 12,000 plus square feet of turf and a 50 yards by 30 yards area dedicated to soccer training and small sided tournaments. The facility has two full size batting cages, a walking track and meeting areas.
In comparison, the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls is 91,000 square feet, and boasts indoor space for soccer, baseball, softball, and football.
Board approves recommendation for 2026 budget
The board approved $150,000 of BID No. 4 tax funds for the 2026 Sports and Events Authority (SEA) budget, and approved allocating any remaining 2025 Sports and Events Authority fund balance to 2026’s budget. BID No. 4 funds come from the $2 per room per night tax on hotel rooms in Mitchell.
Thomsen read aloud hotelier’s anonymous comments on the survey he conducted. One comment stated that the city of Mitchell should not have access to the BID No. 4 funds.
In the past, hotel BID tax funds were used to fund the indoor pool and the ice arena construction, according to Thomsen.
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Bathke told the board he was counting on their support for the indoor facility.
Thomsen told the Mitchell Republic that it would take a majority vote of the BID No. 4 board to approve funds toward the indoor sports complex. Any potential funds would be limited to what is left after the SEA is funded.
“We do not have an unlimited budget, so we have to be wise on what we build and what we get the biggest bang for the buck,” Thomsen said.
The BID No. 4 board welcomed Bathke to share about progress made on the indoor sports complex at its next meeting.
Bathke plans to present the topic to the Mitchell City Council at its first meeting in July.
“We’re a long way from the finish line,” Bathke said.
AUSTIN, Texas. — The No. 3 Texas Volleyball team swept No. 25 Penn State (25-16, 25-9, 25-19). The Longhorns are now 25-3 on the season and will compete in the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the 20th-straight season.
Longhorns saw junior Torrey Stafford record a match-leading 21 kills, along with five digs and three blocks. It marks Stafford’s fourth game hitting over .500 this season with a .556 hitting percentage. Freshman Abby Vander Wal added 10 kills and two blocks while hitting .474. Fellow freshman Cari Spears totaled nine kills with three blocks and three digs. Spears recorded her seventh game over .400 (.467) hitting percentage tonight.
The Longhorns defense put up nine blocks, led by Nya Bunton and Ayden Ames, who each recorded four. It marks the fourth highest total for blocks in a three-set match for Texas. The Lions were limited to a .124 hitting percentage and finished 22 errors. Texas hit .452 as a team, its sixth time this season hitting over .400.
Set One: Penn State was held to a .167 hitting percentage with four service errors and eight attacking errors. Stafford led the set with six kills while hitting .455. Ramsey Gary added five digs for the Longhorns on defense.
Set Two: Texas dominated the second after extending the lead to 19-7 on an 11-0 run, with two consecutive block effort from Spears, Nya Bunton and Stafford. Texas took set two, 25-9. The Longhorns hit .700 while limiting the Lions at -.065. Spears notched six kills while Ella Swindle put up 10 assists. Texas totaled four blocks in the set, with Bunton contributing three.
Set Three: The Longhorns completed the sweep over Penn State, winning the third set 25-19. Stafford registered 11 kills while hitting .611, and Gary added six digs on defense. Saturday’s win marked the 11th-ranked win of the season for the Horns.
Texas will face off against No. 15 Indiana in the third round of the NCAA Tournament with the game time and date TBD.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Highlighted by nine top 10 finishes, Austin Peay State University’s track and field team concluded its first meet of the 2025-26 indoor season at Vanderbilt’s Winter Commodore Challenge, Saturday, at the David Williams II Recreation & Wellness Center.
Saturday’s events began with throws, as Emma Tucker highlighted Austin Peay’s performances in the weight throw with a sixth-place finish. The mark was Tucker’s first of two top 10 marks, as she also went on to finish eighth in the shot put later in the afternoon. Freshman China Giaimo paced the Govs in the shot put, recording an 11.98-meter toss in her first collegiate meet.
Madelyn Kocik also finished the day with a pair of top 10 performances, beginning with an eighth-place finish in the long jump with a 5.61-meter leap – her best mark since finishing second at the 2025 Atlantic Sun Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships. A Portland, Texas native, Kocik later went on to finish fifth in the triple jump with an 11.97-meter mark – the second-best mark of her career and her longest jump since recording a 12.12-meter jump last season at Vanderbilt’s Commodore Challenge (Jan. 11).
Three Governors competed in the 600-meter for Austin Peay with all three finishing in the top 10. Sophomore Taylin Segree paced the trio with a 1:33.28 time and fifth-place finish, while Alexis Arnett (1:34.03) and Mia McGee (1:34.57) finished seventh and 10th, respectively. It was the first time that any of the Govs had competed in the 600 in their collegiate career.
Wrapping up the Govs’ events for the day, Taylah Upshaw placed fourth in the 1,000-meter, setting a personal best with a time of 3:01.03.
Up Next
Austin Peay returns to action in mid-January when it returns to Nashville to the Vanderbilt Invitational, Jan. 16-17, at the David Williams II Recreation & Wellness Center
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For news and updates throughout the 2025-26 track & field season, follow the Governors on X and Instagram (@GovsXCTF) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
The UW-Oshkosh women’s volleyball team celebrates its semifinal win Thursday in the NCAA Division III Championship. Photo by Ashtin Elder of Kodiak Creative.
The University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh women’s volleyball team swept University of La Verne (California) Saturday to claim its first national title and the 51st for UW-Oshkosh.
The championship took place at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Shirk Center in Bloomington, Illinois, where a busload of Titan students and staff arrived Saturday to cheer on their team.
UWO did not drop a set across its six wins in the national tournament, which is a first in 21 years.
Izzy Coon, Lauren Grier, Callie Panasuk and Samantha Perlberg (Most Outstanding) were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
The team is coached by Jon Ellmann of Neenah, who was inducted into the Wisconsin Volleyball Coach’s Association Hall of Fame in 2021.
DAVENPORT, Iowa– Members of the Wartburg indoor track and field program competed at the Frigid Bee Opener, hosted by St. Ambrose. Maddie Merna was victorious in the 5000m and Hannah Ramsey was victorious in the 800m.
Scoring Link
Women’s Results: 5000m
1 Maddie Merna 17:29.94
2 Karle Kramer 17:57.89
3 Lily Peterson 18:02.58
4 Claire Hoyer 18:09.55
5 Ava Vance 18:17.07
6 Morgan Engel 18:26.72
We are tracking all remaining undefeated teams in DI women’s volleyball for the 2025 season. Only Nebraska is left standing after Texas fell to Texas A&M in a five-setter on Friday, Oct. 31.
Since 1981, there have been only four programs — five teams — to finish a season undefeated and win a national title: Penn State (2008, 2009), Southern California (2003), Nebraska (2000) and Long Beach State (1998).
READ MORE: Every undefeated national champion in college volleyball history
Penn State holds the longest win streak in DI women’s volleyball history with 109 match victories from 2007-10, with the Nittany Lions winning four consecutive titles (2007 through 2010). The 2009 title team is the most recent undefeated champion.
Will there be another team to etch its name into history this season? Follow along here:
Undefeated DI women’s volleyball teams in 2025
Rankings are from the AVCA:
No. 1 Nebraska (32-0): The Huskers’ extend their win-streak to 32 after most recently sweeping Kansas State on Saturday, Dec. 6 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Next: vs. Kansas (NCAA Tournament)
Here’s everything you need to know regarding the 2025 NCAA DII women’s volleyball championship, including selection show info and schedule for the entire tournament.
BOSTON, Mass. – The Providence College men’s and women’s track teams competed at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. The women’s team was paced by junior Maeve O’Neill (Cork, Ireland) who won the 600 meters in 1:28.09.
Also for the women’s team, junior Kiera Hall (Christchurch, New Zealand) won her heat and finished 14th in the mile (4:54.98). Friar senior Cara Laverty (Derry, Ireland) finished 20th in the 3,000 meters in 9:25.43 while freshman Gemma Galvin (Clare, Ireland) placed 40th in the 3,000 meters in her first collegiate indoor race in 9:41.57.
For the men’s team, senior Zane Powell (Auckland, New Zealand) and sophomore Daniel Prescott (Christchurch, New Zealand) ran in the 3,000 meters. Powell finished 54th (8:09.62) while Prescott placed 63rd (8:13.87).
In the 5,000 meters, sophomore Elliott Pugh (Tauranga, New Zealand) won his heat in 14:08.90 while sophomore Ryan LoCicero (Bloomfield, N.J.) placed third in the same heat in 14:19.00.
The Friars return to action on Jan. 17 at the Harvard Beantown Challenge in Cambridge, Mass.
For more information on the Providence College men’s and women’s indoor track teams, follow @FriarsXCTrack on X and Instagram.
