South Dakota State University women's basketball standout Jennifer Warkenthien has been named Summit League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

In receiving the league's most prestigious student-athlete award, Warkenthien compiled a 3.901 GPA as an early childhood education major with a minor in elementary education during her four-year career at SDSU. She has been named to the Summit League's Academic All-League team and to the Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence the last two seasons, while also collecting ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second team honors this season.

In her career, she has been a member of the Jackrabbit basketball team that has earned the top team GPA in the nation among all divisions within the NCAA for three straight seasons. Warkenthien has served on the SDSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee the last two years, along with conducting volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity and local nursing homes, reading programs at local elementary schools and as a basketball camp counselor.

On the court, Warkenthien led the Jackrabbits to back-to-back regular season championships with a 17-1 league record and 32-3 overall mark during the 2008-09 season. She was named Player of the Year and MVP of the Summit League Championship, leading SDSU its first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament appearance and victory.

LaCroix Links to offer youth tournaments

The YMCA LaCroix Links and The First Tee of Rapid City is offering several youth golf tournaments this summer that will benefit the YMCA chapter of The First Tee. They are scheduled for July 8, July 29 and Aug. 19.

The tournaments are for youth ages 8-14 and are for girls and boys. Ages 8 and under will play nine holes, ages 9-11 will play nine holes and ages 12-14 will play

18 holes. There will be separate divisions for boys and girls. The $10 fee includes the golf, prizes, hole prizes and lunch.

Registrations will be taken at the golf course. For more information, call LaCroix Links at 605-718-9953 or visit the summer program guide link at www.rcymca.org.

Former Rush player signs with new team

The Rapid City Rush announced today that center Mitch Stephens has signed with the Rosenheim Starbulls of the German Oberliga. Stephens was acquired by the Rush on Feb. 8 in a trade with the Laredo Bucks.

Stephens skated in 19 games for the Rush where he had five goals and seven assists for 12 points, five of which came in the final weekend against the Colorado Eagles.

Black Hills Premier basketball camps in R.C.

Three Black Hills Premier Prospect basketball camps are coming to town this summer and there is still space available.

The girls' camp (grades 5-12) will be held this Monday through Wednesday at St. Thomas More and costs $80 per player. The boys' camp will run from July 13-15 at More as well and also costs $80. There is a third camp, for both boys and girls in grades K-4, which will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton from Aug. 3-5 and costs $50 per camper.

Registration forms for the camps can be found at www.rccss.net. For more information on the camps, call Dave Hollenbeck at 605-343-8484.

Summer Slam set for July 11 at civic center

Dynamic Martial Arts, LLC, will host the 2009 Summer Slam on July 11. This tournament will feature the area's best martial art competition, and participants will be representing South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Nebraska.

This event will be the second of three events where competitors score and accumulate points for the 2009 competitor of the year award. The award will be presented at the end-of-the-year event Martial Art Championships on Nov. 14.

There will be over 70 divisions competing at LaCroix Hall at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission is $5 for adults and $2 for those 12 and under. For more information call Josh Usera at 605-431-0389 or go to www.dmajujitsu.com.