South Dakota State women’s basketball head coach Aaron Johnston announced the additions of Sadie Thramer, Shelby Selland and Erika Sage to the coaching staff.
Thramer has been named assistant coach and joins the staff after spending the past three seasons at Kansas State. In her first season with the Wildcats, Thramer was the program’s director of basketball administration. She transitioned to the program’s director of student-athlete development for two seasons. In May 2021, Thramer was named director of recruiting coordination.
Prior to her arrival at Kansas State, Thramer spent two seasons at Summit League foe Omaha, serving as the director of basketball operations from 2016-17 and as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator during the 2017-18 season.
A native of Colon, Nebraska, Thramer started her collegiate playing career at Nebraska in 2012-13, where she played in 43 games over two seasons. As a Husker, she was named the 2014 Nebraska Student-Athlete HERO Leadership Award winner for women’s basketball and an inaugural member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team.
Thramer then transferred to Wayne State for her final two years. In her junior season, she started all 34 games at point guard, averaging 7.8 points and 3.4 assists as the Wildcats advanced to the Northern Sun Tournament semifinals and earned all-tournament honors. In her final season at Wayne State, Thramer started all 29 games at point guard, averaging 9.7 points and 4.9 assists while being named the team’s Most Valuable Player. She ranks third all-time with 142 assists in a season.
Thramer received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wayne State in May 2016 and her master’s of business in business administration from Omaha in the spring of 2018.
Thramer replaces Mike Jewett, who recently accepted a position as the activities director at Brookings High School.
“I am thrilled to have Sadie and her family join our program and the Brookings community,” Johnston said. “Her experience as a coach and student-athlete in the Midwest will be an asset to our staff. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious and will resonate with our current and future Jackrabbits. Her main responsibilities on staff will be recruiting and player development.”
Shelby Selland, who will be taking over as director of operations, joins the Jackrabbits after serving as a seventh and eighth grade math and ELA teacher at Brandon Valley School District. Additionally, Selland was the freshman girls’ basketball coach as well as the assistant coach of the varsity squad at Brandon Valley.
The Letcher native had a successful collegiate career at Augustana, where she played from 2014-19, helping the Vikings to a 98-31 record. After sitting out as a redshirt during the 2014-15 season, Selland played all 32 games while starting the final 28 games during the 2015-16 season. She averaged 6.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game en route to being named to the NSIC All-Freshman Team. As a sophomore, Selland averaged 10 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game as she started all 28 games.
An All-NSIC Second Team selection as a junior, Selland assisted the Vikings in winning 29 games and advancing to the Sweet-16 in the 2018 NCAA D-II Tournament. In her final season at Augustana, she averaged 7.4 rebounds per game and 13.4 points on 53 percent shooting from the field. Selland earned the Iron Will Award and All-NSIC First Team honors as a senior. She finished her career ranking third in blocks (164), 7th in 3-point field goal percentage (.73), 16th in rebounds (653) and 15th in field goal percentage (.480).
Selland received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education in May 2019.
Selland replaces Kristin Rotert, who stepped down after being named the women’s basketball head coach at Northwestern College.
“Shelby is a perfect fit for our operations position,” Johnston said. “Her familiarity with our program and with our state make her an ideal addition to our staff. I’ve enjoyed following her winning career as a student-athlete and I am pleased to have her join our Jackrabbit family.”
Erika Sage will join Jackrabbit women’s basketball as a graduate assistant coach. She was a member of the Northwestern College women’s basketball varsity team from 2017-20 before serving as a student assistant coach this past season.
As a freshman, Sage recorded 38 points and five rebounds while appearing in 22 games. She did not play during the 2018-19 season due to an injury. During her final season with the Red Raiders, Sage played in eight games and tallied 43 points before suffering a season-ending injury. Throughout her collegiate career, she served on the team’s leadership group.
As a student assistant coach, Sage assisted the coaching staff with day-to-day operations, while serving as a team representative and bridge between the staff and players.
Sage graduated from Northwestern College in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in sport management-coaching/athletic administration.
“I am excited to have Erika begin her coaching career at SDSU,” Johnston said. “She is coming from a highly successful program and was mentored by outstanding people. I am pleased to add another young South Dakota native to our staff.”
