LUKE LUSKEY
South Dakota State Jackrabbits
Luskey was the driving force behind one of the most successful seasons in the history of Jackrabbit baseball.
The junior first baseman/designated hitter started in all but one game for SDSU in 2026, batting .291 with a conference-leading 55 RBIs. Luskey finished the year with a team-high .537 slugging percentage, and his 13 home runs were good enough for the second best mark in the Summit League.
Luskey, who hails from Green Isle, Minnesota, was tabbed as a first team all-conference selection for his efforts. His 35 career home runs puts him in a tie for fifth all-time in program history.
Furthermore, Luskey and his SDSU teammates put together an impressive run in the Summit League tournament, surviving the double-elimination bracket to punch their first ticket to the NCAA tournament since 2013. The Jacks wrapped up the 2026 season with a 24-33 record after losing back-to-back games versus Nebraska and Arizona State at the Lincoln Regional.
Troy Berg, AugustanaKobe Eikmeier, AugustanaMariano Gomez, AugustanaCarter Heinsch, AugustanaMitch Iliff, Sioux FallsNolan Grawe, South Dakota State
Editor’s note: Check out the 2025-26 College Athletes of the Year page to see our selections for other sports.
Trent Singer is a sports reporter for Sioux Falls Live. He focuses his coverage on Augustana men’s hockey and Sioux Falls area sports. Singer’s previous stops include Just Women’s Sports, the Southeast Missourian and the Kentucky New Era.