VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota head softball coach Robert Wagner is pleased to announce the addition of five student-athletes ahead of the 2023-24 academic year. All five are eligible to compete this season.
 
The group includes sophomore utility player Maddox Boston, junior outfielder Alyssa Thorson, junior infielder Rylie Jones, junior utility player Tahjzha Botts and senior catcher Klara Cejkova-Kolaci.
 
More information on each player follows:
 
Boston hails from Longmont, Colorado, and graduated from Mead High School where she was a four-year letter winner on the diamond. She spent her freshman year at Creighton where she played in 18 games and earned four starts. Boston had two hits and drew three walks in 24 plate appearances.
 
Thorson attended Burke High School in Omaha, Nebraska, where she was a three-sport star in softball, basketball and track and field. She has thrived at Iowa Lakes Community College the last two seasons and left her mark on the Lakers' record book. Thorson is third in career batting average (.489), fourth in stolen bases (62), eighth in runs scored (122) and 10^th in home runs (18). She became Iowa Lakes' first NJCAA All-American since 2010.
 
Jones is from Yutan, Nebraska, and attended Millard North High School. She spent her first two collegiate seasons at University of Sioux Falls competing for Shannon Pivovar, now an assistant coach for the Coyotes. Jones was a two-year starter for the Cougars. She hit .285 with eight doubles, two triples and a homer in 100 games. Jones also stole 23 bases.
 
Botts graduated from North Platte High School in North Platte, Nebraska. She was a standout there in softball, cross country, basketball and track and field. Botts played her first collegiate softball season at Southeast Community College and totaled 15 hits with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 32 games. She moved to Iowa Western Community College last year and hit .255 for the Reivers with five doubles, three homers and 17 RBIs.
 
Cejkova-Kolaci is from Prague, Czech Republic. She competed two years at Lake Land College in Illinois before spending her junior season at Hawai'i-Hilo, an NCAA Division II program. Cejkova-Kolaci started 27 games behind the plate last season and hit .230 with two doubles, a triple and six RBIs. She also drew 14 walks and had a .390 on-base percentage.
 
South Dakota is coming off a 24-win season and a trip to the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament. Classes at USD begin Monday.