VERMILLION, S.D. — Head Coach Bob Nielson and the South Dakota football program have named the four captains for the 2024 season, including a trio of alternates. The 2024 captains include four offensive guys and three defensive guys, scattered throughout position groups.
 
2024 CAPTAINS

• Aidan Bouman (QB, R-Jr.)
• Blake Holden (DL, Sr.)
• Dennis Shorter (DB, Sr.)
• Travis Theis (RB, Sr.)

 
2024 ALTERNATES

• Carter Bell (WR, Sr.)
• Joey Lombard (OL, Sr.)
• Teven McKelvey (DB, Sr.)

 
Bouman (Buffalo, Minn.) is going into his second season as a team captain, following the highly successful 2023 campaign. After throwing for the program's fifth-best single season mark, QB1 returns to lead a highly potent South Dakota offense.
 
Entering his sixth season of college football, Theis (Pratt, Kan.) brings a wealth of experience to the running back group in 2024. Earning Second Team All-MVFC honors last season, starting all 13 games for USD, Theis broke into the top-5 all-time rushing list at USD with 2,494 career yards.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, Holden (Watertown, S.D.) enters his first season as a team captain in 2024, though serving as an associate captain in 2023. Being one of 11 Coyotes to start all13 games a season ago, the defensive lineman brings a wealth of on-field experience to the USD defensive line unit and was sixth on the team in tackles in 2023.
 
Joining Holden on the defensive side, Shorter is also stepping into a bigger leadership position on the squad after being an associate captain last season on the defensive unit. The Honorable Mention All-MVFC performer in 2023 returns to the USD secondary after starting all 13 games last year.
 
Bell (Bettendorf, Iowa) will continue his leadership role in the wide out position group as an alternate, while Lombard (Anoka, Minn.) will represent the offensive line position group. Both Bell and Lombard are returning associate captains from the 2023 campaign.
 
Defensively, McKelvey (Gardner, Kan.) steps into a leadership role on the squad after being one of 29 Coyotes to compete in all 13 games a season ago, consistently rotation in at outside linebacker.
 
See the captains and the rest of the Yotes in action on August 24 in the blackout themed season- and home-opener against the Wolves of Northern State University at 7:00 p.m. inside the DakotaDome.