RAPID CITY, SD – A legendary figure in South Dakota sports history is headed to the Black Hills this week to celebrate the release of a new book documenting the transformation of a regional football program into a national powerhouse.

John Stiegelmeier, the winningest coach in South Dakota State University history, will appear at Thirsty’s Bar and Grill in Rapid City on Thursday, May 7. The event, scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., marks a homecoming of sorts for the coach who spent 26 years at the helm of the Jackrabbit program.

Joining Stiegelmeier is one of the program’s most decorated athletes, Josh Ranek. The former star running back, whose career spanned the late 1990s and early 2000s, remains a household name for fans in Rapid City and across the state. Ranek is featured on the cover of the new biography, “Stig and The Rise of South Dakota State Football,” alongside six other prominent players from the Stiegelmeier era.

The biography, released in October 2025, follows Stiegelmeier’s journey from his early days as head coach through the program’s transition to Division I and its ultimate peak: winning the school’s first National Championship in early 2023.

The book’s author, who spent years conducting dozens of interviews with former players and assistant coaches, will also be in attendance. Since its release, the book has already sold several thousand copies to a dedicated regional fanbase.

“After countless sitdowns with Coach Stig and dozens of interviews with former players and assistant coaches, I finished Stig and The Rise of South Dakota State Football,” the author stated regarding the project’s completion.

The evening in Rapid City will include a formal book signing and a brief speaking engagement by Stiegelmeier. Organizers are expecting a significant turnout of SDSU alumni and football fans from the Rapid City area.