SPEARFISH, S.D. – Black Hills State University head women's basketball coach Rachel Erickson announced the signing of five student-athletes as part of the 2025 signing class on Wednesday morning which includes Sydney Deem (Thornton, Colo.), Alli Glasscock (Miles City, Mont.), Kenleigh Graham (Dillon, Mont.), Maddie Geiver (Dell Rapids, S.D.), and Lilly Meulemans (Appleton, Wis.). The group will conclude their prep careers this winter before converging on campus and joining the Yellow Jackets next fall.
"This recruiting class is extremely special to me as they are the first of my career, and I am so excited for them to be joining our Yellow Jacket family," exclaimed head coach Rachel Erickson. "We found a strong group of young ladies who had the characteristics we expect in the student-athletes in the Yellow Jacket Program. They are versatile, willing to put in the work on the court, in the weight room, and in the classroom. They will take pride in representing this program both on and off the floor, are tough and physical, and are strong in character, all of which are key characteristics of our recruiting efforts. Our coaching staff is thrilled to welcome these five student athletes to our Yellow Jacket Family!"
Sydney Deem // Guard/Forward // 6'2'' // Thornton, Colorado // Broomfield HS
Sydney Deem has played a key role in the Broomfield High School basketball program since the start of her prep career as she has provided steady consistency for the Eagles. Under the leadership of head coach Mike Croell she has been a 3-year starter and enters her senior season as a team captain. Deem enters her final season of high school basketball following a second team all-conference selection that saw her average 6.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game. Over the past two years she has put up career-highs of 14 points in her sophomore season against Dakota Ridge, 19 rebounds against Horizon her junior season, and nine blocks and five steals against Fossil Ridge her junior year. On the AAU basketball circuit she plays for BC Denver, a team which appeared in eight tournament title games in 2023 and won their division championship in the annual Run 4 the Roses Classic in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2024. Academically she is an honor roll and academic all-state recipient while also being a National Honors Society member. Sydney is the daughter of Tom and Debbie Deem. Her mother was a former collegiate basketball player herself at Barton Community College and then Colorado University. Additionally, her sister, Samantha, played college basketball at Denver University and then Regis University, and is now playing professionally for Rotenburg in Germany.
Coach Erickson's Thoughts: "Sydney is what I would consider a 'big guard.' She is all of 6'2 yet one of her best attributes is her outside shooting. Her ability to score at all three levels and guard multiple positions will cause problems for teams both offensively and defensively. Sydney's extreme length and athleticism is something that you just can't teach, and her excitement to improve every day is why I believe she has a very high ceiling. She will be a standout player here at BHSU."
Alli Glasscock // Power Forward // 6'2'' // Miles City, Montana // Custer County District HS
Alli Glasscock averaged double figures scoring for the first time in her prep career during the 2023-24 season with 10.3 points while she added 5.9 rebounds, 3.5 steals, and 1.4 assists per game en route to Northeastern A First Team All-Conference/All-State honors. Highlighting the big season for the Miles City native and her all-around play was a 20-point performance that lifted Custer County High School to their first state semifinal appearance in 15 seasons with a victory over Dillon in the MHSA Class A State Tournament in 2024. Last year's state tournament appearance was the second in the past three seasons for the Cowgirls, as Glasscock also helped lead a program with a storied girls basketball tradition back to the state's biggest stage in 2021-22. On the AAU basketball circuit, she plays for Meta Hoops and Crafted Basketball. Academically she is a high honor roll student and is a member of the National Honors Society. Alli is the daughter of Scott and Traci Glosscock. Her father starred as a collegiate athlete on the gridiron at Sterling College, while her brother, Ben, currently plays football at Dickinson State University.
Coach Erickson's Thoughts: "Alli is a fierce competitor who is willing to do all the dirty work to make her team better. Standing tall at 6'2, she possesses the ability to play both inside and outside. She can shoot the three and attack off the bounce making her a mismatch nightmare offensively. Defensively, she moves extremely well and has great instincts on and off the ball. We are so grateful she chose BHSU!"
Kenleigh Graham // Guard/Forward // 6'0'' // Dillon, Montana // Beaverhead County HS
Kenleigh Graham has found her way into the starting lineup at Beaverhead County High School the past two seasons and has made a name for herself in the state of Montana. In both her sophomore and junior years, she averaged double figures in scoring with 10.0 and 15.2 points per game respectively, while this past year in 2023-24 she added 8.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game en route to being named Southwest A First Team All-Conference/All-State. As the Beavers made their second consecutive state tournament appearance in 2024, Graham poured in 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a quarterfinal match-up at the MHSA Class A Tournament against Custer County. Kenleigh is the daughter of Kent and Vanessa Graham. Her father and both of her brothers, Daxon and Treyton, starred on the gridiron in college as Kent played at Montana Tech University and both her siblings currently play at Carrol College.
Coach Erickson's Thoughts: "Kenleigh is the definition of toughness. Even at 6' she will be the first person on the floor diving for a loose ball or sacrificing her body to take a charge. These were two top attributes that sold me, but she also is extremely versatile both offensively and defensively. She can flat out score the ball anywhere you need her to and can defend all five positions. Kenleigh is going to do big things as a Yellow Jacket."
Maddie Geiver // Center // 6'2'' // Dell Rapids, South Dakota // Brandon Valley HS
The lone South Dakota prep in the 2025 Yellow Jacket recruiting class, Maddie Geiver has been a key piece to the success of the Brandon Valley High School basketball program, helping lead the Lynx to a runner-up finish at the 2024 SDHSAA Class AA Tournament. She scored seven points and added nine rebounds in the title game match-up with Sioux Falls O'Gorman, capping a state tournament appearance where she earned All-Tournament Team honors. Geiver's junior season saw her make the jump to averaging 7.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 0.5 assists per game for head coach Mike Zerr, and she now enters this winter as team captain at BVHS and will be a 2-year starter. On the AAU basketball circuit, she is a member of the Network Elite program, where she helped the team win the Minneapolis Meltdown 17U Division I title as well as post a 10-0 record at the USJN Chicago in 2024. In 2023 she was named to the USJN Chicago Tournament All-Star Team. In the classroom she is a 4-year academic scholar and a Women in Sports Scholar Award recipient. Maddie is the daughter of Matt and Lisa Geiver. Her father is recognized in the Mount Marty College Athletic Hall of Fame and the SDIC Hall of Fame after a stellar career on the hardwood for the Lancers that led to him playing professionally in Portugal.
Coach Erickson's Thoughts: "Maddie is a 6'2 post whose toughness and physicality demands attention both offensively and defensively and she will wear opposing teams out. She can finish over both shoulders when playing back to the basket, and also has great touch giving her the ability to catch and shoot inside the arc with consistency. She also has the ability to dominate the glass on both sides of the ball. We are ecstatic that she will be joining us next fall!"
Lilly Meulemans // Combo Guard // 5'8'' // Appleton, Wisconsin // Appleton East HS
Lilly Meulemans is a player that has steadily been on the rise since her freshman season at Appleton East High School as she has continued to improve each season despite an injury her sophomore year. Entering her third year as a starter for head coach Brian Paschen and the Patriots, she is coming off her best year yet as she averaged 13.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 2.2 steals per game en route to All-FVA Honorable Mention honors. Additionally, during a strong junior campaign she was able to make her presence known from beyond the arc as she knocked down 53 3-pointers at a 36 percent rate. AEHS has experienced their fair share of success during Meulemans' prep career, finishing as runners-up in WIAA Division I in 2022, making the school's first state appearance in 24 years. On the AAU basketball scene, she played for the Wisconsin Blaze Inferno. Lilly is the daughter of Abe and Becky Meulemans.
Coach Erickson's Thoughts: "Lilly is a next level scorer who is lightning off the bounce. Defenses will struggle to keep her in front. She exudes a ton of confidence, which is a characteristic you cannot teach. She is extremely athletic which will make her a difficult matchup on both sides of the ball, and I am so excited that she is joining our Yellow Jacket family!"
When talking about the group as a whole and what they bring to the program Coach Erickson also mentioned, "This group of tough, long, versatile and strong character student-athletes are going to do big things at BHSU, and we thank all of them for putting their trust in us."
