USD, Eastern Washington football to wear Indigenous helmet decals
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The South Dakota and Eastern Washington football teams are making a bit of history on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Coyotes and Eagles will both don helmets with their team names written in the native tribal languages to celebrate South Dakota's Native American Heritage Day.
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The South Dakota helmets were debuted in a 2025 game against North Dakota. The Coyotes' helmets will say "Sungmanitu," which is Lakota for "coyote." South Dakota's helmets will also have a stripe with a design that represents the Seven Council Fires, the alliance of the seven Sioux groups comprising the Dakota, Nakota and Lakota peoples.
"It's an honor for the University of South Dakota to be a part of such a unique event," the South Dakota athletics department stated in an email. "Continuing to find ways to elevate the Native American Heritage games each year is a priority, and this game aligned perfectly with that mission with Eastern Washington placing a similar emphasis on this event."
Eastern Washington's helmets were debuted in 2024 and used again in 2025, and will have the phrase, "uł pql̓qeyn," or Salish for "group of eagles," displayed. The Eagles will wear the helmets again Oct. 31, against Montana.
South Dakota's helmet decals were designed by Sadie Red Wing, of Spirit Lake Dakota, and the translation was led by Jerome Kills Small, an Oglala Lakota member.
The Lakota Flag Song will be sung by Mahpíya Lúta Middle School students from the Pine Ridge Reservation before the game, and students, staff and alumni who are Native American will be recognized during the game.
Three players on South Dakota's roster have a Native American lineage: starting quarterback Austyn Modrzewski (Chiricahua Apache), defensive lineman Kainen White (Cherokee) and defensive lineman Max Coles (Shakopee Mdewakanton).
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: USD, Eastern Washington football to wear Indigenous helmet decals