Former Iowa High School Basketball Standout Transitioning To New College Sport

A former Iowa high school basketball standout is trading in her uniform for another at the NCAA Division I level.

Brooklyn Meyer, a graduate of West Lyon High School, has played for the women’s basketball team at South Dakota State University for the past four seasons. Now, she is shifting to the volleyball floor for this coming year with the Jackrabbits.

At West Lyon, Meyer was a three-time all-state first team selection, earning all-tournament team honors at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State Tournament as both a junior and senior.

Brooklyn Meyer Set Numerous West Lyon Girls Basketball Records

She set program records for points scored (1,493), rebounds (967) and blocked shots (413), leading West Lyon to a state semifinal appearance in Class 3A as a junior.

Meyer, though, was also a member of the school’s volleyball program during that time, and will now make her return to that sport as the collegiate level.

The coaching staff for the Jackrabbits approached her about joining the volleyball program, and the rest was history.

South Dakota State Volleyball Coaches Approached Meyer About Joining Program

“I went in there with (South Dakota State head coach) Dan (Georgalas) and (assistant coach) Cole (Aiazzi) and they basically just said, we have a crazy idea,” Meyer told KELOLAND. “Would you be interested in playing volleyball in the fall? I was honestly shocked.

“It’s not an easy position but it’s probably the one that translates the best over from basketball, just like the movements and the footwork and stuff.”

Georgalas said they looked at film from the three years Meyer spent at West Lyon on the volleyball court, adding that they were “reassured very quickly that Brooklyn’s athleticism and her physicality, with a volleyball net in front of her, would translate to Summit League volleyball.”

Former Iowa High School Girls Basketball Standout Earned All-American, Becky Hammon Award

A three-year starter and four-year letterwinner for South Dakota State, Meyer won the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year award in 2025-2026, making honorable mention All-American four times, including twice by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and once from the Associated Press.

She was the Summit League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-2024, earning all-league first team status three times, in addition to three times making the all-defensive team and three more on the all-tournament squad.

With Meyer on the floor, the Jackrabbits went 113-23, as she ranks in the Top 5 in program history in career points, field goal percentage, career rebounds, career blocks, made field goals, career free throws and games played. She is the school leader in field goal percentage at .609.

South Dakota State finished the 2025 season 23-5 on the volleyball court, including a perfect 16-0 record in the conference. They reached the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, falling to Arizona.

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