Now entering his seventh season at South Dakota Mines, Head Football Coach Charlie Flohr continues to build Hardrocker Football with a clear vision and relentless passion for the program.

Flohr understands what it takes to succeed as a student-athlete for the Hardrockers—where the challenge extends far beyond the field.

"The student-athlete experience is second to none here," Flohr said. "Our student-athletes get the best of both worlds—a world class degree and an opportunity to play football at the NCAA DII level."

That foundation began to show throughout the 2025 season.

While not every result showed up in the win column, the Hardrockers delivered several defining moments that reflected the growth of the program.

"Winning homecoming on a game-winning field goal was huge," Flohr said. "Taking back the Homestake Trophy was another big win for our program. Finally, sending the seniors off on Senior Day with a big win was great. When you go back and look at those three games, our student-athletes were very prepared, and it was exciting for them and for our program to see them walk off the field with wins."

The victory over Black Hills State marked the program's second win over the Yellow Jackets in the past three seasons—and continued a trend of success in the team's biggest rivalry.

Moments like those are signs of progress—but sustaining that success in the RMAC requires continued investment.

Scholarship support plays a critical role in building a competitive football program, especially in a conference where size, strength and depth are essential.

"Scholarship impact is huge for our football program," Flohr said. "As we play in the RMAC, the teams are getting bigger and stronger. We need to go get those players to be at a consistent level year in and year out. The more scholarship support we can get at a consistent level will keep us at the top of the RMAC every year."

At the NCAA Division II level, football programs are limited to 36 full scholarships, which must be distributed across rosters that often exceed 100 student-athletes. That reality makes consistent support even more important.

"We want to be able to give our student-athletes the best possible college experience that we can give them," Flohr explained. "A lot of the schools that are making the playoffs at a constant level have equivalency of 36 scholarships every single year. "

At South Dakota Mines, the experience is unique. Student-athletes compete in one of the toughest conferences in the country while also taking on the rigorous demands of a STEM-focused education.

Scholarships help ease that burden, allowing players to focus on their development both on the field and in the classroom.  

Looking ahead, Flohr's goals center on building sustained success—both for the program and the student-athletes that represent it.

"We want to continue to connect with our alumni and get them back to campus," Flohr said. "We also want to see our program stay at a consistent level by staying over .500 and having consecutive winning seasons. Finally, we want to see our student-athletes graduate and see them come back and what they've done in their careers and with their family."

The Rise of the Rockers Scholarship Campaign directly impacts Hardrocker student-athletes. With continued support, the experience—and the success—of South Dakota Mines Athletics will only continue to grow. Consider making an impact by clicking the image below, or the "Rise of the Rockers" tab at GoRockers.com.