They are currently a member of the NCAA Division II and participate in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).

Black Hills State's main athletic rival is the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Hardrockers.

Educational differences between the schools also help fuel the rivalry, with BHSU being mainly a liberal arts college and SDSM&T an engineering research university.

This game is called the Black Hills Brawl, due to the ferocity in which the teams play each other.

[4] The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) extended an invitation for Black Hills State University to be considered for membership.