2019-20 ATHLETICS ANNUAL REPORT
SOUTH DAKOTA COYOTES
TABLE OF CONTENTS A Letter from David Herbster...................................................................................................................................................... 1 Coyotes Win Showdown Series; Resume Summit Dominance....................................................................................... 2 Women’s Basketball: Undefeated Summit Champions..................................................................................................... 4 Volleyball’s Historic Season.......................................................................................................................................................... 6 All-Americans.................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 National Athletes of the Year....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Summit League Athletes of the Year......................................................................................................................................10 Additional Summit League Awards........................................................................................................................................11 Individual Summit League Champions.................................................................................................................................12 All-Summit League Performers................................................................................................................................................14 Academic Awards..........................................................................................................................................................................15 Graduation.......................................................................................................................................................................................17 Academic Honor Roll...................................................................................................................................................................18 Timeline............................................................................................................................................................................................20 The Charlies.....................................................................................................................................................................................25 DakotaDome Renovations.........................................................................................................................................................26 The Howling Pack..........................................................................................................................................................................28 Budget...............................................................................................................................................................................................30 Coyote Sports Properties............................................................................................................................................................31 South Dakota’s Vision, Mission and Core Values................................................................................................................32
CREDITS
The 2019-20 University of South Dakota Athletics Annual Report is published by the USD Athletics Department. The publication was written and edited by Bryan Boettcher, Britni Smith, Caleb Christensen and Jason Cowley. Design by Britni Smith. Principal photography by Aaron Packard. USD Athletics Department DakotaDome 1101 N. Dakota Street Vermillion, SD 57069 GoYotes.com
FROM THE DESK OF DAVID HERBSTER
T
he highest of highs, the lowest of lows and everything in between. That pretty much sums up the 2019-20 academic year from a Coyotes’ perspective. This latest trip around the sun was unlike anything I have ever experienced or witnessed. Ecstatic, heartbreaking, joyous, sad, proud, devastated. If you are anything like me, you experienced each of these emotions and many more in a span of just a few months. Allow me to add one more – optimistic. As the transformation inside the DakotaDome can attest, progress continues, and we will come back stronger and more unified than ever. We have achieved things never before seen, and some said couldn’t be done. But we aren’t stopping. Onward we go! The sports world paused in mid-March, but not before a wave of red and a collective howl swept through our community, state and region. It started with Leanne Williamson’s volleyball team, which turned in the highest win percentage in Summit League history and advanced to the finals of the NIVC. It continued on the gridiron, where quarterback Austin Simmons and the Coyote defense pulled off a 24-21 win against South Dakota State on Senior Day inside the DakotaDome. It reached its apex when our women’s basketball squad hoisted the Summit League Tournament championship trophy in Sioux Falls, capping perhaps the best season ever put forth by a Summit League basketball team. By that point, we had already assured that the South Dakota Showdown Series trophy would be headed back to Vermillion, and we were well on our way to a second consecutive Summit League Commissioner’s Cup trophy along with an unprecedented fifth straight Women’s All-Sports Award. Despite those achievements, the most trying days of my tenure at USD came shortly thereafter. The NCAA announced the cancellation of the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments on March 12. One day later, the Summit League announced the cancellation of spring sports. Those decisions were not made lightly nor without consequence, but for the overall health and safety of our student-athletes which will always be our top priority. Still, the emotional impact of those decisions and the pain they caused is real and irreversible. In the blink of an eye, teams were informed their seasons had come to an end. No March Madness, no conference tournaments or championship meets, no national title defense, and, for a lot of our seniors, the end of a playing career. Enjoy the precious present. Coach Dawn Plitzuweit lives those words every day and emphatically shares that message with her team. Those words couldn’t ring more true as we push forward and beyond. Pushing forward is what we have always done and now is no different. USD will resume on-campus operations, including faceto-face instruction, this fall as announced by the South Dakota Board of Regents in May. In June, we invited our staff to return to campus and began the process of granting student-athletes access to facilities. The DakotaDome renovations are on schedule and spectacular. We can’t wait for the day to debut our progress. The events that have occurred this past year have certainly been challenging and that looks to continue for the near future. In a time where there has been so much progress in so many areas we still seem to face the same questions. Respect and understanding is not a sometime thing, it has to be every day. We Are South Dakota. Sport unites us, not divides us. We will continue to strive to make our community a better place for everyone, and serve as leaders of change throughout our region. We can be better, and we must! We Are South Dakota!
Director of Athletics David Herbster
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COYOTES WIN SHOWDOWN SERIES; RESUME SUMMIT DOMINANCE Spring sports may have been stopped, but that didn’t prevent South Dakota from winning on the scoreboard against its Summit League foes.
SHOWDOWN SERIES
The Coyotes earned their most lopsided win in the South Dakota Showdown Series presented by South Dakota Corn. In addition, South Dakota was well on its way to a second consecutive Summit League Commissioner’s Cup and an unprecedented fifth consecutive Dr. Helen Smiley Women’s All-Sports Award when play was cancelled in March. The Showdown Series winner was mathematically decided before play came to a halt. The Coyotes topped South Dakota State 14.5-6.5 to bring the trophy back to Vermillion for the third time in the last four years. USD won 10 of 13 athletic competitions with SDSU and split a point with a tie in women’s soccer. Both programs scored the maximum three points allotted for academic achievement by compiling a student-athlete grade point average above 3.0. Five sports – men’s and women’s golf, softball and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field – could not factor into the scoring. On the Summit League side, South Dakota had amassed 60.5 points with 11 sports in the books and eight others still to conclude. That led all conference programs. South Dakota State was in second place with 56 points and North Dakota State was a distant third with 51 points. No other Summit team had more than 37 points.
South Dakota (14.5) 3 – cumulative GPA above 3.0 2 – football 2 – volleyball sweeps Summit series 2-0 2 – women’s basketball sweeps Summit series 2-0 1 – women’s cross country 1 – men’s basketball 1 – women’s swimming & diving 1 – men’s swimming & diving 1 – women’s indoor track & field 0.5 – women’s soccer South Dakota State (6.5) 3 – cumulative GPA above 3.0 1 – men’s cross country 1 – men’s basketball 1 – men’s indoor track & field 0.5 – women’s soccer Showdown Series History 2013 – SDSU wins 14-13 2014 – SDSU wins 18-9 2015 – USD wins 14-13 2016 – SDSU wins 16-11 2017 – USD wins 14-13 2018 – USD wins 14-13 2019 – SDSU wins 14.5-11.5 2020 – USD wins 14.5-6.5
COMMISSIONER’S CUP*
The lead was even greater on the women’s side with just four sports left to score. South Dakota’s 40.5 points were considerably more than South Dakota State’s 32.5 and North Dakota State’s 29.5. First-place finishes in volleyball and basketball in addition to silver medals for cross country, indoor track and field and swimming and diving led to the big lead.
1. South Dakota 60.5 2. South Dakota State 56 3. North Dakota State 51 4. Oral Roberts 37 5. Denver 36.5 6. North Dakota 34 t-7. Omaha 26 t-7. Western Illinois 26 9. Purdue Fort Wayne 21
Nine of South Dakota’s 10 programs that completed their conference season placed in the top three.
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DR. HELEN SMILEY WOMEN’S ALL-SPORT*
1. South Dakota 40.5 2. South Dakota State 32.5 3. North Dakota State 29.5 4. Denver 28 5. North Dakota 23 6. Oral Roberts 21 7. Omaha 18 8. Western Illinois 16.5 9. Purdue Fort Wayne 13
DR. WILLIAM STEINBRECHER MEN’S ALL-SPORT* 1. South Dakota State 23.5 2. North Dakota State 21.5 3. South Dakota 20 4. Oral Roberts 16 5. North Dakota 11 6. Western Illinois 9.5 7. Denver 8.5 t-8. Omaha 8 t-8. Purdue Fort Wayne 8
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UNDEFEATED SUMMIT CHAMPIONS Unprecedented: the word of 2020.
The season’s two losses came at the hands of teams that finished the season in the top-eight of the RPI (No. 1 South Carolina and Missouri State). The Coyotes’ 73-60 loss to the undefeated SEC Champions was the eighth-closest margin in South Carolina’s 33-game season, which included 13 other nationally-ranked foes.
For the 2019-20 Coyote women’s basketball team, it was about bringing unprecedented national attention to the program, climbing as high as No. 11 in the national coaches’ poll, being featured in Sports Illustrated, highlighted on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt and senior Ciara Duffy was named the espnW Mid-Major Player of the Year. The team routed the Summit League by an average margin of 32 points in the regular season and clinched an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament by winning the programs’ first Summit League Tournament under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. Two days after hoisting the Summit League Tournament trophy into the air in front of 8,000 fans inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, the Coyotes’ season came to an abrupt, unprecedented ending. For the first time since the tournament began, the NCAA canceled March Madness amid the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. What the Coyotes could have done in the 2020 NCAA Tournament will forever remain unknown, but it should not overshadow what the team accomplished during the season.
The Coyotes became the first program in Summit League history to not lose a single game, regular or postseason, to a league opponent. The league records don’t stop there. South Dakota’s No. 11 ranking in the USA Today Coaches Poll marked the highest a league team has ever ranked in either national poll. The team was ranked for 16 weeks in the coaches poll and 12 weeks in the Associated Press poll – both are single-season records for a league team. Duffy became the first Summit League player to garner Mid-Major Player of the Year status. She received the honor from both espnW and Her Hoops Stats. She earned honorable mention All-America status from the Associated Press, the first league player to receive honorable mention since 2014-15. Duffy was also the Summit League Player of the Year. Hannah Sjerven joined her on the all-Summit League first team, was named the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year and was voted the Summit League Tournament MVP. Chloe Lamb was named to the all-Summit second team and all-tournament team. Taylor Frederick and Madison McKeever were both honorable mention, with Frederick taking home Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year.
South Dakota finished the year 30-2. The season started with a handful of close games, including a dramatic 102-94 overtime victory against Drake. The Coyotes climbed out of a 17-point deficit, junior Monica Arens banked in a buzzer-beater to extend the game and USD finished it off by scoring 20 points in the overtime period. The Coyotes followed up the Drake game with an 8481 overtime win at Utah, continuing an early-season trend. More dominant wins over the SEC’s Missouri and the Big Ten’s Ohio State saw the Coyotes start to find their groove. USD entered the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time on Dec. 3, following a solid performance at the South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas.
The Coyotes are the only program in Summit history to total five players on the first team, second team or honorable mention squad and this marks the second occurrence. The first was two years ago following USD’s first undefeated run in league play. South Dakota reached unprecedented heights in 2020. While the world changed after March 10, these Coyotes will forever remember that day, standing atop the Summit after a gritty effort against their top rival.
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Back Row (l-r): Aaron Horn, Dawn Plitzuweit, Kylea Sheley, Caleb Heim, Hannah Sjerven, Alexi Hempe, Monica Arens, Regan Sankey, Liv Korngable, Allison Peplowski, Jeniah Ugofsky, Jason Jeschke, Alex Antonen, Jenna Schlafke Front Row: Malika Glover, Macy Guebert, Ciara Duffy, Madison McKeever, Taylor Frederick, Claudia Kunzer, Megan Bonar, Chloe Lamb, Britni Smith
The team celebrates on the court after defeating South Dakota St.
espnW Mid-Major Player of the Year, senior Ciara Duffy
South Dakota’s four seniors hoist the trophy in celebration.
Junior Hannah Sjerven
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VOLLEYBALL’S HISTORIC SEASON The South Dakota volleyball team produced a second straight memorable season under head coach Leanne Williamson in the fall of 2019.
The Coyotes won a school-record 31 matches, claimed the Summit League regular season title with a perfect 16-0 record and despite not qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, won four postseason matches in the National Invitational Volleyball Championships before falling in the title match to Georgia Tech. The 31-3 season included a school-record 24 match win streak while a 14-1 mark inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center saw an average attendance of 1,167 which included a record 2,431 to view the Georgia Tech match.
Junior Sami Slaughter
Three Coyotes captured individual honors from the Summit League while a total of five members were honored following a season that saw nine new team records in the Division I era. Elizabeth Juhnke, the Summit League Freshman of the Year, led the league in kills (520) and kills per set (4.23) while also contributing 356 digs and 87 total blocks. The Lakeville, Minnesota, native, was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All Region team and was the Region Freshman of the Year. The Yotes celebrate a point on the court
Juhnke, who earned all-tourney honors following the season-opening weekend in Indianapolis, her first collegiate contests, hammered home a seasonhigh 27 kills in a thrilling five-set win over the Big Ten’s Iowa Hawkeyes in front of 1,637 fans inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The Iowa match also featured a season-high 56 assists from sophomore Madison Jurgens, named the Summit League Setter of the Year after leading the league and ranking sixth nationally in assists per set at 11.72. Jurgens’ 1,442 assists were third-most in a single season while she also provided 331 digs, 45 service aces and 76 kills.
Sophomore Madison Jurgens -6-
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Back row (l-r): Shelly Stumpff, Jacob Gapp, Courtney Syverson, Aimee Adams, Lolo Weideman, Emily Grathoff, Claire Gerdes, Maddie Wiedenfeld, Jenna Wagemester, Sami Slaughter, Madison Harms, Elizabeth Loschen, Kenzie Hesse, Ally Grothusen, Michael Runde ​Front row: Pamela Zuluaga, Elizabeth Juhnke, Mehana Fonseca, Anne Rasmussen, Madison Jurgens, Brooklyn Bollweg, Leanne Williamson, Jenna Uher
Slaughter, a junior, ranked second on the team with 417 kills while senior Elizabeth Loschen had 266 and sopohomore Maddie Wiedenfeld 242. It was part of a school-record (Division I era) 1,762 kills for the season.
Defensively, the Coyotes led the Summit League and ranked 14th nationally in opponents hitting percentage at .157. Pacing the back row play was senior Anne Rasmussen, the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year, along with senior Mehana Fonseca (224 digs) and sophomore Lolo Weideman (301 digs). Rasmussen led the Summit League with 612 digs, a total that ranks second most in single season history. Her 4.98 digs per set also paced the Summit League for the Oak Creek, Wisconsin, native, who closed her career with 2,004 digs, the sixth individual in Summit League history to reach 2,000 career digs.
Harms provided 137 total blocks, the most in a single season during the rally scoring era while Wiedenfeld added 122 as part of a team school-record (Division I era) 302.0. The season saw the Coyotes go 5-0 in five-set matches while 16 of the 31 wins came in three-set sweeps.
Rasmussen, a three-time Summit League First Team selection, was joined by teammates Juhnke, Jurgens and Sami Slaughter on the First Team, while freshman Madison Harms was an honorable mention selection.
Senior Elizabeth Loschen Senior Mehana Fonseca
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ALL-AMERICANS
Helen Falda
Senior | Torino, Italy | Pole Vault
Chris Nilsen
Senior | Kansas City, Mo. | Pole Vault
Ethan Bray
R-Junior | Fishers, Ind. | Pole Vault
Zack Anderson
Senior | Parker, S.D. | High Jump
Ciara Duffy
Senior | Rapid City, S.D. | Women’s Basketball
Brithton Senior
Freshman | Hanover, Jamaica | 60m Hurdles
Photography by Aaron Packard, Madisen Martinez, Rachel Bellwood and Harrison Zhang
Leah Drengenberg -8-
Sophomore | Dixon, Ill. | Triathlon
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NATIONAL ATHLETES OF THE YEAR Ciara Duffy, women’s basketball One of the best players to don a Coyote uniform on the hardwood, Ciara Duffy racked up the postseason awards for her senior campaign. Duffy was named the espnW Mid-Major Player of the Year, the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year presented by Her Hoops Stats and the Summit League Player of the Year. Duffy was the leading scorer of a Coyote squad that cemented themselves among the nationally-ranked top-25. She averaged 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and five assists per game. No. 17/11 South Dakota finished the season 30-2, went undefeated in the Summit League regular season with an average 32-point margin of victory and won the Summit League Tournament. Duffy graduates as the only player in program history with 1,700 points, 600 rebounds and 400 assists in her career. Chris Nilsen, indoor track and field While his opportunity to win another NCAA Championship was taken away by the COVID-19 pandemic, pole vaulter Chris Nilsen made history with the portion of the season he did have in 2020. Nilsen was named the 2020 USTFCCCA National Field Athlete of the Year. He broke the NCAA indoor pole vault record in February with a vault of 19 feet, 5 ½ inches (5.93m). The height ranks No. 4 all-time in American indoor history with professionals included. This marks South Dakota track and field’s first National Athlete of the Year in the Division I era. Nilsen also garnered the Summit League Indoor Field Athlete of the Year for the third time of his career and was the USTFCCCA Midwest Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. He is a two-time semifinalist for the Bowerman.
Photography by Molly Schiermeyer and Scott Vicker
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SUMMIT LEAGUE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Anne Rasmussen, volleyball Anne Rasmussen, the Coyotes’ steady libero, was honored as the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. She led the Summit League with 612 digs and 4.98 digs per set. She was honored as the league’s defensive player of the week a single-season Summit League record seven times. She finished her career with 2,004 digs, the second-most in USD history and eighth-most in Summit League history. Hannah Sjerven, women’s basketball Hannah Sjerven took home the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year to extend South Dakota’s streak to three. Sjerven led the Summit with 63 blocks for the second-straight year, moving to fourth on USD’s career blocks list. She also led the team in rebounds (7.3) and ranked second in steals (1.4). Sjerven’s dominating post presence was crucial in the league tournament, where she earned MVP honors after averaging 14.7 points and 9.7 boards per game. Madison Jurgens, volleyball Madison Jurgens was named Summit League Setter of the Year after a season where she led the league and ranked sixth nationally at 11.72 assists per set. Her 1,442 assists (school-best in the 25-point rally era) ranked third all-time in school history and 10th all-time in Summit League history. The six-rotation player also posted 331 digs and 45 service aces to go with 76 kills and 29 blocks. Her season-high 56 assists came in a thrilling five-set win over the Big Ten’s Iowa Hawkeyes. Taylor Frederick, women’s basketball Taylor Frederick made her case as the Summit League’s Sixth Woman of the Year, marking the fourth-straight season the Coyotes have garnered the award. Frederick moved into a reserve role this past season, but responded by averaging more points per minute than any player in the Summit. Her 10 points per game was a career best as was her marks for rebounds (4.5) and shooting (53.8 percent). She also tallied 34 assists, 18 steals and seven blocks. Photography by Aaron Packard, Molly Schiermeyer and Rachel Bellwood
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SUMMIT LEAGUE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR Brithton Senior, indoor track and field Brithton Senior became the first Coyote to take home the Summit League Indoor Track Athlete of the Year award since 2015. Senior was one of five Coyote qualifiers for the NCAA Indoor Championships. He clocked 7.74 seconds to win the 60-meter hurdles at the Summit League Championships, breaking both the championships meet record and South Dakota’s program record in the event. The time qualified him for the NCAA field. Elizabeth Juhnke, volleyball Elizabeth Juhnke was honored as the Summit League Freshman of the Year after leading the league in kills (520) and kills per set (4.23). She played all six rotations and totaled 34 assists, 356 digs and 87 total blocks. Her 520 kills were second-most in a single season in school history. She posted 19 double-doubles (kills-digs) on the season, including 12 in Summit League play. Her season-high of 27 kills came in the Coyotes’ five-set win over the Big Ten’s Iowa Hawkeyes.
ADDITIONAL SUMMIT LEAGUE AWARDS
Cross Country
Clayton Whitehead Newcomer of the Championship
Indoor Track & Field Zack Anderson Field MVP
Women’s Basketball Hannah Sjerven Tournament MVP
All-Tournament Teams
Summit League Coach of the Year
Women’s Basketball Ciara Duffy, All-Tournament Chloe Lamb, All-Tournament Hannah Sjerven, All-Tournament
Dawn Plitzuweit, Women’s Basketball Leanne Williamson, Volleyball
Volleyball Elizabeth Loschen, All-Tournament
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INDIVIDUAL SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Brithton Senior
Kenneth McMahan
Landon Kemp
Chris Nilsen
Freshman | Hanover, Jamaica Indoor 60m Hurdles, 7.74 seconds (Meet Record)
Redshirt-Sophomore | Council Bluffs, Iowa Indoor Heptathlon, 5,327 points
Sophomore | Greenville, Mich. Indoor Pole Vault, 13-8 ½
Senior | Kansas City, Mo. Indoor Pole Vault, 18-1
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Holly Gerberding
Jake Leichner
Junior | Sturgis, S.D. Indoor Pentathlon, 3,759 points
Sophomore | Highlands Ranch, Colo. 100 IM, 50.77
Zack Anderson
Senior | Parker, S.D. Indoor High Jump, 7-0 ½ Indoor Long Jump, 23-7 ½
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ALL-SUMMIT LEAGUE PERFORMERS
ALL-MVFC PERFORMERS Football Brady Schutt, 1st Jack Cochrane, 2nd Darin Greenfield, 2nd Brett Samson, 2nd Austin Simmons, 2nd Caleb Vander Esch, 2nd Women’s Basketball Ciara Duffy, 1st Hannah Sjerven, 1st Chloe Lamb, 2nd Men’s Basketball Tyler Hagedorn, 1st Stanley Umude, 2nd Women’s Cross Country Jonna Bart, 1st Abby Ripperda, 1st Kelsi Kearney, 2nd Kianna Stewart, 2nd Men’s Cross Country Merga Gemeda, 2nd Clayton Whitehead, 2nd Women’s Soccer Kellee Willer, 1st Alexis Mitchell, 2nd Abby Ostrem, 2nd Volleyball Elizabeth Juhnke, 1st Madison Jurgens, 1st Anne Rasmussen, 1st Sami Slaughter, 1st
Women’s Swimming & Diving Lucie Anderson, 100 back (3rd) Meghan Atwell, 200 medley relay (2nd), 200 free relay (3rd), 400 free relay (3rd) Isabelle Davenport, 400 medley relay (2nd) Isabel Fairbanks, 100 IM (3rd) Emily Johnson, 400 free relay (3rd) Maddie Lavin, 200 fly (3rd), 400 medley relay (2nd) Haley Pederson, 3m dive (2nd), 1m dive (3rd) Sabrina Sabadeanu, 100 back (2nd), 200 medley relay (2nd), 400 medley relay (2nd), 200 free relay (3rd) Jordyn Schnell, 200 medley relay (2nd), 400 medley relay (2nd), 200 free relay (3rd), 400 free relay (3rd) Madilyn Sindelar, 200 medley relay (2nd) Ashley Storm, 200 free relay (3rd), 400 free relay (3rd) Men’s Swimming & Diving Charlie Bean, 200 free relay (2nd), 400 free relay (2nd), 800 free relay (2nd) Elbert Chuang, 100 IM (2nd), 100 fly (3rd), 200 medley relay (2nd), 400 medley relay (2nd) Cooper Fuchs, 200 free relay (2nd), 400 free relay (2nd) Stephen Johnson, 800 free relay (2nd) Zachary Kopp, 200 medley relay (2nd), 200 free relay (2nd), 400 medley relay (2nd), 400 free relay (2nd) Jake Leichner, 100 IM (1st), 200 medley relay (2nd), 200 free relay (2nd), 400 medley relay (2nd), 400 free relay (2nd) Wyatt Thompson, 800 free relay (2nd) Brady Torborg, 200 medley relay (2nd), 400 medley relay (2nd) Jacob Won, 800 free relay (2nd) Women’s Indoor Track & Field Haley Arens, distance medley relay (3rd) Jonna Bart, one mile (3rd), 3,000 meters (3rd), 5,000 meters (3rd) Hannah Draayer, distance medley relay (3rd) Helen Falda, pole vault (2nd) Holly Gerberding, pentathlon (1st) Helen Gould, distance medley relay (3rd) Tasheka Gordon, 60 meters (2nd) Carly Haring, high jump (3rd) Kelsi Kearney, distance medley relay (3rd) Landon Kemp, pole vault (1st) Britny Kerr, triple jump (2nd) Deidra Marrison, pole vault (3rd) Samara Spencer, triple jump (3rd) Danielle Thompson (3rd) Men’s Indoor Track & Field Zack Anderson, high jump (1st), long jump (1st) Alec Atwood, distance medley relay (3rd) Ethan Bray, pole vault (2nd) Jack Durst, high jump (2nd) Merga Gemeda, 5,000 meters (3rd) Kenneth McMahan, heptathlon (1st) Hugo Morvan, 60-meter hurdles (3rd) Chris Nilsen, pole vault (1st) Braden Peters, distance medley relay (3rd) Zach Renken, distance medley relay (3rd) Brithton Senior, 60-meter hurdles (1st) Cole Streich, distance medley relay (3rd) William Stupalsky, triple jump (2nd) Blake Vande Hoef, high jump (3rd)
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ACADEMIC AWARDS
When women’s basketball player Ciara Duffy was voted to the Academic All-America first team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), she became just the second athlete in South Dakota’s athletics history to garner three career Academic All-America accolades. Duffy was also named the Summit League nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year. These are on top of the numerous basketball accolades she received (pg. 9). In addition to her success on the basketball court, Duffy was an outstanding student. She graduated summa cum laude in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history. During this past season, Duffy maintained her perfect 4.00 GPA while pursuing a master’s degree in interdiscplinary studies. Duffy earned a spot on the Academic All-Summit League team in all three years of eligibility. She was also inducted to Phi Alpha Theta, USD’s history honor society in 2019. The Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year led the Coyotes to a 30-2 season and No. 17 in the final Associated Press poll. Duffy led the Coyotes with 16.6 points and five assists per game. She reached doublefigures in 31 of 32 games, leading USD in scoring for 17 of them. She had five double-doubles during the season and 10 20-point nights, including a career high 31 points at Denver.
ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE
Cross Country Jonna Bart Abby Ripperda Cole Streich
Soccer Alexis Mitchell Abby Ostrem Kellee Willer
Football Jack Cochrane Connor Herrmann Brady Schutt Austin Simmons
Swimming & Diving Lucie Anderson Elbert Chuang Isabel Fairbanks Jake Leichner Haley Pederson Sabrina Sabadeanu Jordyn Schnell Josh Sorbe Mark Vanderzee Jacob Won
Volleyball Madison Jurgens Anne Rasmussen
Basketball Ciara Duffy Chloe Lamb
Golf Scott Fudenberg Laerke Jensen Softball Lauren Wobken Tennis Habiba Aly Jana Lazarevic - 15 -
Indoor Track & Field Zack Anderson Jonna Bart Holly Gerberding Landon Kemp Zach Renken Jessie Sullivan Outdoor Track & Field Zack Anderson Jonna Bart Kino Dunkley Helen Falda Landon Kemp Armand Khan Travis Larson
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ACADEMIC AWARDS
ADDITIONAL CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS Coyote high jump star Zack Anderson repeated as a CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2020, making the third team for the second consecutive year. Anderson is a three-time All-American with a personal best of 7-4 ¼ in the high jump. The height is an outdoor school record. Anderson improved his USD indoor record this winter with a leap of 7-3 ¾. He picked up the 2020 Summit League Indoor Field Championships MVP with a pair of titles in the high jump and long jump. In his career, he boasts seven Summit League titles. Anderson carries a 3.52 cumulative grade-point average as a physical education major. He has earned a spot on six Academic All-Summit League teams (indoor and outdoor) and garnered USTFCCCA All-Academic honors. South Dakota swimming and diving team member Josh Sorbe was named to the CoSIDA Academic AllAmerica Men’s At-Large third-team. Sorbe, a senior, was a three-time Academic AllSummit League selection and a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree during his four-year Coyote career. Sorbe, a 4.00 student in economics and political science, contributed 11 points as a senior at the Summit League Championships, finishing 10th in the 1,650 free, 14th in the 400 IM and 16th in the 500 free. He helped the Coyotes post a team runner-up finish for the third-straight season and the team’s 706.5 points were a school record for a Summit League Championships.
CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT Women’s Basketball Ciara Duffy
Women’s Soccer Kellee Willer
Volleyball Anne Rasmussen
Swimming & Diving Josh Sorbe
Photography by Madisen Martinez
Track & Field Zack Anderson
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GRADUATION
ONCE A COYOTE, ALWAYS A COYOTE
The University of South Dakota awarded degrees to nearly 2,000 candidates in 2020. Of those candidates, 53 were student-athletes. Their names are listed below. Allison (Arens) Koehler, basketball Brandon Armstrong, basketball Carmen Bermudez, track & field Cortney Bickley, track & field Megan Bonar, basketball Ethan Bray, track & field Taylor Brown, track & field Makenzie Burmeister, soccer Amanda Carpio, soccer Phoenix Choal, track & field Ellie Coyle, cross country Helen Falda, track & field Mehana Fonseca, volleyball Haley Fritza, track & field Scott Fudenberg, golf Darin Greenfield, football Tasheka Gordon, track & field Jacob Headlee, football Taylor Heitman, track & field Connor Herrmann, football Seth Jones, swim & dive Cody Kelley, basketball Taylor Kelly, soccer
Laurel Ketelhut, track & field Eleni Knapp, track & field Ben Kopp, swim & dive Nick Kramer, football Taryn LaBree, soccer Jack Lawrence, swim & dive Mason Lorber, football Elizabeth Loschen, volleyball Charlie Mechling, swim & dive Isaac Morris, swim & dive Nanette Nylund, tennis Dennis Parsley, track & field Hunter Paugh, golf Luis Peguero, football Austin Peters, football Anne Rasmussen, volleyball Jake Richardson, football Sabrina Sabadeanu, swim & dive Mason Scheidegger, football Emilee Shostrom, track & field Josh Sorbe, swim & dive Samara Spencer, track & field Kianna Stewart, track & field
Jordan Thielbar, swim & dive Conner Thiele, football Matt Tolan, golf Blake Vande Hoef, track & field Caleb Vander Esch, football Ellie Wilson, track & field Pamela Zuluaga, volleyball
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ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL 4.0 CUMULATIVE GPA cumulative through spring 2020 Adams, Aimee Babcock, Charlie Bickley, Krista Bollweg, Brooklyn Cochrane, Jack Dalbec, Cass Draayer, Hannah Duffy, Ciara Faurot, Marshall Fragnito, Malaina Gerdes, Claire Girbau, Berta Godfrey, Dalton Haring, Carly Hunt, Lizzie Jensen, Laerke Kemp, Landon Knapp, Lydia Kopp, Ben Kubas, Ella Lewis, Caroline Martin, Mary Mechling, Charlie Mikkelsen, Emily Pederson, Haley Renken, Zach Samec, Jason Schnell, Jordyn Schroedermeier, Macy Skopec, Jess Sorbe, Josh Sullivan, Jessie Wilson, Courtney Zimmerman, Becca
Volleyball Cross Country/Track Track & Field Volleyball Football Triathlon Track & Field Basketball Track & Field Swimming & Diving Volleyball Tennis Football Track & Field Swimming & Diving Golf Track & Field Track & Field Swimming & Diving Triathlon/Track Soccer Softball Swimming & Diving Soccer Swimming & Diving Track & Field Football Swimming & Diving Softball Cross Country/Track Swimming & Diving Track & Field Softball Soccer
3.50-3.99 CUMULATIVE GPA Alessio, Bella Aly, Habiba Anderson, Lucie Anderson, Zack Arens, Haley Arens, Monica Atwood, Ashlynn Atwood, Alec Bart, Jonna Beckwith, Hannah Bell, Carter Bermudez, Carmen Bickley, Cortney Bingham, Naomi Blote, Brigit Bonar, Megan
Soccer Tennis Swimming & Diving Track & Field Cross Country/Track Basketball Cross Country/Track Cross Country/Track Cross Country/Track Swimming & Diving Football Track & Field Track & Field Swimming & Diving Cross Country/Track Basketball
Brennan, Tessa Triathlon/Swim & Dive Brown, Taylor Cross Country/Track Brust, Katie Cross Country/Track Burmeister, Makenzie Soccer Camp, Carson Football Case, Kody Football Choal, Phoenix Track & Field Chuang, Elbert Swimming & Diving Clark, Meredith Track & Field Conrad, Benjamin Football Cotter, Taylor Soccer Coyle, Ellie Cross Country Drengenberg, Leah Triathlon/Swim/Track Dunkley, Kino Track & Field Dusterhoft, Leah Track & Field Ekern, Hayden Football Elder, Kaden Track & Field Fairbanks, Isabel Swimming & Diving Falda, Helen Track & Field Fine, Erin Track & Field Fonseca, Mehana Volleyball Fontenot, Teresa Soccer Fossum, Christian Swimming & Diving Fritza, Haley Cross Country/Track Fuchs, Cooper Swimming & Diving Fudenberg, Scott Golf Fulton, Sydney Swimming & Diving Gallagher, Maddie Swimming & Diving Garcia, Grace Softball Gerberding, Holly Track & Field Goehring, Austin Football Goodrick, Hunter Basketball Gordon, Tasheka Track & Field Gould, Helen Cross Country/Track Grathoff, Emily Volleyball Griffith, Riley Track & Field Grothusen, Ally Volleyball Guebert, Macy Basketball Haberkorn, Teagan Swimming & Diving Hale, Lindsey Track & Field Harkleroad, Emma Soccer Harms, Madison Volleyball Headlee, Jacob Football Heisinger, Josie Track & Field Heitman, Taylor Track & Field Heitman, Ethan Track & Field Hempe, Alexi Basketball Henrich, Callie Track & Field Herrmann, Connor Football Hesse, Makenzie Volleyball Hicks, Ben Golf Hirata, Gen Track & Field Hoffman, Caden Basketball Holbert, Gabbi Softball Hossfeld, Anna Soccer Houwman, Emma Cross Country/Track
Huettner, Sunny Soccer Inlay, Ardell Track & Field Jensen, Alex Football Jochum, Madison Track & Field Johnson, Stephen Swimming & Diving Jones, Seth Swimming & Diving Juhnke, Elizabeth Volleyball Jurgens, Madison Volleyball Kamateros, Tasos Basketball Katz, Maddie Triathlon/Swim & Dive Kautz, Dylan Track & Field Kearney, Kelsi Cross Country/Track Kelley, Cody Basketball Khan, Armand Track & Field Kleinschmit, Moira Track & Field Kmoskova, Natka Tennis Kneifl, Nathan Football Kopp, Zachary Swimming & Diving Korngable, Liv Basketball Koster, Kanon Basketball Kraimer, Mia Softball Kramer, Nick Football Kroger, Josie Track & Field Labree, Taryn Soccer Lamb, Chloe Basketball Lamer, Kamberlyn Track & Field Larson, Kylie Track & Field Larson, Travis Track & Field Lavin, Maddie Cross Country/Swim/Track Lazarevic, Jana Tennis Leichner, Jake Swimming & Diving Leverenz, Tate Swimming & Diving Lombard, Joey Football Lorber, Mason Football Loschen, Elizabeth Volleyball Marrison, Deidra Track & Field Mather, Joe Football McClure, Maddy Cross Country/Track Miller, Haley Cross Country/Track Miller, Kylie Swimming & Diving Mitchell, Alexis Soccer Mogensen, Brock Football Morris, Isaac Swimming & Diving Morvan, Hugo Track & Field Munneke, Megan Golf Nelson, Laura Cross Country/Track Ostrem, Abby Soccer Paulson, Jacob Swimming & Diving Pender, Jordyn Softball Peplowski, Allison Basketball Peters, Karley Track & Field Quigley, Kristen Swimming & Diving Rasmussen, Anne Volleyball Rau, Taylor Swimming & Diving Ripperda, Abby Cross Country/Track Roesler, Aleksi Track & Field
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Roney, Dani Ryz, Payton Sabbagh, Emma Salerno, Lauren Sankey, Regan Scheidegger, Mason Schutt, Brady Senior, Brithton Shilling, Kelsey Shostrom, Emilee Simon-Ressler, Jason Sindelar, Madilyn Sjerven, Hannah Smith, Dakota Starner, Josephine Stewart, Kianna Streich, Cole Theis, Travis Thielbar, Jordan Thompson, Danielle Tietjen, Hannah Tsagalis, Tyler Ugofsky, Jeniah Vander Esch, Caleb Vanderzee, Mark VerKuilen, Anna Wade, Olivia Waymire, Jacob Weideman, Lolo Wilson, Ellie Wilwerding, Lauren Wobken, Lauren Won, Jacob Wood, Lexie Woodward, Gill Wright, Josephina Wroblewski, Alli Zoelle, Maddison
Swimming & Diving Triathlon/Track Golf Track & Field Basketball Football Football Track & Field Track & Field Track & Field Football Swimming & Diving Basketball Football Track & Field Cross Country/Track Cross Country/Track Football Swimming & Diving Track & Field Swimming & Diving Football Basketball Football Swimming & Diving Swimming & Diving Triathlon Cross Country/Track Volleyball Track & Field Triathlon/Track Softball Swimming & Diving Soccer Football Track & Field Track & Field Track & Field
3.00-3.49 CUMULATIVE GPA Aitkin, Hannah Arellano, Skylar Arends, Tate Atwell, Meghan Becker, Lucas Booker, Brady Boukhalil, Vivian Bray, Ethan Carpio, Amanda Centineo, Jordan Coker, Jackson Culliver, Jalea Devers, Alexis DeWitte, Jadyn Duke, Erin
Swimming & Diving Softball Golf Swimming & Diving Football Football Soccer Track & Field Soccer Soccer Football/Track Golf Softball Softball Cross Country/Track
Duncan, Elizabeth Eamiguel, Lauren Ellis, Kaleb Espersen, Tanner Farrell, Lindsay Fossen, Molly Fowler, Camille Frederick, Taylor Gaes, Nick Gailus, Shaylee Gemeda, Merga Gilliana, Gabi Greenhaw, Drew Hagedorn, Tyler Hall, Julia Harberts, Colton Headlee, Hunter Heiman, Brady Hillis, Stephen Holden, Blake Housenga, Kaitlyn Hoyer, Jennilee Hunt, Makiah Iverson, Maren Johnson, Cliff Johnston, Ian Justus, Liberty Kelly, Taylor Kerr, Britny Ketterling, Cassie Knapp, Eleni Kottke, Delaney Kunzer, Claudia Lawler, Morgan Lawrence, Jack Lisko, Sarah Mancy, Grace Matthew, Jake Mazurek, Ryan McClellan, Sean McDaniels, Isaiah McKeever, Madison McMahan, Kenneth Mudek, Anthony Nylund, Nanette Parks, Jakob Paugh, Hunter Peguero, Luis Perrott-Hunt, Kruz Perryman, Sydney Peters, Braden Peters, Austin Peterson, Tyler Provenzano, Lily Pryor, Kaitlin Roane, Micah
Golf Softball Track & Field Swimming & Diving Soccer Golf Softball Basketball Football Soccer Cross Country/Track Swimming & Diving Football Basketball Golf Football Football Basketball Football Football Swimming & Diving Cross Country/Track Track & Field Swimming & Diving Football Golf Track & Field Soccer Track & Field Swimming & Diving Track & Field Swimming & Diving Basketball Cross Country/Track Swimming & Diving Softball Soccer Football Football Track & Field Football Basketball Track & Field Swimming & Diving Tennis Football Golf Football Basketball Softball Cross Country/Track Football Basketball Cross Country/Track Swimming & Diving Football
Sabadeanu, Sabrina Sackett, Shane Sainz, Aleesia Seppala, Julianne Shapansky, Teagan Shohoney, Trevor Slagus, Matt Slaughter, Sami Sorge, Isabelle Starling, Jakari Stoffel, Nathan Storm, Ashley Stupalsky, Will Sullivan, Maddison Thiele, Conner Thompson, Wyatt Tolan, Matthew Torborg, Brady Tsagalis, Makayla Underwood, Dylan Varma, Eesha Wallace, Austin Weeter, Noah Welch, Emma Whitcomb, DeValon Whitehead, Clayton Wiedenfeld, Maddie Wolner, Griffin Young, Hannah Zanin, Joana Zuluaga, Pamela
Swimming & Diving Swimming & Diving Softball Swimming & Diving Triathlon Football Track & Field Volleyball Soccer Football Football Swimming & Diving Track & Field Soccer Football Swimming & Diving Golf Swimming & Diving Softball Softball Tennis Football Track & Field Cross Country/Track Football Cross Country/Track Volleyball Swimming & Diving Track & Field Soccer Volleyball
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TIMELINE
09.15
Volleyball downed Iowa 3-2 in front of its second-largest crowd inside the new venue to move to 9-1. The team unveiled its 2018 Summit championship banner, and got 27 kills and 12 digs from freshman Elizabeth Juhnke while earning the win.
10.05
Abby Ripperda clocked 16:45.5 at the Chile Pepper Festival for the second-fastest 5,000-meter time in Summit League history. It was a part of a breakout fall campaign where she led the Coyote women’s cross country team at all seven meets. She was eighth at the meet in Fayetteville, the first athlete across the finish line not from a ranked program.
10.05
Austin Simmons and Kai Henry combined to run for 239 yards and four scores, and South Dakota’s defense shut down Indiana State in a 38-0 Dakota Days win inside the DakotaDome. It was the fourth straight homecoming win for the Coyotes, and third straight year with a win in the Valley opener.
10.27
SDSU soccer hadn’t allowed a goal in 12 games, but Maddison Sullivan’s early second-half strike pushed South Dakota to a 1-1 draw with the Jacks to end the streak and score a half point in the South Dakota Showdown Series. Bella Alessio made three saves in goal for the Coyotes.
Timeline photography by Aaron Packard, Molly Schiermeyer, Madisen Martinez, Britni Smith, Scott Vicker, Harrison Zhang - 20 -
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10.31
Senior Kellee Willer netted the 14th hat trick in program history, and South Dakota twice battled back from two-goal deficits to earn a 4-4 draw against Oral Roberts in Tulsa. Willer led the Coyotes with eight goals and 18 points in earning first-team all-Summit honors.
11.13
In perhaps the play of the year, Monica Arens banked in a regulation buzzer-beater to force overtime and the Coyotes went on to top Drake 102-94 in an early clash of mid-major powers. That shot, and that win, proved mighty in national rankings yet to come.
11.15
Senior Tyler Hagedorn set a Summit League record by going a perfect 8-for-8 from 3-point range and netted a career-high 33 points to lead the Coyotes to an 88-69 win against Texas Southern in their home opener. It marked the program’s 13th consecutive home-opening victory.
11.16
Sophomore Leah Drengenberg became the Coyotes’ first all-American triathlete and South Dakota recorded its second runner-up finish in as many seasons at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship Meet in Tempe, Arizona. Drengenberg’s time was 1:07.21, good for third place.
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TIMELINE
11.17
Volleyball finished off an unbeaten Summit League season and ran its program-record win streak to 24 matches with a 3-0 sweep on the road at Purdue Fort Wayne. The Coyotes, behind nine kills on 11 attacks from Madison Harms, hit .387 for the match, their best in Summit play.
11.23
South Dakota’s defense stopped three SDSU drives in the fourth quarter and the Coyotes knocked off the Jacks 24-21 on Senior Day inside the DakotaDome. It was the Coyotes’ first win in the series since 2000, ending a 10-game slide. Austin Simmons accounted for 299 yards and all three USD touchdowns.
12.14
Volleyball advanced to the title game of the NIVC by topping Tulsa 3-1 before a crowd of more than 1,300 inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The win moved USD to 31-2 on the year. Elizabeth Juhnke became the second Coyote to reach 500 kills in a season. The Coyotes hosted all five NIVC contests including the title game against Georgia Tech.
12.22
We couldn’t know it at the time, but South Carolina women’s basketball would go on to be the top-ranked team in the country. Thus, a 13-point loss in Columbia proved highly useful in South Dakota’s road to a No. 11 national ranking. The nation watched Ciara Duffy pour in 20 points and boost her candidacy for Mid-Major Player of the Year.
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01.19
The women handed SDSU its worst defeat by a Summit League foe while the men had five score in double figures as the Coyotes swept the Jacks on the hardwood in front of a capacity crowd inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Scores were 83-48 and 99-84, respectively.
02.14
Sophomore Ben Hicks fired a season-low round of 67 that put him in fifth place following the first round at UNCG Martin Downs Collegiate. He went on to finish 1-under par for the competition and led the Coyotes with a 20th place finish. The performance earned him Summit League CoGolfer of the Week, marking his first career weekly honor.
02.21
Senior Chris Nilsen broke the NCAA indoor record for the pole vault with a clearance of 19 feet, 5.5 inches in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was one final signature moment for Nilsen, a three-time NCAA champion who put the rubber stamp on “Pole Vault U” in Vermillion.
02.22
Sophomore Jake Leichner won the 100 individual medley on the final day of the Summit League Swimming and Diving Championships in Sioux Falls to claim the Coyotes’ first-ever Summit crown by an individual swimmer. The Coyotes’ men and women both placed second in the team standings.
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TIMELINE
02.29
On the same day Aleesia Sainz hit a game-tying homer in the seventh and fellow frosh Jordyn Pender delivered a game-winning hit, junior Lauren Eamiguel became the first Coyote with four hits in a single game since 2017 as USD softball competed in a tournament hosted by New Mexico.
03.06
Five Coyotes – Chris Nilsen, Ethan Bray, Zack Anderson, Brithton Senior and Helen Falda – earned the right to compete at the NCAA Indoor Championship Meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sadly, the meet was cancelled just before the start of competition due to COVID-19. All five would later be recognzied as All-Americans by the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association.
03.10
USD completed perhaps the greatest regular season in Summit League history with a 63-58 win against SDSU in the championship game of the Summit Tournament in Sioux Falls. Hannah Sjerven scored MVP honors with 15 points and eight boards. It was USD’s 19th straight win and moved the team to 30-2.
03.13
One day after the NCAA announced the cancellation of the remaining indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships, the Summit League announced it was immediately canceling spring sport seasons. Though spring sport athletes would be granted another year of eligibility, the announcement effectively ended the careers of many USD senior athletes.
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THE CHARLIES
Senior basketball player Ciara Duffy and senior track and field star Chris Nilsen took home the top honors in a digital version of The Charlies, the athletics annual award ceremony that was moved online for 2019-20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional Awards:
Duffy picked up the Catie Tobin Female Athlete of the Year award. She received a handful of postseason awards, including honorable mention All-America from the Associated Press, the espnW Mid-Major Player of the Year, the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year presented by Her Hoops Stats and the Summit League Player of the Year. She is a threetime Academic All-American as well.
Coach of the Year: Dawn Plitzuweit
Nilsen took home the Dr. John Van Why Male Athlete of the Year award for the third time in his career. A three-time NCAA Champion, Nilsen broke the NCAA indoor pole vault record with a vault of 19 feet, 5 ½ inches. He was also the 2020 USTFCCCA National Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Coyote to receive such national recognition in the Division I era.
Female Rookie of the Year: Elizabeth Juhnke Male Rookie of the Year: Brithton Senior
Outstanding Team of the Year: Women’s Basketball Courage Awards: Julia Hall, Kenneth McMahan Leader of the Pack: Women’s Basketball, Men’s Golf Student-Athlete Choice Award: Darin Hochstein Performance of the Year (Fan Vote): Leah Drengenberg’s All-America finish at the USA Triathlon National Championships
Volleyball player Anne Rasmussen and senior swimming and diving member Josh Sorbe were named the Female and Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year, respectively, which is given to a senior with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2. Rasmussen graduated with a 3.94 GPA in kinesiology and sport management. She was the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year the past two years and a three-time all-Summit League honoree. Rasmussen earned a spot on the Academic All-Summit League volleyball team twice and the CoSIDA Academic AllDistrict team as a senior. Sorbe graduated with a 4.00 GPA in economics and political science. A 2019 Truman Scholar and past student body president, provided team points in three events at the Summit League Championships.
Photography by Aaron Packard
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DAKOTADOME RENOVATIONS UNDERWAY
August 6, one day before Coyote football officially opened fall camp, the team made its first steps inside its new locker room and players’ lounge. For the roughly 110 student-athletes, it was the culmination of an 18-month, $26 million DakotaDome west side renovation. Two new entrances, a concourse, new seating, and suites and loges were all part of the project, but the “100 level” was the first to show off. “It’s mind blowing,” said senior cornerback Mark Collins Jr. after seeing the new space. “Just seeing how far these facilities have come over the years and seeing the final product was great to see. You can just tell the commitment from the University, there’s Coyote paws everywhere, the red lights, they got the uniforms. Everything just feels like Coyote football.” Head Football Coach Bob Nielson watched as each class, from the seniors to the newest Coyotes, took their turn. “It’s obviously a beautiful facility,” said Nielson. “I’m excited for these guys to have the facility they deserve. It shows a strong commitment by the University to our student-athletes and to Division I football. I certainly have to thank all of our loyal supporters and alumni who made this project possible.” The locker room covers more than 6,000 square feet, or more than three times the size of the previous locker room. Each locker features a customizable nameplate, a padded seat, ample storage for personal clothing, practice and game gear, and a floor to ceiling ventilation system used to dry
equipment. In addition, the room boasts an internal sound system and 20 individual showerheads. Directly across from the locker room sits the players’ lounge where student-athletes can relax, study and hang out with teammates. The room offers comfortable seating, eight televisions, gaming systems and a nutrition area where players can refuel with nutritious snacks and beverages. It also features tables for individual or group study. “Our football student-athletes now have a locker room that is more appropriate for the size of the program, the number of student-athletes and the size of the human beings,” said Corey Jenkins, the Coyotes’ senior associate athletic director for facilities and operations who has been in lock step with Fiegen Construction throughout the process. “The lounge is a big deal. It’s become an expectation. They don’t have to float back to a residence hall or an apartment for an hour. They have a space on site where they can do everything from grabbing a snack, playing a game, or writing a paper.” For the Fans If the 100 level is for the student-athletes, much of the rest of the areas are for Coyote Nation. The 200 level, for example, consists of 10 executive suites and 15 loges boxes. The final months of the project saw these spaces come alive with millwork, cabinetry, color, refrigerators and televisions. “Every time I walk up there, I get excited about the experience we’re going to be able to provide our fans,” said Jenkins. “In a lot of venues, the suites and
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MWORK EXCELLENCE PRIDE INTEGRITY RESPECT ACCOUNTABILITY TEAMWORK EXCELLENCE PRIDE INTEGRITY RESPECT ACC loge levels are at a mid-tier or higher, but here, we are right on top of the sideline and right on top of the action. Add all of the amenities, and it offers a highclass, top-notch experience.” The 300 level includes access to the two new entrances and a concourse lined with concessions, rest rooms and even a mother’s room. Jenkins points to an increased efficiency for the west side concessions due to the space and equipment now available in those spots. When he turns to the seating, he talks geometry. “It’s a lot steeper on the west side,” said Jenkins. “But that puts everyone on top of the action, so there’s really not a bad seat in the house.” Two other essential upgrades that will aid the fan experience are the lighting and sound system. Wherever you are inside the venue, you should be able to hear the same sounds with clarity. The lighting, in addition to being brighter and quieter, will allow for theatrical effects for pregame and halftime performances. “Just like there was a wow factor when players walked into the locker room, there is going to
be a wow factor when patrons return to the DakotaDome,” said Jenkins. “I think everybody is going to be that much more proud to be a Coyote.” Still to Come Phase two of the west side renovations is already underway. It includes the completion of a new training room and hydrotherapy area, which will be on the 100 level adjacent to the locker room. It won’t only benefit football, but all of the other Coyote sports that train within the Dome. Phase two also includes the 400 level where football coaches’ offices, meeting rooms and film rooms will be prominent. Those improvements are expected to be complete by January of 2021. “So many student-athletes will be impacted by these changes,” said Jenkins. “The athletic training room will be convenient and state-of-the-art, and the space vacated by the football staff will provide spacing opportunities for other programs. It truly is an exciting time.”
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SUPPORTING THE COYOTES: HOWLING PACK BY THE NUMBERS
$1.2M $1.4M $1.6M
OUR MISSION & VISION
The mission of the USD Howling Pack is to promote and financially support the University of South Dakota Athletic Department and all individual athletic teams, while encouraging the development of the student-athlete.
$100k $300k $500k $700k
$1M
The vision of the USD Howling Pack is to support all athletic programs by creating an exciting collegiate atmosphere. By establishing an environment of opportunity, University of South Dakota student-athletes and coaches are compelled to demonstrate academic integrity and exemplary citizenship, while performing at the highest level of collegiate competition. Through this support, studentathletes can maximize athletic success while reaching their full potential as people, and as students. The USD Howling Pack is furthering community awareness of all USD athletic programs, as well as rallying support among the university’s alumni and friends. This support will be maintained in accordance with policies of the University of South Dakota and NCAA rules and regulations.
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
HOWLING PACK BOARD
GREAT EXPECTATIONS SCHOLARSHIP
Jim and Shirley Ahrendt Jamie Beisch Coyote Brotherhood (3) Dennis Hagele James and Jane Harrenga (2) Jack and Gina Hopkins David and Paula Hultgren
Larry and Tappy Hultgren Scott and Lisa Jones Dr. Jeremy and Jennifer Kudera Joseph R. Massa Philip and Marjorie Odeen Ryan Taylor Yankton Howling Pack Chapter
The Howling Pack is overseen by a strong and knowledgeable board of directors that helps increase membership and promotes the mission of the Howling Pack. Board members are comprised of the alumni, business, and/or community leaders from across the state of South Dakota. Kim Burma Aaron Clayton Jim Clement Daniel Doyle Carla Ewald Scott Fiedler Tom Freiberg Bush Fullerton
Thomas Holland Rusty Jensen Chris Knight Jennifer Kudera Michelle Maloney Greg McEldowney Dave Needham Jeff Nelson
Sean Powell Dan Radigan Jeff Sayler Torrey Sundall Luke Tibbetts Erik VanLaecken David Zimbeck
ENDOWMENTS
As of March 31, 2020, the department of athletics held 55 endowments with a market value of $10,466,868.
1978 Championship Football Team Scholarship Charles & Peg Amant Athletic Scholarship Bergman Family Scholarship Darrel E. Boyd Memorial Scholarship Ordell Braase Scholarship Frank Chamberlin Tennis Scholarship Dwane Clodfelter Scholarship Jim & Clifton Daniels Scholarship Charlie Coyote Scholarship Jack Doyle Scholarship Jim Dyer Business School/ Basketball Scholarship Ebenshade Family Scholarship The First National Bank in Sioux Falls Athletic Scholarship Dr. T. Frederick Anstett Memorial Track Scholarship Will & Carol Freeman Basketball Scholarship Mike Freidel Memorial Scholarship Miner Gleason Business Scholarship Jacque Gustafson Family Scholarship Richard D. Hagerty Scholarship James & Nini Hart Athletic Scholarship
Vern & Joan Holter Track Scholarship John House Scholarship Carl B. “Rube” & Hazel Hoy Memorial Athletic Scholarship Roger L & Patricia A Kozak Intercollegiate Athletic Scholarship Mark C. Larson Golf Scholarship Dean Lee Memorial Scholarship Dan H. and Marjorie E. Lennon Scholarship Lewis Family Athletic Scholarship E. Don & Betty McCullough Aquatics Scholarship Tim McFarland Memorial Scholarship Wayne “Moose” & Mary M. Merrigan Football Scholarship Monica Moran Memorial Scholarship James O’Connor Memorial Clifford G. Papik Athletic Scholarship James J. Rath Scholarship Sanford Health Coyote Athletic Scholarship Sanford Health Miner Gleason Football Scholarship - 28 -
Sanford Health Merritt J. & Lois Hughes Scholarship Sanford Health Opportunity Scholarship Sanford Health Summit League Scholarship Russel E. Sauvage Scholarship Scott & Mary Jo Smith Football Scholarship Thomas W. Taylor Memorial Scholarship Fred Tibbetts Memorial Scholarship Track and Field/Cross Country Alumni Scholarship Robert E & John Van Why II Scholarship June & Lyle Wagner Athletics Scholarship June & Lyle Wagner Basketball Scholarship June & Lyle Wagner Football Scholarship June & Lyle Wagner Track & Field Scholarship June & Lyle Wagner Women’s Basketball Scholarship David Walish Scholarship Lanny and Dr. Victoria Walker Scholarship Williams-Anderson Award for Athletic Training
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AUCTION RAISES MORE THAN $260,000 FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES The seventh annual Calling All Coyotes Auction, held virtually on June 26, raised more than $260,000 for South Dakota student-athlete scholarships and Coyote athletic programs. A highlight of this year’s virtual format was nationwide participation by Coyote supporters who tuned in online, registered to view items and placed bids. The Calling All Coyotes Auction is an annual evening of celebration dedicated to the achievements of USD student-athletes while recognizing a community that helps create opportunities for their success. CorTrust Bank was the presenting sponsor for the event, which included a virtual social hour with athletic director David Herbster, USD coaches and mixologists from Dakota Brick House in Vermillion sharing cocktail recipes. South Dakota women’s basketball alumna Kelly Stewart served as the evening’s emcee, providing exclusive interviews with USD President Sheila Gestring, Coyote coaches and studentathletes. “It was very inspiring to see such great support of USD studentathletes through the virtual Calling All Coyotes Auction,” said Herbster. “The committee rose to the occasion in turning an in-person event into a virtual event in a short amount of time and deserves a lot of credit. Coyote Nation was equal to the task and really made the night celebrating student-athletes and the teams so successful.” A custom Coyote golf cart, a replica football locker from the DakotaDome renovation and trips to the men’s and women’s 2021 Final Four, were among the many packages sold during the live auction. With this year’s total of over $260,000, the Calling All Coyotes Auction has raised more than $2 million for the Howling Pack and studentathlete scholarships over the last seven years.
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BUDGET
Division I-level coaching, staffing, scholarships, services and travel require a significant investment. USD athletics is committed to being careful stewards of the funds received from fans, corporate sponsors and donors. That support, as well as the funds received from the University of South Dakota and student fees, is critical to the continued success and integral to the future growth of Coyote athletics.
TOTAL ATHLETIC EXPENSES: $17,419,895 Debt Service: $858,811 Other Expenses: $5,039,630
TOTAL ATHLETIC INCOME: $17,464,670
Salaries & Benefits: $6,791,046
Student Support: $3,006,672 External Revenue: $6,421,418
Scholarships: $4,730,408
University Support: $8,036,580
SCHOLARSHIP COSTS The 2019-20 season marked the fourth year of USD offering cost of attendance to student-athletes, and this year’s increased scholarship cost is 2.23 percent. Contributions to The Howling Pack and existing athletic scholarship endownments, along with establishing new athletic scholarship endowments, enable USD to keep pace with the rising costs. Generous gifts to these two areas help fund more than 191 student-athlete scholarships. Tuition & Fees Housing Board Books Cost of Attendance
2018-19 $11,596 $6,073 $3,659 $800 $4,000 $26,128
2019-20 $11,953 $6,206 $3,751 $800 $4,000 $26,710
Increase 3.08% 2.20% 2.50% 0.00% 0.00% 2.23%
Cost is based on 14 credits per semester for non-resident student living at Coyote Village.
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COYOTE SPORTS PROPERTIES
The University of South Dakota partnered with prominent collegiate sports marketer Learfield IMG College to serve as its multimedia rights holder and exclusive athletics marketing partner beginning with the 2011-12 athletic season. Learfield IMG College established a locally-based entity known as “Coyote Sports Properties” to handle all related aspects of the multiyear rights partnership that went into effect July 1, 2011, and includes signage and sponsorship at all athletic venues, certain radio and television programming and management of the Coyote Sports Network, as well as corporate hospitality, print sponsorships, event marketing and advertising for GoYotes. com. For over 40 years, Learfield IMG College has been dedicated to representing collegiate institutions, conferences and associations.
MAJOR PARTNERS
CORPORATE PARTNERS 5 Star Communications AARP of South Dakota A&B Business Solutions ABC Rentals Alkota Cleaning Systems, Inc. Anheuser-Busch / Conkling Distributing Avery Outdoor Bank of the West Bierschbach Equipment BioTest Blaine’s Body Shop The Bluffs Golf Course Buffalo Wild Wings C&B Operations Charlie’s Clay-Union Electric Coffee Cup Fuel Stop Corteva Agriscience CorTrust Bank Dakota PC Warehouse Dakota Realty Delta Dental Downtown Screen Printing & Embroidery Farm Bureau - Haiden Smith Farm Credit Services of America First Bank and Trust First Dakota National Bank Fischer Rounds & Associates Fox Print
Gage Brothers GEICO Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort Hartford Steak Co. Tavern Herren-Schempp Building Supply Hoegemeyer Hybrids HYDRO HyVee - Vermillion Jerry’s Chevrolet, Buick & GMC Jimmy John’s Kalin’s Indoor Comfort Larry’s Heating & Cooling Little Italy’s Main Street Pub Maloney Real Estate Mark’s Machinery, Inc. Marriott - South Sioux City Riverfront Mart Brothers Construction Mid-American Energy Midco Midwest Communications Midwest Ready Mix & Equipment Mister Smith’s Murph’s Appliance Northland Ford Nutrien Ag Solutions
Old Lumber Company Grill & Bar Paulsen Midwest Landscaping Pedersen Machine Pepsi-Cola of Siouxland Pizza Ranch - Vermillion Plains Commerce Bank POET - Hudson POET, LLC Polaris Prairie Inn Premier Bankcard / First Premier Bank Premier Real Estate Print Source / Equalizer Quality Motors RDL Red Roof Inn REA Hybrids Rockstar Energy Rooster’s Harley Davidson Sanford - Vermillion Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Schoeneman’s Building Materials Scooter’s Coffee Shur-Co South Dakota Beef Industry Council
South Dakota Corn Utilization Council StarMark Cabinetry State Farm Insurance Sturdevant’s Auto Parts TicketSmarter LLC Trail Ridge Senior Living Community USD Army ROTC USD College of Arts & Sciences USD Foundation Vermillion ACE Hardware Vermillion Chamber & Development Company Vermillion Ford Vern Eide Acura Wellmark BCBS
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WE ARE SOUTH DAKOTA U N I V E R S I T Y O F S O U T H DA KO TA AT H L E T I C S S T R AT E G I C P L A N 2 0 1 8
VISION S TAT E M E N T
USD Athletics will be a recognized leader in student-athlete well-being, academic achievement, athletic competition, consistency of values and respect for others.
MISSION S TAT E M E N T
USD Athletics bring distinction to the University of South Dakota through a championship culture that fosters studentathlete success, contributes to a vibrant campus community, celebrates victories and instills Coyote pride.
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Core Values PRIDE We inspire loyalty for Coyote Athletics and the University of South Dakota through our passion.
Integrity We serve the University of South Dakota and the community through ethical decision-making and values-based leadership.
Respect We demonstrate the values and practices of inclusiveness, fairness and equity while fostering an environment that respects the rights, health and safety of all individuals.
Accountability We take ownership and responsibility for our actions through a culture of accountability and prudent use of resources.
teamwork We maximize our opportunities to collaborate and engage with the university, community and region.
EXCELLENCE We commit to comprehensive excellence and continuous improvement.
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