University of South Dakota Athletics

General Information

Coyote cross country has its own home at the Don Baker Cross Country Course. Located just North of the DakotaDome across Highway 50, the tree-filled 10 acres has a permanently-marked course that gives USD an area to train and host meets on.

About Don Baker: The course was dedicated in 2004 for Don Baker, a former coach who helped mold the athletic careers of numerous high school and college athletes in the area. Baker served one year as the top assistant coach for head basketball coach Jack Doyle in 1973-74. He also assisted Dan Lennon with the track program in 1973-74. Baker received his bachelor's degree from USD-Springfield in 1955 and his master's degree at USD in 1958. He coached at Yankton High School before joining the USD-Springfield staff in 1965. Baker had a very successful program at Springfield, including winning a South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference track championship, a cross country title and building the basketball programs into a contender for the league title. He was named the South Dakota College Coach of the Year in 1971 by the South Dakota Sportswriter's Association.