University of South Dakota Athletics

The University of South Dakota's first national champion at the NCAA Division I level came from Bethany (Buell) Firsick ('13) as she earned a spot in the Henry Heider Coyote Sports Hall of Fame spotlight in the Class of 2024.
 
Firsick won the 2013 women's pole vault national title at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon with a personal best and then-meet record height of 4.45 meters. She became the first Coyote to win a national title in USD's Division I era and is the only female national track & field champion in Summit League history.
 
She was a five-time All-American and a five-time Summit League champion at South Dakota. At one point, she held both the USD indoor and outdoor pole vault records, along with the Summit League indoor championship meet record. Firsick was also the Summit League Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year in 2012 and 2013.
 
In 2013, Firsick was named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Outdoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year and First Team then CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
 
Firsick now resides in St. Louis, Missouri, working for Cru, a campus ministry. Her and her husband, Zach, have three children, Lincoln, Elliana, and Calahan.

LAST UPDATED JANUARY 2025