University of South Dakota Athletics

Sandy Pelkofer was the first in what is now a lineage of national champion Coyote pole vaulters. She won the 2001 indoor title in Boston, Massachusetts, by winning a jump-off against Jennifer Swanson of UC Davis. Pelkofer's winning mark was 12-feet-3.5-inches, a USD record that tied the all-time NCAA Division II mark. The feat helped USD to a seventh-place finish nationally.
 
Pelkofer, who grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota, was a four-time NCC champion and a five-time All-American. She was named USD's female scholar athlete of the year as a senior in 2002, and held both USD and NCC records in the pole vault upon graduation (12-7). She currently resides in Minneapolis and works in risk management at U.S. Bank.

Hall of Fame feature