Jan. 21, 2000

Speak of consistency and South Dakota track and field comes to mind. Year-in and year-out the Coyotes battle for the North Central Conference championship, while at the same time make their presence felt at the NCAA Division II level. In 1999 the USD women swept the indoor conference meet for the third consecutive year, and the Coyotes finished second at the league outdoor meet after claiming the outdoor title the previous two years. At the NCAA Division II national indoor and outdoor meet, the Coyotes once again finished in the top-10 with a sixth-place showing at the indoor meet and a seventh-place effort at the outdoor classic. In 1998 at the national indoor meet, the Coyotes nearly reached the top with an unprecedented second-place finish - the highest effort ever for an NCC men's or women's team at the national level. The USD men were just as effective by capturing the conference indoor title for the third straight year and the Coyotes were 10th at the national indoor meet. In 1997, USD challenged for the national indoor title finishing third. During the 1999 outdoor season, the Coyotes were second at the NCC meet. So, what's in store for the 2000 campaign? The Coyotes should have enough depth and high NCC placewinners in many areas to again showcase a program that figures to be a major force in the North Central Conference and NCAA Division II. WOMEN South Dakota has won five of the last six North Central Conference titles (three indoor, two outdoor). The Coyotes return 77 individual points of the team's 171 from last year's NCC indoor meet, and 75 of the 182 points USD tallied at the conference outdoor meet. The Coyotes return 10 indoor placewinners. They are: Tonya Kneifl (high jump - first, long jump - first), Patricia Goertz (800 - first), Stacie Janish (pole vault - second), Molly Wedel ( 3,000 - second, mile - third), Amber Oolman (pentathlon - third, 55 hurdles - fifth), Cori Verbeski (500 - third), Alison Woolley (800 - fourth), Sandy Pelkofer (pole vault - fourth), Sara Deckert (200 - fifth). USD returns nine outdoor placewinners. They are: Tony Kneifl (high jump - fourth, long jump - fourth, javelin - fifth), Molly Wedel (1,500 - second, 3,000 - second), Amber Oolman (55 hurdles - second, high jump - fourth, heptathlon - seventh), Sara Deckert (100 - second), Sandy Pelkofer (pole vault - second), Stephanie Senn (3,000 - fourth), Mandi Muller (discus - sixth, hammer - seventh), Sara Thomsen (pole vault - sixth), LaRae Klarenbeek (55 hurdles - seventh). MEN Over the last 30 North Central Conference indoor and outdoor meets, the Coyotes have placed fourth or better in 26 of them. In addition, USD is one of the top-performing teams in conference history with 12 second-place efforts, two third-place finishes and four NCC titles in the last 16 league championships. The Coyotes enter the 2000 season returning 97 individual points of the team's 181 from last year's NCC indoor meet, and 100 of the 183 points USD achieved at the conference outdoor meet. The Coyotes return 14 indoor placewinners. They are: Tom Green (55 - first, 200 - third), Andrew Neugebauer (800 - first), Dean Gillen (shot put - second, weight throw - second), Jesse Haines (pentathlon - third, long jump - sixth), John Kehoe (400 - third), Will Hardin (triple jump - third, high jump - sixth), Ryan O'Malley (high jump - third), Chad Rohde (high jump - third, triple jump - fourth), Garrett Schramm (pole vault - fourth), Josh Hofer (55 hurdles - fourth), Craig Miller (500 - fourth), Joel Solomonson (1,000 - fourth), Noah Randles (5,000 - fifth), Jacob Christensen (1,000 - sixth). South Dakota shows 15 placewinners returning from the NCC outdoor meet. They are: Garrett Schramm (pole vault - first), Andrew Neugebauer (800 - first), Aaron Dykstra (long jump - third), Will Hardin (triple jump - third), Derek Dunlop (javelin - third), Tom Green (100 - third, 200 - fourth), Ryan Finley (400 - third), Jason Probasco (10,000 - third, 5,000 - eighth), Ryan O'Malley (high jump - fourth), Chad Rohde (triple jump - fourth, long jump - fifth), Ryan Bell (javelin - fourth), Dean Gillen (hammer - fourth, discus - seventh), Jesse Haines (decathlon - fifth), Josh Hofer (55 hurdles (seventh), Ryan Bell (decathlon - eighth).

1999 NCC INDOOR STANDINGS - WOMEN. SOUTH DAKOTA, 171, North Dakota State, 157, Nebraska-Omaha, 91, North Dakota, 55, Morningside, 35, South Dakota State, 30, Augustana, 28, St. Cloud State, 18, Minnesota State-Mankato, 4.

1999 NCC INDOOR STANDINGS - MEN. SOUTH DAKOTA, 181, North Dakota State, 171, St. Cloud State, 52, South Dakota State, 45.5, North Dakota, 41.5, Minnesota State-Mankato, 37, Morningside, 30, Augustana, 30.

1999 NCC OUTDOOR STANDINGS - WOMEN. North Dakota State, 237.5, SOUTH DAKOTA, 182, North Dakota, 88, South Dakota State, 69.5, Morningside, 54, St. Cloud State, 51, Nebraska-Omaha, 51, Augustana, 49, Northern Colorado, 29, Minnesota State-Mankato, 8.

1999 NCC OUTDOOR STANDINGS - MEN. North Dakota State, 232.5, SOUTH DAKOTA, 183, North Dakota, 84, Northern Colorado, 68, St. Cloud State, 64.5, South Dakota State, 61, Augustana, 48, Minnesota State-Mankato, 43 Morningside, 35.