VERMILLION, S.D. - In an effort to raise money for scholarships, The South Dakota Athletics Department will sponsor its first in a series of golf outings in the region with a 3-person scramble golf at the Red Rock Golf Course in Rapid City, S.D., on Thursday, May 12.
The Rapid City golf outing will feature USD head football coach Ed Meierkort, head basketball coach Dave Boots, and head women's basketball coach Chad Lavin as well as USD Athletic Director Joel Nielsen. These fundraising/social events will help support the funding of athletic scholarships needed to recruit, retain and educate outstanding student-athletes at USD.
"This is a fabulous opportunity for our coaches and others to meet people in the Rapid City area," said Nielsen. "We have had a great athletics season and we hope that people from the area can come out and say hello to our coaches. The success of Rapid City area students in both academics and athletics at USD has been extraordinary. We are very proud of their efforts," said Nielsen.
The rosters of USD's 17 varsity sports programs are sprinkled with names of former Rapid City-area prep standouts, who are excelling at USD. These student athletes have helped USD to a third-place ranking (Sports Academy Director's Cup) for overall athletic success in 2004-05 in NCAA Division II.
Among these outstanding student-athletes, according to Nielsen, is Marci Miller, who was recently named one of seven Female Honor Athlete by the North Central Conference (USD's representative). Also the USD Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, Miller is one of the school's great pole vaulters and currently ranks fifth in NCAA Division II.
Another Rapid City standout is Steve Anderson, a former Mr. South Dakota Basketball, who has recently completed his eligibility in men's basketball. Anderson was a leader and starting center on the Coyote men's basketball team that advanced to the Sweet 16 in the 2005 NCAA Division II national playoffs. Others from Rapid City excelling on and off the field include Matt Murphy, football; Luke Hofkamp, football; Heidi Moline, volleyball; Kinsley Powers, volleyball; Tyler Spease, football; Jenna Jensen, track and field; Adam Dunn, track and field; Eric Kittles, track and field; Jordan McCaskill, track and field; James Vahrenkamp, track and field; Bethany Hamilton, soccer; and Nicole Jones, softball; as well as both James and Josh Jeffery, track and field.
Nielsen also noted that former Coyote track and field standout Brianne Edwards of Spearfish, S.D., was one of 52 state winners in the NCAA Woman of the Year competition in 2004. Edwards, who was also a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient, was a national champion in the heptathlon in spring 2004 and is enrolled in USD's physician's assistant graduate program.
Any Rapid City area people interested in participating in the golf outing may contact Jenny Chandler at (605)-677-5958 or jchandle@usd.edu. The cost of the 3-person scramble is $75 per person.
