VERMILLION, S.D. - The University of South Dakota's men's and women's head track and field coaches Dave Gottsleben and Lucky Huber along with head cross country coach Dan Fitzsimmons have announced that 14 student-athletes have signed letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers as members of the Coyote track and field and cross country program.

The 2009 men's track and field/cross country signees include: Andy Coy (Hill City, S.D.), Eric Thien (Tipton, Iowa), Casey Shade (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Ryan Hernanadez (South Sioux City, Neb.), Jordan Smith (Yankton, S.D.), and Sean Keane (Sioux City, Iowa).

Andy Coy, Mid-Distance/Cross Country, Hill City, S.D. (Hill City HS) Coy placed third at the 2008 South Dakota Class A State Cross Country Meet...named All-State cross country team in 2007 and 2008...placed second and led team to 2007 Class A State Cross Country title ...member of 2008 Class A state championship 4x800 relay team...placed third in the 800 at the 2007 and 2008 South Dakota Class A State Track Meets...as a freshman, placed third in the 400 at the 2006 Class A State Track Meet...Hill City's all-time leading scorer in basketball...son of Cindy Naugle and Rusty Coy.

Eric Thien, Distance/Cross Country, Tipton, Iowa (Tipton HS) Thien won the individual state title at the 2008 Class 2A Iowa State Cross Country Meet...named to All-State cross country team in 2007 and 2008...four-time state cross country qualifier...holds numerous school course records in cross country...two-time state track qualifier...placed third in the 3,200-meter run and sixth in the 1,600-meter run at the 2008 Class 2A Iowa State Track Meet ...son of Greg and Michelle Thien.

Casey Shade, Sprints/Mid-Distance, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sioux Falls Washington HS) Shade won the 800m at the 2009 Nebraska Mid-America Winter Track and Field Classic in a time of 1:58.18...named 2009 Dan Lennon Invitational Class A most valuable performer...placed seventh in the 800m at the South Dakota Class AA State Track Meet...member of the third place 4x400 and fourth place 4 x800 relays at the Class AA State Track Meet...son of Glen and Carol Shade.

Ryan Hernandez, Sprints, South Sioux City, Neb. (South Sioux City Senior HS) Hernandez placed sixth in the 100 at the 2008 Nebraska Class A State Track Meet... has a personal record of 10.89 in the 100...holds the school record for the 200 and is a member of the indoor school record sprint medley relay team...letterwinner in track and cross country...placed second in the 60 at the 2009 Dan Lennon Class A Invitational...son of Anne and Rogelo Hernandez.

Jordan Smith, Hurdles, Yankton, S.D. (Yankton HS) Smith won the 2007 Eastern South Dakota (ESD) Conference 110 high hurdles...placed second in the 110 high hurdles at the 2007 South Dakota Class AA State Track Meet...holds school record of 14.57 in the 110 high hurdles...has a personal best of 21'9 in the long jump...son of Brad and Mary Smith.

Sean Keane, Long Jump/Sprints, Sioux City, Iowa (Bishop Heelan HS) Keane finished fifth in the long jump at the 2008 Iowa Class 3A State Track Meet...he is a four-year letterwinner in track and a three-year letterwinner in football...finished seventh in the long jump at the 2007 Class 3A State Track Meet...2008 Drake Relays qualifier in three events, finished seventh in long jump...member of 2008 Iowa Class 3A State Championship football team...named to 2007 & 2008 First Team All-District Honorable Mention football team...son of Mike and Kathy Keane.

The 2009 women's track and field/cross country signees include: Bethany Buell (St., Louis, Mo.), Jessica Christian (Richland, Wash.), Lynn Carlson (Cherokee, Iowa), Ali Gress (Bellevue, Neb.), Carol Miller (Mead, Neb.), Ashley Sveum (Eau Claire, Wis.), Alix Driscoll (Winner, S.D.) and Tessa Dee (Mitchell, S.D.).

Bethany Buell, Pole Vault, St. Louis, Mo. (Rockwood Summit HS) Buell started her senior year with a personal best of 12'6" and a division win at the prestigious 2009 Reno Pole Vault Summit in Nevada...in 2008, she won the pole vault at the Missouri State Track & Field Meet, while picking up All-State Athlete and Gold Scholar Athlete honors...holds the Rockwood Summit High School pole vault record and is a member of the 2008 school record 4x100 meter relay team... Buell is also a talented athlete in the hurdles, triple jump and high jump...varsity letterwinner in track and dance...daughter of Bill and Kerry Buell.

Jessica Christian, Pole Vault, Richland, Wash. (Richland HS) Christian, as a junior, cleared 12' to capture the pole vault title at the 2008 Washington State Track & Field Championships...she also earned the Sportsmanship Award and set the Northwest Junior Olympic Track & Field Meet pole vault record... as a sophomore, she placed sixth at the Washington State Track & Field Meet...she began the 2009 season with a respectable placing in the elite high school division at the Reno Pole Vault Summit in Nevada...earned scholar athlete honors...daughter of Craig and Janet Christian.

Lynn Carlson, Throws, Cherokee, Iowa (Washington HS) Carlson is a three-time letterwinner in track at Washington High School...a three-time state qualifier and two-time Drake qualifer...two-time All-District and two-time All-Conference honoree...named second team All-District...has a personal best in the shot put of 40'11 3/4...she is also a three-time letterwinner in basketball and softball...in softball she had earned the following honors, two-time honorable mention All-Conference, second team All-Conference, first team All-District and honorable mention All-State...daughter of Barry and Lisa Carlson.

Ali Gress, Mid-Distance/Cross Country, Bellevue, Neb. (Papillion LaVista South HS) Gress led her 2008 cross country team to its first Nebraska Class A District Championship and second Nebraska Class A State Meet appearance where they earned a 5th place team finish...she is a four-time medalist at the Nebraska Class A State Cross Country Meet...named to her third All-State and fourth All-Conference cross country teams...three-time Metro Conference All-Academic team honoree...four-time Academic All-State Cross Country team selection...four-time letterwinner in cross country...Class A State Track qualifier in the 800(08), 1600 (06, 07, 08), 3200 (06), and 4x800 (08) ...holds school records in the 800, 1600, and is a member of the school record 4x800 relay...three-time letterwinner in track...Nebraska State finalist for the Wendy's High School Heisman Award...daughter of Kolby and Cindy Gress.

Carol Miller, Mid-Distance/Cross Country, Mead, Neb. (Mead HS) Miller placed third at the 2008 Nebraska Class C State Cross Country meet in her first year of running cross country...named to the 2008 All-State Cross Country team...won the 2008 East Central Nebraska Conference (ECNC) Cross Country title...2008 1600m Class C District champion...in 2007, she became a two-time ECNC champion and a four-time Class C District Champion ...placed second in the 1600 at the 2006 Nebraska Class C State Track Meet... won the 800m and 1,600m at the 2006 Class C District Meet...won the 800m at the 2006 ECNC Track Meet...named All-Area first team...holds school records in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200...daughter of Terry and Mary Miller.

Ashley Sveum, Sprints/Mid-Distance, Eau Claire, Wis. (Eau Claire North HS) Sveum is a two-time conference champion in the 400... holds the school record in the 400 and is a member of the school record 4x400 and 4x800 relays...won the section title in the 400m as a sophomore...state qualifier in four different events... four-year letterwinner in track and three-year letterwinner in cross country...state qualifier in cross country as a sophomore...named honorable mention both her sophomore and junior seasons in cross country...daughter of Evan and Kathy Sveum and Wendy Pope.

Alix Driscoll, Sprints, Winner, S.D. (Winner HS) Driscoll holds the school record in the 100 and is a member of the school record 4x100 and 4x200 relays...named to the 2008 All-Conference honorable mention team in volleyball...selected to the All-Tournament team at the Southern Hains Conference Basketball tournament...chosen outstanding female athlete of the year at Winner High School...nominated for the 2009 Elite 15 National Women in Sports Day Award...daughter of Michaela and John Driscoll.

Tessa Dee, Sprints/Hurdles, Mitchell, S.D. (Mitchell HS) Dee qualified in the 100 hurdles for the 2008 Class AA State Track Meet...four-time letterwinner in track......six-time letterwinner and six-time South Dakota Class AA State qualifier in gymnastics...helped lead the Kernels to 2007 & 2008 South Dakota Class AA State Team titles...daughter of Jodi Dee and Ben Dee.