Vermillion, S.D. - One of the top prep meets in the region, the University of South Dakota track and field teams will host the Dan Lennon Invitational on Monday and Tuesday in the DakotaDome. Action kicks off at noon each day with Class A on the first day and Class B on the second day, as the meet is sanctioned in the states of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. For a full schedule of events, click on the links above.

Winter Honored with 2010 Dan Lennon Award The University of South Dakota track and field program will present Yankton's Bob Winter with the Dan Lennon Award at the 2010 Dan Lennon Track and Field Invitational on Monday in the DakotaDome. Winter is the 21st recipient of the prestigious award.

Established in 1991, the Dan Lennon Award is bestowed annually in honor of the former Coyote track and field coach. Lennon organized the first USD Invitational track meet on April 13, 1949 and coached USD to four North Central Conference titles from 1961-66. He was inducted into the South Dakota Coyote Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.

A member of the Yankton School District since 1963, Winter taught science and coached various sports including football, basketball, baseball, swimming, cross country and track and field. As Yankton's cross country coach from 1966-69 he led the school to three conference championships and two runner-up finishes at the state meet. He was also an assistant track and field coach for 26 years, guiding nine student-athletes to top six finishes in the hurdles at the state meet and breaking one school record. On the hardwood, he guided the Bucks to one state title and three runner-up finishes, before taking over the Gazelles' program and turning it into a perennial powerhouse. He won eight state titles and three runner-up finishes with them from 1975-1991.

In 1989, Winter accepted the school district's activities director position and the school has flourished under his guidance. Under his watch, Yankton has won 29 state championships across all sports in Class AA. Cross country has earned 12 team championships and the last six combined championships while claiming five rankings in the top 20 in the nation. The track squads have claimed five team championships and 13 conference titles, as Winter spearheaded the construction of the impressive Williams Field outdoor track facility in Yankton. Winter will retire in May.

2009 Class A Recap: Casey Shade and Shelby Houlihan Named MVPs at Class A Session of Dan Lennon Casey Shade of Sioux Falls Washington and Shelby Houlihan of Sioux City East were named the MVP's at the Class A session of the Dan Lennon Invitational which was held March 30, 2009 at the DakotaDome. Four records were broken during the Class A competition.

Shade won the 400m dash with a time of 52.27 and anchored the medley and 4x400 teams. The 4x400 Sioux Falls Washington relay team claimed the title with a time of 3:33.85 while the 1600 medley team earned the win with a time of 3:40.63.

Houlihan earned two wins at the meet. She was the champion in the 800m dash with a time of 2:17.23 and in the 1600m with a mark of 5:07.94.

The records broken at the meet on the girls side included: the 60m dash which was broken in the prelims by Maia Reynold from Omaha-Benson (previous: 7.95-Megan Bren, SF Roosevelt, 2008) and the girls 1600m relay was also broken by Sioux Falls Washington with a time of 4:08.41. (previous: (4:10.4-Omaha Central, 1984). The record was a 25 year old record.

On the men's side, the high jump was broken by Dillion Schrodt of Lincoln North Star with a jump of 6'9. (previous: 6-8 1/4- Jeramy Geditz, Madison, SD, 2005) and the 60m hurdles record was broken by Sam Housh of Lincoln North Star with a time of 8.25 (previous: 8.26-Terry Liggins, Omaha Benson, 2003).

At the meet, the 2009 Dan Lennon Award Recipients were named. The honor went all the volunteer workers who have dedicated many hours and time to the track and field program over the years.

The volunteer workers have big been part of the success of the track meets. The volunteers have worked 16 North Central Conference Championships, five Division II National Championships, and the first Division I Great West Conference Championship, which was held in early March 2009. Along with those meets they have also been there when USD has hosted over 100 invitationals and over 80 high school meets.

2009 Class B Recap: Lucas Butkus and Brigitte Gross Named MVPs at Class B Division of Dan Lennon Lucas Butkus of Freeman Academy and Brigitte Gross of Hanson High School were named the MVPs of the Class B Session of the Dan Lennon Invitational, which was held April 2, 2009 at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. The day saw two Class B records broken and two Class B records tied.

Butkus tied a Class B meet record (Kaleb Christensen, Columbus, Neb. 2006 and 2008) with a time of 7.25 in winning the 60 dash. Butkus was a double-winner on the day as he also captured the crown in the long jump event (20-9).

Gross tied a Class B meet record (Jackie Dvorack, Bon Homme, S.D.) with an effort of 11-0 to win the pole vault event. She also added a win in the 60 hurdles (9.55) to finish the day with two wins.

Carly Carper of Oldham-Ramona-Rutland won the 60 dash and set a new Class B meet record in the event with a time of 7.98 - breaking the mark she tied in 2008. Also breaking the women's sprint medley relay record was Scotland with a time of 4:29.81 (4:30.02, LeMars Gehlen, Iowa, 2004). That relay consisted of Cindy Syrovatka, Suzie Kloucek, Katie Sedlacek and Molly Kokesh.

Adam Myott of Centerville recorded wins in the 1,600 run (4:59.99) and the 3,200 run (10:35.57).