VERMILLION, S.D. -- The University of South Dakota athletic department, along with the Howling Pack and its Board of Directors, announce the introduction of the Coyote Priority Point System. The priority seating policy has been restructured to incorporate a point system designed to provide a fair and equitable way to allocate benefits to those that financially invest in Coyote Athletics.

The Coyote Point System awards points, called Coyote Points, to Howling Pack members, along with others who support USD Athletics.

"We're excited to introduce the Coyote Priority Point System to our donors and financial supporters," USD Associate Athletic Director/Director of Development David Herbster said. "It rewards investments in USD athletics and provides a fair system for all donors."

Coyote Points are allocated based on factors including current giving, giving history, purchasing of season tickets, graduating from USD and being a former student-athlete. Coyote Points are added up and all donors are ranked.

The Howling Pack will use a donors' Coyote Points total to determine the order for distributing benefits such as season ticket seat locations, reserve parking, access to away game/postseason tickets and invitations to special events.

For the 2010-11 season, USD Athletics will ONLY use Coyote Points to allocate tickets to all away games for football and men's/women's basketball. Beginning with the 2011-12 season all other benefits, including the selection of season-ticket seats, will be based on the total number of Coyote Points accumulated.

The implementation of Coyote Points brings USD in line with our peer schools in the Great West Conference, Summit League and other Division I institutions. This system helps donors and USD do the following:

--Create a fair, equitable, consistent and incentive-based system for ALL donors that support USD Athletics.

--Reward your investment in USD Athletics.

--Enable USD Athletics to establish a transparent system underlying all decisions related to the distribution of benefits.

The Coyote Point System emphasizes the importance of annually making gifts that support USD Athletics. The best part about the Coyote Point System is that Coyote fans do not have to do anything extra to participate in the program except be reward for their ongoing loyalty to and support of USD Athletics.

For more information on the Coyote Point System, go to Howlingpack.com.