VERMILLION, S.D. - The South Dakota track and field program is set to hold the annual Dan Lennon Invitational on March 26 and 27 at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. The prestigious high school meet features Class A competition on Monday, March 28 and Class B competition on Tuesday, March 29. The competition begins both days with the triple jump at 11:30 a.m. and continues throughout the day.

A schedule of each day's events can be found at the links above.

Godfrey to Receive Dan Lennon Award The South Dakota track and field program will present Victor Godfrey of Watertown, S.D., with the 2012 Dan Lennon Award at the Dan Lennon Invitational on March 26 at the DakotaDome. Godfrey, the 23rd winner of the award, will be honored at 3:55 p.m. on Monday.

Godfrey is in his 50th season of coaching track and field in 2012. He is a Northern State graduate and began his coaching career with a two-year stint with the US Peace Corps in the Republic of Indonesia.

He coached at Madison, Minn., before beginning his first stint as Watertown's track and field coach. From 1969-77 he was the cross country and distance at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

In 1977, Godfrey was hired to be the national athletics and track and field coach for the country of Bahrain, a position he held for 12 years. This included coaching runners who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games and in two world championships.

After the Seoul Games in 1988, Godfrey returned to Watertown and a few months later took over his current position at Watertown High School. He retired from teaching in 2003 but has remained the head coach. Chad Rohde, a former Watertown and USD standout, became the co-head coach with Godfrey two years ago.

Godfrey and his wife of 47 years, Ruth, have two sons. Son Ryun is the head women's track coach at North Dakota State, while son Nathan lives in Denver.

2011 Meet Highlights Class A: Kyle McKelvey of Beresford and Seth Boomsma of Tri-Valley were named co-MVPs of the Class A boys, while Shelby Houlihan of Sioux City East earned MVP honors for the Class A girls at the 2011 Dan Lennon Invitational on March 28 at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. Four records fell at the meet, which featured more than 1,300 athletes.

McKelvey, who has signed a letter of intent to continue his track and field career at South Dakota, had a dominant, record-setting performance in the shot put. McKelvey set a new meet record in the shot put with a throw of 63-4 1/2. Boomsma also was impressive. He set a new meet record with a 6.94 on his way to winning the 60-meter dash. That topped the previous record (7.06) set by Robert Rands of Bellevue East in 2005.

Houlihan earned her third straight MVP honors on the Class A girls side. Houlihan, who has been involved in Dan Lennon eight championships (individual and relay) during her career, set a new record in the 800-meter run with a blistering time of 2:08.59, topping the previous record she set in 2010 by more than seven seconds. Houlihan was also part of the East 4x400 relay team that set a new meet record of 4:05.67 Houlihan also won the 1,600 run (5:17.63). Class B: Leah Seivert of Sibley-Ocheyedan was named the Class B girls MVP while Tyler Handel of Menno was named the Class B boys MVP at the Dan Lennon Invitational on March 29 at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D. Athletes representing 55 schools from four different states competed at the annual event.

Seivert won the 800 and 1,600-meter run events Tuesday and also was part of Sibley-Ocheyedan's record-setting sprint medley relay. Seivert won the 800 with a time of 2:24.22, just one second away from the Class B meet record. She also cruised to the win in the 1,600 with a time of 5:28.98, claiming the victory by more than 16 seconds. Seivert also was the final leg of Sibley-Ocheyedan's sprint medley relay which set a new Class B record with a time of 4:25.78, more than four seconds faster than the previous record.

Handel was a multi-event winner on the boys side. He won the preliminaries in the 60-meter dash with a record of 7.24, a record that was later broken in the semifinals by Taylor White of Dakota Valley (7.21). Handel came back to win the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.24 in the finals. Handel also won the pole vault with an effort of 13-0.

Previous Dan Lennon Award Honorees: 2011 -- Ken Beringer, Vermillion 2010 -- Bob Winter, Yankton 2009 - All Track and Field Volunteers 2008 - Dave Lorenz, Vermillion, S.D. 2007 - Derek Miles, Tea, S.D. 2006 - Rich Hansen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Glen Nelson, Elk Point, S.D. 2005 - Ruth Marske, Brookings, S.D. 2004 - Mark Ovenden, Sioux Falls 2003 - Gene Danielsen, Salem, S.D. 2002 - Jim Minor, Yankton 2001 - Greg Merrigan, Vermillion 2000 - Bob Prince, Sioux City 1999 - Rich Greeno, Sioux Falls 1998 - Jack Doyle, Vermillion 1997 - William G. Hillenbrand, Tucson, Ariz. 1996 - Dave Adam, Sioux Falls 1995 - Dean Mann, Sioux Falls 1994 - Hod Nielsen, Yankton 1993 - Dwight Hauff, Sioux City 1992 - Howard Connors, Vermillion 1991 - Dan Lennon, Vermillion