VERMILLION, S.D.—After nearly four decades without an outdoor track and field facility, the University of South Dakota will have a state-of-the-art outdoor track complex for the spring season. Mortenson Construction, Benyon Sports, and the University of South Dakota recently completed the outdoor track and field facility which is unmatched in the Midwest.
The lack of an outdoor practice facility has not prevented the Coyotes from finding success. South Dakota's women have won eight outdoor conference titles since 1990, while the men have four of their own in that time span. The Coyotes have also had nine outdoor national champions – including 2013 Division I pole vault national champion Bethany Buell-Firsick.
"This is a dream come true," said Director of Track and Field/Cross Country
Lucky Huber. "Benyon's level of expertise, craftsmanship, and attention to detail helped make our vision a reality. Benyon helped us not only build our track, but plan and design our new facility. We now have a surface that we can be proud of for decades to come."
The new facility features a nine-lane, 400-meter, NCAA-certified BSS 2000 track surface that includes competition areas for the pole vault, long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, javelin, and hammer throw. All of the field events will be viewable from the 1,000-seat grandstands.
South Dakota's new track surface is Benyon Sports' revolutionary and Olympic-caliber BSS 2000 system. The full-pour Benyon surface is regarded as the ultimate edge in performance, offering athletes maximum energy return.
Benyon also facilitated the installation of an in-ground timing system and timing terminal at the finish line to automatically calculate interval and race times.
Located opposite of the grandstand and acting as a 10th lane is a 120-meter incline and decline training feature. South Dakota will be one of only two facilities in the United States to have such a training tool.
The Coyotes compete at the track and field complex for the first time on April 19 for the USD Twilight.
South Dakota then hosts the Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 12-14.
