VERMILLION, S.D.—The South Dakota swimming and diving teams had its most successful year at the Summit League Championships as both teams set school records for most points scored. The Coyotes also had four athletes selected to Academic All-Summit League, 14 more earned All-Summit League honors and two divers qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships.
 
The team will tell you the individual honors are awesome, but it is the team honors that have really shaped the program into what it is today.
 
"Over the course of my years at USD, I feel like the team has got a lot closer," said senior swimmer Adam Fenton. "There is a lot of team camaraderie. One thing you will see at conference, is a lot of us cheering and supporting each other. We will win the support battle."
 
The support really showed at the championships. It helped the women's team to a school record 582.50 points and a third-place finish while the men's squad came in fourth-place with a record 474.50 points.
 
Not only did the teams put up record points at the championships, the Coyotes set 16 school records, had 106 season-best performances and 82 lifetime-best performances.
 
"Every time someone got a best time, we all thought we got that best time," said senior swimmer Sam Schutt. "This was because we all worked so hard together, which in an individualized sport, is mind blowing."
 
At the end of the championships, 14 individuals received All-Summit League honors, which an athlete earns for finishing in the top-three of an event. The athletes to receive this honor were junior Eric Erlenmeyer, sophomore Quinn Fawcett, sophomore Theresa Godlewski (twice), senior Greysen Hertting, sophomore Taylor Kidd, freshman Charlie Mechling, freshman Isaac Morris (twice), sophomore Hunter Padgett, senior Allie Pfauth, freshman Sabrina Sabadeanu (three times), Schutt (four times), freshman Josh Sorbe, freshman Nathan Spencer and junior Steve Wascom.
 
"These awards definitely attest to how hard the team works," said Schutt. "It really goes to show how much we've put into the sport itself. Getting awarded for that is something that we've earned and deserved, so it feels really good."  
 
Hertting and Morris continued the season as the duo qualified for the NCAA Zone Diving Championships and represented USD at Zone D in Columbia, Mo. Hertting, who has competed at zone diving every year, made it to her first finals and finished 17^th on the one-meter dive. She also placed 33^rd on the three-meter. Morris was competing at his first Zone Diving Championships and placed 22^nd on both dives.
 
The season ended with four Coyotes being named to Academic All-Summit League teams. Fenton, made the men's team for the second straight year, and was joined by senior swimmer Jacob Knowles. The women's team included Hertting and Godlewski. Hertting made the team for a third consecutive year.
 
"It's nice to be recognized for more than just your athletics," said Fenton. "As student-athletes, we put in a lot of work in the classroom, too. So it's good to be recognized for our academic prowess."
 
With all the accomplishments that the team had during the year, both Fenton and Schutt said the team would give all the credit to those that helped the team along the way.
 
"I want to give the world's biggest shout out to all of our administrators, trainers, coaches and weight room staff," said Schutt. "They made a world of difference. By them helping out so much, it makes us work out harder, makes us care more and makes us more passionate. I can't think of another swimming and diving program that has people care so much as this school does."
 
With the 2016-17 season in the books, Fenton and Schutt both have fond memories from this year and the program.
 
"There are good memories when it comes to meets," said Schutt. "The bigger memory is never a race or results of a meet. It's the relationships that we've built and the experiences we've had with each other. The most memorable part of this season is how we came together as a culture and a group."
 
"It's good that I know that I'm leaving the team in a good place," said Fenton. "It goes to show that we're a team that's on the rise. As a program, we are building, getting better, and we have a strong future ahead of us."