VERMILLION, S.D.—A pair of fifth-year Coyote student-athletes in Brook Benes and Kathleen Juffer are making history this fall by using the final year on their eligibility clock to compete for South Dakota triathlon in its inaugural season.
 
Benes spent the past four years competing for the Coyote cross country and track and field teams. She completed four seasons of cross country, but still has a track and field season to use next spring. With a free fall season to use, Benes took the chance to try out a new sport offered to her by head triathlon coach Kyle Joplin.
 
"Fitz [distance coach Dan Fitzsimmons] initially talked to me about joining the triathlon team last spring," said Benes. "After the conference track meet, I met with Kyle and told him I was interested in doing triathlon in the fall. We were in the pool the next day with Kyle teaching me how to swim.
 
"I am really proud to say I was a part of this. It is really cool that USD is one of four Division I schools that has a team and I am excited to see how it grows."
 
Juffer has exhausted her four seasons of eligibility with the South Dakota swimming and diving program. While returning to the University for graduate school, Juffer decided to spend her final year with Coyote athletics by competing for the triathlon team.
 
"I think it is awesome to be a part of the inaugural year of triathlon," Juffer said. "We did not necessarily seek it out intently to be on the team. But every day we are making history for USD."
 
As business undergraduate students at the University of South Dakota, Benes and Juffer receive credits towards their master's program which allows them to complete two degrees within five years. Both are working towards their MBAs, with Juffer in the primary MBA program while Benes focuses on the health services administration specialization.
 
Staying at USD to study and compete on the Coyote triathlon team, the duo found an initial adjustment period and challenges in picking up a new sport.
 
"Triathlon is different in that there are a lot of moving parts," Juffer explained. "Our primary sports are pretty low maintenance in that for track you just need shoes and a uniform, and in swimming you need a suit, cap and goggles. Triathlon has a lot of equipment and a lot of strategy behind it. There are a lot of rules that I did not even know existed."
 
Examples of the triathlon rules include penalties that are acquired if an athlete is late to a pre-race meeting, if an athlete's helmet is not on and clipped inside of the transition area, or if an athlete's stickers are not on correctly. A time penalty is assessed to the triathlete for every fault.
 
In addition to learning the rules, the seniors have improved in the areas outside of their element. Both learned to use stationary training bikes and how to clip in their shoes. Juffer has improved in the running portion and Benes has learned to swim.
 
"We have this route to run and the first time we did it, it took me 40 minutes," Juffer said. "Then the next time, my pace went down by one second per mile. Even though I may not notice it, I get to watch the progression."
 
"My first day in the pool, it was basically a practice for a 7-year-old swimmer," Benes joked. "I had to go under water and blow bubbles. I did not know how to breathe or how to do the stroke correctly. It has definitely been a process, but I have noticed that my times have gone done a lot and I can stick with everyone longer."
 
The pair have had a unique experience as fifth-year seniors on a team where the most experienced athletes are the trio of freshmen.
 
South Dakota's inaugural signing class included American Leah Drengenberg, Australian Sammy Whitting and Canadian Payton Ryz. All three came to Vermillion with years of experience on the junior triathlon circuit.
 
"They are the leaders in the sport, but we are the leaders in age, at South Dakota and with life experience," Benes said of the situation. "We go to them when we need help with something triathlon related. However, they come to us for questions about USD, typical freshmen issues or homesickness."
 
At South Dakota's first regional qualifier meet in Longmont, Colorado, the freshmen trio led the Coyotes to a runner-up finish behind two-time defending national champion Arizona State. The performance qualified South Dakota for the 2018 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship slated for Nov. 4 in Tempe, Arizona.
 
"This program is really going to take off," said Juffer. "Kyle and Hannah have a great vision and the freshmen on the team now are going to build each year. I cannot wait to see what they are going to do in the future."
 
As the Coyotes have already qualified for the national meet, Joplin made the decision to rest the freshmen trio this weekend.
 
Only South Dakota's senior duo will head to Huddleston, Virginia, for the East Regional Qualifier on Saturday morning. It will mark the final tune-up for the national championship.