PEORIA, Ill.—South Dakota junior
Abby Ripperda won the Bradley "Pink" Classic held Friday afternoon at Newman Golf Course.
Ripperda becomes the second Coyote to capture an individual title at the Bradley "Pink" Classic, joining alumna Amber Eichkorn's title from 2015. Ripperda made her season debut at the 6,000-meter distance with a clocking of 20 minutes, 49.9 seconds. She topped the field by 14 seconds and also took the Summit League lead for the distance this fall. Notably, only Eichkorn and Ramsey (Kavan) Fitzsimmons have run faster at the distance in South Dakota's Division I history.
Sophomore
Merga Gemeda also ran a league-leading time on Friday, covering 8,000 meters in 24:50.1. The time is a 25-second personal best for Gemeda and more than a minute faster than what he ran on the same course a year ago. He placed 17th in the men's race to pace the Coyotes.
South Dakota's women finished runner-up to host Bradley in the team race. The Coyotes totaled 103 points while Bradley combined for 67 points. South Dakota finished ahead of Illinois, Kansas City, Marquette and more in the 23-team race.
Senior
Kianna Stewart and junior
Jonna Bart placed 14th and 18th, respectively, in the team race. Stewart crossed the finish line in 21:28.4 while Bart completed the course in 21:37.0. Bart was less than two seconds off her personal best, which was recorded at the same meet last fall.
Rounding out the Coyote scorers were juniors
Laura Nelson and
Kelsi Kearney. Nelson placed 29th with a time of 21:59.3. Kearney clocked 22:12.9 for 41st place.
South Dakota's men placed fifth in a 20-team race with 184 points. Drake took home the men's team title with 81 points.
Following Gemeda was freshman
Clayton Whitehead in 27th place with a personal-best time of 24:57.0. Senior
Abdinasir Abdi took 41st with a clocking of 25:15.0 to improve his personal best for the second-straight meet.
A pair of freshman in
Alec Atwood and
Charlie Babcock rounded out the Coyote scoring five. Atwood placed 60th in a personal best 25:30.3, while Babcock took 72nd in 25:43.3. Babcock dropped nearly a minute off his personal best in the race.
Coyote cross country alum
Eldon Warner wrapped up a title in the open division with a time of 25:18.8.
The Bradley "Pink" Classic served as a final tune-up for the Coyotes leading into the championship season.
South Dakota toes the line at the Summit League Championships on Nov. 2 held in Fargo, North Dakota.
