TEMPE, Ariz.—South Dakota sophomore
Leah Drengenberg placed third at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships to become the Coyotes' first All-American in triathlon on Saturday afternoon at Tempe Town Lake.
South Dakota takes home its second runner-up finish as a team at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships in as many seasons as the program has existed.
Drengenberg completed the course in one hour, seven minutes and 21 seconds. She finished behind Arizona State's Kyla Roy and Audrey Ernst to earn the bronze and a spot on the podium. Drengenberg broke up Arizona State's pack to prevent the Sun Devils from earning a perfect score at the national meet for the third-straight year.
Arizona State finished with eight points to South Dakota's 18. The Coyotes closed the gap on the Sun Devils by nine points from year one. Third-place East Tennessee State tallied 29 points.
Behind Drengenberg, the next four Coyotes finished in consecutive order. Freshman
Ella Kubas led the way in seventh place for her first national meet. She clocked 1:08:26.
Sophomores
Sammy Whitting and
Payton Ryz placed eighth and ninth, respectively, to move up one place from their finishes a year ago. Whitting clocked 1:09:08 and Ryz finished in 1:09:32. Freshman
Cass Dalbec made her debut in a Coyote uniform, placing 10th with a time of 1:10:16.
Rounding out the Coyotes in action Saturday were freshmen
Maddie Katz and
Teagan Shapansky in 16th and 19th, respectively. Katz crossed the finish line in 1:10:46 while Shapansky clocked 1:12:05. Shapansky also made her Coyote debut on Saturday.
The meet wraps up South Dakota's second season of women's triathlon.
