SOIUX FALLS, S.D.—The Coyotes took an early lead in the Commissioner's Cup race through the fall season as South Dakota looks to defend its first-ever Summit League Commissioner's Cup from 2018-19.
 
South Dakota notched 25.5 points in four fall sports to hold a two-point advantage over second-ranked North Dakota State.
 
The Coyotes built the lead with the help of the first outright Summit League regular season title in volleyball's program history to earn nine points. South Dakota volleyball went undefeated in league play and currently sit 31-2 on the season entering tomorrow night's NIVC Championship game.
 
South Dakota's cross country teams added 12 points with a runner-up performance in the women's race and a third-place finish on the men's side at the Summit League Championships.
 
The Coyote women's soccer team tied for fifth in the regular season standings to add 4.5 points to the total.
 
South Dakota used top-three finishes in 13 of 16 sports to win its first Summit League Commissioner's Cup in 2018-19. The Coyotes also won their fourth-straight Dr. Helen Smiley Women's All-Sports Award last year.
 
The Summit League Commissioner's Cup is given annually to the member institution that collects the most combined points in relationship to placement in league-sponsored sports between its men's and women's athletic programs, while the All-Sports Awards are given to institutions that accumulate the most points in men's sports and women's sports. The men's award is named for former Valparaiso Director of Athletics Dr. William Steinbrecher, who guided the Crusaders from 1979-2004, while the women's award is named for former Western Illinois Director of Athletics Dr. Helen Smiley, who headed WIU's athletic program from 1994-2001.
 
2019-20 FALL STANDINGS
 
Commissioner's Cup
Place School Points
1. South Dakota 25.5
2. North Dakota State 23.5
3. South Dakota State 22.5
4. Denver 19.5
5. North Dakota 19.0
6. Oral Roberts 17.5
7. Omaha 15.5
8. Purdue Fort Wayne 14.0
9. Western Illinois 12.0
 
Dr. William Steinbrecher Men's All-Sports Award
Place School Points
1. South Dakota State 7.0
2. Oral Roberts 6.5
3. North Dakota State 6.0
4. Western Illinois 5.5
5. South Dakota 5.0
t6. North Dakota 4.0
t6. Purdue Fort Wayne 4.0
t8. Denver 2.5
t8. Omaha 2.5
 
Dr. Helen Smiley Women's All-Sports Award
Place School Points
1. South Dakota 20.5
2. North Dakota State 17.5
3. Denver 17.0
4. South Dakota State 15.5
5. North Dakota 15.0
6. Omaha 13.0
7. Oral Roberts 11.0
8. Purdue Fort Wayne 10.0
9. Western Illinois 6.5