SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—The South Dakota women's and men's track teams have been picked second and third, respectively, in the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Preseason Polls. The Coyote women also received a pair of first-place votes.
Senior
Ethan Bray returns for his senior season after qualifying for the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships. He entered the field with the ninth-best height in the country, vaulting an indoor best 18-1 at the Dakota Realty Alumni Meet. Bray's mark ranks second in South Dakota program history. His career history at the Summit meet includes a league title in 2018 to go with a pair of runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2020.
Sophomore
Brithton Senior peaked at the Summit League Championships last season, setting a meet and program record in the 60-meter hurdles. He clocked 7.74 seconds to win his first Summit title. Senior also qualified for the 2020 NCAA Indoor Championships in the 16th position.
Other returning Summit League Champions include
Landon Kemp in the pole vault and
Holly Gerberding in the pentathlon.
Kemp captured her first Summit League title with a height of 13-8 ½. She led a Coyote squad that swept the podium and scored 32 points in the event. South Dakota has won a women's vault title in seven of the last eight seasons.
Gerberding won her first league title with a score of 3,759 points in the pentathlon. She also placed eighth in the 60-meter hurdles and ran on the Coyotes' fourth-place 4x400-meter relay at the league meet.
South Dakota director of track and field
Lucky Huber named senior thrower
Callie Henrich, freshman sprinter
Sara Reifenrath, freshman sprinter
Demar Francis and freshman pole vaulter
Eerik Haamer as additional athletes to watch.
The Coyotes kick off the season on Saturday with a dual against South Dakota State in Brookings.
2020-21 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S INDOOR PRESEASON POLL
| |
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
41 (5) |
| 2. |
South Dakota |
38 (2) |
| 3. |
South Dakota State |
32 |
| 4. |
Oral Roberts |
25 |
| 5. |
North Dakota |
24 |
| 6. |
Western Illinois |
16 |
| 7. |
Omaha |
13 |
2020-21 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S INDOOR PRESEASON POLL
| |
Team |
Score (1st place votes) |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
30 (5) |
| 2. |
South Dakota State |
24 (1) |
| 3. |
South Dakota |
23 |
| 4. |
Oral Roberts |
19 |
| 5. |
North Dakota |
14 |
| 6. |
Western Illinois |
10 |
WOMEN'S INDOOR PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
Kelby Anderson, North Dakota State
Makayla Ayres, Oral Roberts
Erica Benson, North Dakota
Oksana Covey, South Dakota State
Callie Henrich, South Dakota
Akealy Moton, North Dakota State
Sara Reifenrath, South Dakota
Carrie Simonson, Omaha
Lucy Steinmeyer, North Dakota
Carrissa Tinsley, Western Illinois
Sasha Wells, Oral Roberts
Annie Wendt, South Dakota State
Paulina Wuestefeld, Western Illinois
MEN'S INDOOR PRESEASON ATHLETES TO WATCH LIST
Ackeen Colley, Western Illinois
Chris Evenson, North Dakota
Demar Francis, South Dakota
Trent Francom, South Dakota State
Eerik Haamer, South Dakota
Coby Hilton, South Dakota State
Luke Labatte, North Dakota
Jacob Rodin, North Dakota State
Kalen Samelton, Western Illinois
Devin Simon, Oral Roberts
Josh Tabla, Oral Roberts
Alex Talley, North Dakota State
