Head swimming and diving coach Jason Mahowald along with A.J. Plitzuweit, the point guard for the Coyote men's basketball team, are the guests on the first YoteCast of 2021. The official podcast of Coyote athletics hosted by John Thayer will be released on Thursdays moving forward so you will be up to speed on all the action ahead of weekend play.

Mahowald is working to get his squad ready for "season two", one in which the Summit League has moved its championship meet from February to April. Mahowald talks about this year's schedule, reflects on the team's outstanding performances back in November and goes back further to March when he got a call in Cleveland, Ohio, informing him to get his team back to campus ASAP.

Plitzuweit is coming off a career-high 31 points against Denver last weekend. This is his first season on the court following a Freshman of the Year campaign at Augustana in Sioux Falls and after sitting out a season due to transfer rules. Plitzuweits talks about his recruiting process out of Vermillion High School, what he learned during his year off the court, and addresses the most important question -- does he ever get a break from being coached?

But we start as we always do with USD Athletic Director David Herbster who reflects on the opening weekend of Summit League play inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Herbster previews the start of a winter and spring schedule packed with events, explains the compromise between track and football in regards to turf, and answers fans' questions.
 
YoteCast is available across a variety of platforms: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Sticher. A new episode debuts every week. Subscribe on your favorite platform so you never miss an episode.
 
You can listen to YoteCast right here on GoYotes.com. The direct link to YoteCast can be found under the "Content" dropdown menu.
 
Thayer is in his eighth year with the Coyote Sports Network by Learfield IMG College. He moved into the play-by-play role for Coyote football and men's basketball this season after spending seven years as the voice of Coyote women's basketball and a sideline reporter for football.