SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota fourth-year junior Merga Gemeda and third-year sophomore Ella Byers have been named the TicketSmarter Summit League Cross Country Runners of the Week for the period ended Oct. 3.
 
This marks the third time the Coyotes have swept the league's weekly honors this season. Gemeda earns his sixth career weekly award and Byers picks up her second.
 
Gemeda, a product of Sioux City, Iowa, has garnered the weekly award from the league following each race this season with four on the year. Gemeda captured his first collegiate cross country meet title on Friday at the Briar Cliff Invitational held in North Sioux City, South Dakota. He completed the 8,000-meter Adams Nature Preserve course in 24:56.84. Only Gemeda has clocked a faster time in the Summit this fall. He led USD's men to a meet title at the event.
 
Byers, hailing from Chamberlain, South Dakota, has earned the league's honor for the second time in four meets this season. Byers won her first collegiate cross country meet title at the Briar Cliff Invitational last Friday. She clocked a season-best 17:39.22 for the Adams Nature Preserve 5,000-meter course. It marks the fifth-fastest time in the league this fall. She led USD's women to their second meet title this fall.
 
South Dakota resumes action at the Bradley Pink Classic on Friday, Oct. 15, in Peoria, Illinois.