VERMILLION, S.D..—South Dakota third-year sophomores Ella Byers and Charlie Babcock paced the Coyote women and men, respectively, at the NCAA Midwest Regional Friday in Iowa City, Iowa.
 
Byers finished 59th in the women's race, completing the 6,000-meter course in 21:45.96. It was her second-fastest time for 6,000 meters in her career. This also marked her fourth race of the seven this season finishing as USD's lead runner.
 
Babcock placed 80th and was the Coyotes' lead runner for the first time this season. He completed the 10,000-meter course in 32:13.86, more than a minute faster than two years ago at the 2019 NCAA Regionals. This also marks the first time the Coyote men have raced 10,000 meters in a race this season, with the first six meets being 8,000 meters long. Babcock was USD's second runner at those six meets. He was all-Summit League second team two weeks ago.
 
The Coyote women finished 15th in the team race with 431 points, second among Summit League teams. Minnesota and Oklahoma State earned the automatic qualifying bids to the NCAA Championships.
 
Second-year freshman Abrielle Jirele was the second Coyote woman across the finish line with a time of 21:49.08 for 65th place. Jirele has finished in USD's scoring five for six-straight meets. She earned all-Summit League second-team honors two weeks ago.
 
Fifth-year junior Abby Ripperda was 85th with a time of 22:05.87. She led the Coyotes at the Summit League Championships in October, earning all-Summit honors at that race.
 
Third-year sophomore Helen Gould was 107th in the field with a time of 22:26.33. She finished in USD's scoring five for the fourth time this season.
 
The duo of fourth-year junior Haley Arens and second-year freshman Lizzy Kramer finished together in 119th and 120th, respectively. Arens clocked 22:33.28 and Kramer was less than three-tenths of a second behind. Kramer posted a personal best in the race.
 
Second-year freshman McKenna Herrmann rounded out the group with a time of 23:09.32 for 162nd place.
 
The Coyote men took 21st in the team race with 604 points, also second among Summit teams. Oklahoma State and Iowa State took the two automatic qualifying bids to the NCAA Championships.
 
Third-year sophomore Alec Atwood was the second Coyote man across the finish tape. He completed the course in a personal best 32:46.38, more than 90 seconds faster than his finishing time at the 2019 NCAA Regionals.
 
Freshman Mason Sindelar completed the race in 32:56.30 for 123rd place. It marked his first collegiate 10,000 meters. Fourth-year sophomore Jacob Waymire also raced his first collegiate 10,000 meters on the cross country course. He clocked 33:08.10 for 133th place.
 
Second-year freshman Jarek Glenn clocked 33:43.96 for 161st place and third-year sophomore Braden Peters completed the course in 34:40.48 for 185th place.
 
Friday's meet wrapped up the 2021 South Dakota cross country season.