SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—The South Dakota women's and men's track and field teams have been picked second in the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Preseason Poll released Wednesday by the league office.
 
The Coyote women tallied 42 points with two of the eight first-place votes in the preseason voting by the league's head coaches. South Dakota's men tied with South Dakota State for second in the preseason poll with 29 points and one first-place vote a piece. North Dakota State was picked as the preseason favorite for both the men and women.
 
South Dakota's women have finished runner-up for eight-straight years at the Summit League Indoor Championships. Returning for the women this season are three Summit Champions who captured four individual events, along with three members of the championship 4x400-meter relay. Second-year freshman Sara Reifenrath took home three golds at last year's meet in the 400 meters, 200 meters and 4x400 relay. Fifth-year senior Holly Gerberding joined her on the relay and also looks to win her third-straight pentathlon title. Third-year sophomore Madison Jochum is the third returning member of the championship 4x400. Third-year sophomore Gen Hirata captured the women's pole vault crown last year with a personal best vault of 14-3 ¼ (4.35m). That height punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships were she garnered second-team All-America with a 10th-place finish.
 
The Coyote men have placed third at the Summit's indoor meet for five-straight years. USD won three-straight Summit League indoor titles from 2013-15. The men return two Summit League Champions from a year ago. Third-year sophomore Brithton Senior captured his second-consecutive league title in the 60-meter hurdles. He went on to qualify for the NCAA Championships, garnering second-team All-America with a 10th-place finish. Fourth-year junior Jack Durst collected his first career league title in the high jump. Durst is the top returner from last year's top-ranked high jump squad that sent a nation-leading four men to the NCAA West Preliminary. In addition, second-year freshman Eerik Haamer was a first-team All-American at the NCAA Championships with a fourth-place finish. Haamer was runner-up at the league meet to his teammate and fellow All-American Ethan Bray.
 
In addition, freshmen Jayden Green, Ken-Mark Minkovski, Marleen Mülla and Anna Robinson were all named Summit League athletes to watch by South Dakota Director of Track and Field Lucky Huber.