Coyote athletes to look for during outdoor slate

03.18.2021

By: Britni Smith, USD Sports Information

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—A full calendar year has passed by from the shutdown of collegiate athletics last spring due to the global pandemic. The Summit League gears up for its first outdoor competitions since 2019 and on Thursday released a preseason poll picking the Coyote women second and the Coyote men third.

South Dakota director of track and field Lucky Huber also named freshman pole vaulter Eerik Haamer, senior heptathlete Kamberlyn Lamer, sophomore thrower Jessie Sullivan and freshman distance runner Abrielle Jirele as athletes to watch.

Haamer joined senior Ethan Bray as first team All-Americans in the pole vault at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Haamer vaulted three consecutive personal best heights, capped off by clearing 18-4 ½ (5.60m), to place fourth at the NCAA meet.

Lamer is a graduate transfer from Dakota Wesleyan. She has been training with the Coyotes since the fall of 2019, but has yet to suit up in a Coyote uniform as she only has outdoor eligibility remaining. Lamer was a two-time NAIA champion at DWU, taking home national titles in both the pentathlon and heptathlon. She was also the 2019 NAIA Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. Lamer joins teammate Holly Gerberding, the two-time Summit pentathlon champion indoors, in the multi events.

Sullivan climbed to No. 2 in South Dakota program history in the weight throw (67-4) during the 2021 indoor season, a mark that ranked 39th in the nation. He will look to translate that to the hammer throw during the outdoor season, in addition to throwing the discus for the first time in two years.

Jirele and senior teammate Jonna Bart scored in all three distance races – mile, 3,000 meters, and 5,000 meters – at the Summit Indoor Championships.

In addition, sophomores Gen Hirata and Brithton Senior are coming off All-America performances at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Hirata took 10th in the women's pole vault and Senior finished 10th in the men's 60-meter hurdles.

Other notables entering the outdoor season include returning All-Americans Helen Falda and Zack Anderson. Neither athlete had indoor eligibility when returning for their final season. Falda is a six-time All-American in the women's pole vault, while Anderson is a three-time All-American in the men's high jump.

The Coyotes captured eight Summit League indoor titles this past season. Those include Bray (pole vault), Geberding (pentathlon), Hirata (pole vault), Senior (60m hurdles), Summit Newcomer of the Championship Sara Reifenrath (200m, 400m), Jack Durst (high jump), and the women's 4x400-meter relay of sophomore Madison Jochum, Gerberding, senior Danielle Thompson and Reifenrath.

South Dakota kicks off the outdoor slate with the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays from March 24-27 in Austin, Texas. USD will also send athletes to the Bobcat Invitational (San Marcos, Texas) and Wildcat Classic (Wayne, Nebraska) on opening weekend.

2021 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S OUTDOOR PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1^st place votes)
1.	North Dakota State	25 (5)
2.	South Dakota State	21 (1)
3.	South Dakota	17
4.	North Dakota	11
5.	Oral Roberts	10
6.	Western Illinois	6

2021 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S OUTDOOR PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1^st place votes)
1.	North Dakota State	36 (6)
2.	South Dakota	31 (1)
3.	South Dakota State	25
4.	North Dakota	21
5.	Oral Roberts	17
6.	Western Illinois	10
7.	Omaha	7

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