Coyotes qualify a record 26 entries to NCAA West Preliminary

VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota track and field has qualified a program record 26 entries to the NCAA West Preliminary held in College Station, Texas, starting next Wednesday. The Coyotes scratched a pair of entries from its initial 28 qualifiers.

There will be 25 athletes taking the stage at the first round of the national meet, with 18 Coyotes making first-time appearances. There are 13 redshirt-freshmen and freshmen making their debuts. Leading the group are an experienced class of seniors who have qualified each year of their eligibility – fifth-year seniors Zack Anderson, Ethan Bray and Helen Falda are making their fourth appearance and fourth-year student-athlete Jonna Bart makes her third appearance.

Overall the Coyotes have 14 entries in the men’s and women’s vertical jumps entered in the preliminaries, five more than any other school in the nation. South Dakota’s nine pole vault entries are also the most pole vaulters in the country, three more than the next institution.

South Dakota’s No. 1 ranked men’s high jump squad has qualified four individuals to the preliminary led by three-time All-American Zack Anderson. His personal best height of 7-5 (2.26m) ranks second in the NCAA West. Redshirt-sophomore Jack Durst and redshirt-junior Travis Larson are both making their second appearances. Durst is tied for 26th with a jump of 6-11 ¾ (2.13m), while Larson made the field tied for 39th with a personal best of 6-10 ¾ (2.10m) at the Summit meet. Redshirt-freshman Ethan Heitman made the field tied for 47th with a jump of 6-10 ¼ (2.09m). The Coyotes’ four entries in the men’s high jump match the program high from 2019. It’s the most entries in the event by any school in the East or West region this spring.

Four Coyote women’s pole vaulters qualified for the preliminaries, led by six-time All-American Helen Falda. She sits third in the field with a personal best of 14-6 (4.42m). Redshirt-freshman Gen Hirata, an All-American indoors this past March, ranks fifth after clearing 14-2 (4.32m) twice during the outdoor season. Redshirt-sophomore Deidra Marrison returns to the preliminaries 31st in the field with a jump of 13-6 ¼ (4.12m). Freshman Jaidyn Garrett punched her ticket at the Summit meet, vaulting a personal best 13-4 ¼ (4.07m) to tie for 38th.

The men’s pole vault squad is five deep this season with All-Americans Ethan Bray and Eerik Haamer leading the way. The pair have the same mark this spring – 18-4 ¾ (5.61m) – that ties for sixth in the NCAA West. Albeit that same mark ties for seventh in the nation. Redshirt-freshman Marshall Faurot and redshirt-senior Kaleb Ellis will both make their debut at the preliminary meet. Faurot sits tied for 18th with a vault of 17-6 ½ (5.35m), while Ellis moved up to 24th with a personal best of 17-4 ½ (5.30m) at the Summit Championship. Freshman Tre Young made the field tied for 41st with a personal best of 17-0 ¾ (5.20m) at the league meet. The Coyotes’ five entries are the most USD’s ever qualified in a single men’s event. It’s also the most entries in the men’s pole vault by any school in the East or West region this season.

Redshirt-freshman Carly Haring enters her first NCAA West Preliminary tied for 14th in the NCAA West. She tied her personal best of 5-10 ¾ (1.80m) at the South Dakota Challenge in April.

Overall the Coyotes have 14 entries in the men’s and women’s vertical jumps entered in the preliminaries, five more than any other school in the nation. South Dakota’s nine pole vault entries are also the most pole vaulters in the country, three more than the next institution.

The men’s 4x100-meter relay clocked a Summit League Championship record time of 39.94 seconds last weekend to qualify for the preliminaries. Freshman Virgil Steward, freshman Demar Francis, redshirt-freshman Ardell Inlay and redshirt-freshman Dylan Kautz moved to 21st in the region with the school record time. This marks the third time USD’s qualified a men’s 4x100-meter relay to the prelims.

Redshirt-junior Jonna Bart qualified for the third time in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. Her personal best time of 10:14.58 ranks 27th in the NCAA West.

Redshirt-sophomore Jessie Sullivan makes his preliminary debut in two different throwing events. He’s seeded 29th in the hammer throw with his mark of 208-5 (63.53m) from the South Dakota Tune-Up. He’s also entered in the discus with a throw of 178-8 (54.45m) in 45th. Redshirt-junior Matt Slagus joins him in the hammer throw, ranking 39th with a mark of 203-1 (51.90m).

Freshman Sara Reifenrath, the Summit League’s Most Outstanding Performer last weekend, punched a ticket in both the 200 and 400 meters. She’s ranked 29th in the 400 meters with a clocking of 53.22 seconds and 25th in the 200 meters with a time of 23.39 seconds. Both marks are USD school records.

In addition to the 4x100-meter relay, Francis and Kautz will compete in open events. Francis ranks 25th in the 400 meters with his clocking of 46.45 seconds from the Summit meet. He also qualified in the 200 meters, but scratched to focus on the 400 meters and 4x100 relay. Kautz sits 39th for the 100 meters with his Summit meet clocking of 10.37.

Redshirt-freshman Hugo Morvan joins them in the sprints, ranking 34th in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with his time of 13.96 seconds. Teammate Brithton Senior scratched out of the event due to injury.

Redshirt-freshman Lydia Knapp is ranked 31st in the women’s hammer throw with a personal best throw of 197-10 (60.30m).

Redshirt-sophomore Josephine Starner is ranked 43rd in the women’s javelin with a mark of 153-8 (46.83m).

South Dakota’s complete schedule of events follows.

Wednesday, May 26

1:30 p.m. Men’s Hammer – Jessie Sullivan, Matt Slagus

3:00 p.m. Men’s Pole Vault – Ethan Bray, Eerik Haamer, Marshall Faurot, Kaleb Ellis, Tre Young

6:00 p.m. Men’s 110m Hurdles First Round – Hugo Morvan

7:00 p.m. Men’s 100m First Round – Dylan Kautz

7:25 p.m. Men’s 400m First Round – Demar Francis

Thursday, May 27

1:30 p.m. Women’s Hammer – Lydia Knapp

1:30 p.m. Women’s Javelin – Josephine Starner

3:00 p.m. Women’s Pole Vault – Helen Falda, Gen Hirata, Deidra Marrison, Jaidyn Garrett

7:25 p.m. Women’s 400m First Round – Sara Reifenrath

8:45 p.m. Women’s 200m First Round – Sara Reifenrath

Friday, May 28

1:00 p.m. Men’s High Jump – Zack Anderson, Jack Durst, Travis Larson, Ethan Heitman

1:30 p.m. Men’s Discus – Jessie Sullivan

5:30 p.m. Men’s 4x100m Relay Quarterfinals – Virgil Steward, Demar Francis, Ardell Inlay, Dylan Kautz

6:45 p.m. Men’s 110m Hurdles Quarterfinals – Hugo Morvan*

7:05 p.m. Men’s 100m Quarterfinals – Dylan Kautz*

7:20 p.m. Men’s 400m Quarterfinals – Demar Francis*

Saturday, May 29

1:00 p.m. Women’s High Jump – Carly Haring

6:10 p.m. Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase Semifinals – Jonna Bart

7:20 p.m. Women’s 400m Quarterfinals – Sara Reifenrath*

8:10 p.m. Women’s 200m Quarterfinals – Sara Reifenrath*

*Must advance from first round