VERMILLION, S.D. – Eighteen South Dakota student-athletes have been selected by their respective head coaches as recipients of the 2020-21 Coyote Character Awards announced Monday in a digital version of The Charlies, the athletics annual award ceremony.
 
The Coyote Character Award was created in 2001 by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to honor the student-athletes that demonstrate the basics of good character including respect, trustworthiness, responsibility, fairness, caring and sportsmanship. These student-athletes have demonstrated good character on the field or court of play as well as in the classroom. They are role models for South Dakota athletics.
 
This years' 18 recipients are listed below:
 

• Jonna Bart women's cross country from Aurora, Neb.
• Cole Streich, men's cross country from Janesville, Minn.
• Brigit Blote, women's indoor track & field from Rapid City, S.D.
• Jess Skopec, women's outdoor track & field from Coralville, Iowa
• Zach Renken, men's indoor track & field from Spirit Lake, Iowa
• Armand Khan, men's outdoor track & field from Ratingen, Germany
• Lauren Wobken, softball from Scribner, Neb.
• Jana Lazarevic, women's tennis from Belgrade, Serbia
• Ryan Neff, men's golf from Sioux Falls, S.D.
• Claudia Kunzer, women's basketball from Bartlett, Ill.
• Sammy Whitting, women's triathlon from Brisbane, Australia
• Megan Munneke, women's golf, Champlin, Minn.
• Ally Grothusen, volleyball from Davenport, Iowa
• Alexis Mitchell, women's soccer from Lee's Summit, Mo.
• A.J. Plitzuweit, men's basketball from Vermillion, S.D.
• Maddie Gallagher, women's swimming & diving from St. Michael, Minn.
• Jacob Won, men's swimming & diving from Katy, Texas
• Jack Cochrane, Football from Mount Vernon, Iowa

 
The digitized format of The Charlies will include the debut of awards throughout the week on GoYotes.com and @SDCoyotes social media accounts.