VERMILLION, S.D.—A series of traditional regional meets highlight the 2021 South Dakota Cross Country schedule released Tuesday by head coach Dan Fitzsimmons.
 
It will have been nearly two years since the Coyote cross country team has toed the line at a meet when South Dakota steps on the course for the season opener Sept. 3. The traditional fall cross country season was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Coyotes opted out of the Summit League Cross Country Championships held in March of this last year, opting to focus on the track and field season.
 
South Dakota begins the season under the lights at the Augustana Twlight (Sept. 3) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Coyote women are the defending champions, having won the meet four consecutive years from 2016-19.
 
A pair of Big Ten meets will follow – Nebraska's Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational (Sept. 18) in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Minnesota's Roy Griak Invitational (Sept. 24) held at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Coyotes have raced at Woody Greeno each season since 2016, and competed at the Roy Griak for seven of the last nine seasons.
 
For the seventh consecutive season, the Coyotes close out the regular season with the Bradley Pink Classic (Oct. 15) at Newman Golf Course in Peoria, Illinois. USD's women won the meet in 2017 and have finished runner-up three times. The Coyote men posted their best finish of fifth in 2019.
 
The championship slate begins with the Summit League Championships on Oct. 30, hosted by Oral Roberts in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This marks ORU's first time hosting the league meet since 2011.
 
The NCAA Midwest Regional returns to Ashton Cross Country Course in Iowa City, Iowa, with the meet held Nov. 12. Should either the men or women finish in the top two at the meet or receive a wildcard bid, they would advance to the 2021 NCAA Championships held at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida, on Nov. 20.