VERMILLION, S.D.—There will be a return to collegiate triathlon competition this fall after a year's hiatus. South Dakota women's triathlon, the two-time national runners-up, will race in a team competition on Sept. 4 for the first time in 658 days.
 
The Coyotes kick off the season at the Pleasant Prairie Qualifier in Wisconsin that Saturday morning. It will be the first of three chances to meet the qualification criteria for the national meet.
 
Two other regional qualifiers – the Smith Mountain Lake Qualifier in Virginia (Oct. 16) and the St. George Qualifier in Utah (Oct. 30) – dot the Coyotes' fall schedule. To officially qualify for nationals, a team must place in the top-two at any of the three regional qualifiers. South Dakota accomplished that feat in their first qualifier in the program's first two seasons.
 
New to the schedule this year is the Arizona State Invitational, hosted by the Sun Devils, on Sept. 18.
 
The USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships return to Tempe Town Lake on Nov. 13 in Tempe, Arizona. South Dakota finished runner-up at the national meet in the program's first two seasons (2018, 2019). Leah Drengenberg made history as the program's first All-American last fall, placing third in the race with a time of 1:07:21.
 
2021 South Dakota Triathlon Schedule
Sept. 4 – Regional Qualifier in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
Sept. 18 – Arizona State Invitational in Tempe, Ariz.
Oct. 16 – Regional Qualifier in Smith Mountain Lake, Va.
Oct. 30 – Regional Qualifier in St. George, Utah
Nov. 13 – USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship in Tempe, Ariz.