COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Senior Maddie Lavin highlighted a group of four South Dakota triathletes garnering All-America recognition from the College Triathlon Coaches Association (CTCA) for the 2021 fall season.
 
Lavin was named to the All-America first team, freshman Micah Poellet and third-year sophomore Ella Kubas were named to the All-America second team, and fourth-year junior Leah Drengenberg received honorable mention recognition.
 
South Dakota had the second-most student-athletes recognized behind national champion Arizona State.
 
A total of 21 athletes were recognized from each division (I, II, III) with seven apiece on the first team, second team and honorable mention.
 
Lavin placed fifth at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships with a time of 1:05:47.7 for All-America first team honors. This marks her first career All-America award.
 
Poellet finished 10th at the national meet in 1:06:58.7 and Kubas was 14th in 1:08:11.7. The pair were named the All-America second team. This marks the first career All-America recognition for both Poellet and Kubas.
 
Drengenberg took 17th at the national meet with a time of 1:08:30.6. She garnered honorable mention for the performance. Drengenberg was USD's first-ever All-American at the 2019 meet.
 
Deemed an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in 2014, triathlon has a 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability as an NCAA Championship sport by recruiting at least 40 varsity programs by 2024. To date, 37 schools offer triathlon at the varsity level for women, including nine at the NCAA Division I level.