The Meet

The Coyote track and field program hosts the three-day South Dakota Challenge this weekend at Lillibridge Track Complex in Vermillion. Thursday evening will be a distance carnival on the track beginning at 5 p.m., while Friday is field-event heavy beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday's action begins on the field at 10 a.m. and noon on the track.
 

The Coyotes

South Dakota returns from a successful California trip that included 41 season-best performances by the Coyotes. Fourth-year junior Merga Gemeda had one of the most impressive performances of the weekend, shattering a 22-year-old school record in the 10,000 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays. The performance garnered him the TicketSmarter Summit League Track Athlete of the Week and the top time in the Summit this season. Other league-leading performances from the weekend included Demar Francis and Sara Reifenrath's 400 times from the Beach Invitational, Moe Bridgen's 400 hurdles time from the Pacific Coast Invitational, Helen Gould's steeplechase from the Mt. SAC Relays and Jacob Jenkin's triple jump from the Beach Invitational.
 

The League Leaders

South Dakota leads the Summit League in 13 different events this season.
 
Women's 100m: Erin Kinney, 11.75 seconds
Men's 400m: Demar Francis, 47.64 seconds
Women's 400m: Sara Reifenrath, 54.40 seconds
Women's 400m Hurdles: Moe Bridgen, 59.57 seconds
Women's 3,000m Steeplechase: Helen Gould, 10:45.95
Men's 10,000m: Merga Gemeda, 29:18.51
Women's 4x100m Relay: Erin Kinney, Jacy Pulse, Anna Robinson, Sara Reifenrath, 45.85 seconds
Women's 4x400m Relay: Anna Robinson, Moe Bridgen, Jacy Pulse, Sara Reifenrath, 3:41.16
Women's High Jump: Danii Anglin, 5-10 (1.78m)
Men's Pole Vault: Eerik Haamer, 18-0 ½ (5.50m)
Women's Pole Vault: Marleen Mulla, 14-5 ½ (4.41m)
Men's Triple Jump: Jacob Jenkins, 50-0 ¾ (15.26m)
Men's Discus: Jessie Sullivan, 186-1 (56.71m)
 

The Competition

South Dakota will play host to North Dakota State, North Dakota, Omaha, South Dakota State, Briar Cliff, Buena Vista, Dakota State, Minot State, Morningside, Mount Marty, Northwestern (Iowa), Sioux Falls and Wayne State.