VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota sophomore
Demar Francis has been voted the Summit League Most Outstanding Performer of the Championship by the league's head coaches announced Wednesday. A total of 16 women and 11 men were also recognized by the league as all-Summit performers from the weekend's championships.
Francis brought home three gold medals from the meet, racing to victory in the 200 meters, 400 meters and 4x100-meter relay. He broke a pair of longtime South Dakota school records that were set before he was born. He cruised past Tom Green's 20-year-old 200 record, clocking 20.65 seconds. He followed that up by taking down Lionel McPhaull's 25-year-old 400 record, becoming the first Coyote to break the 46-second barrier when he posted a time of 45.79 seconds. That time also broke his own Summit League Championships meet record from a year ago. Freshman
Ken-Mark Minkovski, third-year sophomore
Ardell Inlay and third-year sophomore
Dylan Kautz joined him on the 4x100-meter relay.
A Coyote has collected three Summit League Most Outstanding Performer awards since the category debuted in 2018. Alumni Joe Reagan (2018) and Chris Nilsen (2019) were previous recipients.
The Summit League also recognized all-Summit League performers from the championship meet on Wednesday. To earn all-Summit League honors, an athlete must place in the top-three of their individual or relay event at the championship meet.
A complete list of South Dakota's all-Summit performers from the outdoor championship meet is below.
Women
Danii Anglin – high jump
Meredith Clark – shot put, discus
Jaidyn Garrett – pole vault
Holly Gerberding – heptathlon, 400m hurdles
Helen Gould – 3,000m steeplechase
Carly Haring – high jump
Madison Jochum – 4x400m relay
Landon Kemp – pole vault
Erin Kinney – 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Lydia Knapp – hammer, discus
Marleen Mülla – pole vault
Jacy Pulse – 400m hurdles, 100m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay
Sara Reifenrath – 400m, 200m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay
Abby Ripperda – 10,000m
Josephine Starner – shot put
Caelyn Valandra-Prue – 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay
Men
Jack Durst – high jump
Marshall Faurot – pole vault
Demar Francis – 400m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Merga Gemeda – 5,000m
Jayden Green – long jump, triple jump
Ardell Inlay – 4x100m relay
Dylan Kautz – 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay
Ken-Mark Minkovski – 4x100m relay
Hugo Morvan – 110m hurdles
Matt Slagus - hammer
Jessie Sullivan – discus, hammer
