SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota sixth-year senior Abby Ripperda and third-year sophomore Abrielle Jirele led the Coyote women with a pair of top-five finishes at the Augustana Twilight held Friday night at Yankton Trail Park. Fifth-year senior Merga Gemeda led the men with a 10th-place individual finish.
 
Ripperda and Jirele, returning all-Summit League honorees from a year ago, crossed the finish line in fourth and fifth, respectively. Ripperda completed the 5,000-meter course in 17:38.62. She posted the fifth-fastest time by a Coyote on the course since it moved to a 5,000-meter race in 2017. Jirele crossed the line more than a minute faster than a year ago on the same course with a clocking of 17:54.77.
 
Gemeda completed the four-mile men's course in 19:45.27 for 10th place in the field.
 
South Dakota's women finished fifth in the team race with 117 points. The Coyote men took ninth with 290 points. South Dakota State swept the women's and men's team titles.
 
Third-year sophomore Renee Thompson, fourth-year junior Helen Gould and fourth-year redshirt-sophomore Haley Miller rounded out the Coyotes' scoring five. Thompson finished 31st in 18:50.94, a minute faster than 2021. Gould bested last year's time by more than 20 seconds, clocking 18:57.06 for 35th place. Miller took 52nd in 19:20.69.
 
Sophomore Nikki Kelly and freshman Maci Steuber finished in USD's top seven for the first time. Kelly clocked a time of 19:51.94 and Steuber finished in 20:51.08.
 
Fourth-year junior Charlie Babcock was the second men's runner across the line for USD in 55th place. He clocked 20:33.67 for four miles.
 
Sophomore Mason Sindelar, freshman Seth Fey and third-year sophomore Jarek Glenn capped off the men's scoring five. Sindelar clocked 20:49.26 for 80th place, Fey took 98th in 21:02.24 and Glenn was 99th in 21:02.56.
 
Newcomers Riley Ruhaak, a sophomore transfer from Dordt, and freshman Daniel Ayoroa were USD's pushers on Friday night. Ruhaak clocked 21:45.72 and Ayoroa finished in 22:20.53.
 
Next on the docket for South Dakota is Indiana's Coaching Tree Invitational on Sept. 16 in Bloomington, Indiana.