By: Britni Smith, USD Sports Information
SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota seventh-year senior
Abby Ripperda and fourth-year junior
Abrielle Jirele have been voted to the Summit League Cross Country Academic All-Summit team.
Ripperda, a native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, garners academic all-Summit honors for the third time of her career. She previously made the academic team in 2019 and 2021. Ripperda led the Coyotes at four meets during the season, including at the Summit League Championships and the NCAA Midwest Regional, and placed among the Coyotes' top three all fall. She earned a spot on the all-Summit first team with a third-place finish in 21:13.97. Ripperda also garnered all-region accolades at the NCAA Midwest Regional. Ripperda graduated with a bachelor's in medical biology and is currently in her third year of physical therapy school at USD.
Jirele, hailing from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, receives all-Summit accolades for the second consecutive season. Jirele placed fifth at the Summit Championships in 21:17.64 to make the all-Summit first team. She finished among the Coyotes' top three scorers throughout the fall and was the lead runner at the Roy Griak Invitational. She was also selected as the Summit League Cross Country Female Scholar of the Championship. Jirele boasts a 4.00 grade-point average as a communication sciences and disorders major.
2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ACADEMIC ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
| Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Daniel Burkhalter*** |
South Dakota State |
Sr. |
Prairie City, S.D. |
4.0 |
Statistics |
| Zach Johnson |
North Dakota State |
Sr. |
Moorhead, Minn. |
3.85 |
|
| Will Lohr |
South Dakota State |
So. |
Sioux City, Iowa |
3.94 |
Civil Engineering |
| Luke Labatte** |
North Dakota |
Sr. |
Inver Grove Heights, Minn. |
3.87 |
Commercial Aviation |
| Payton Smith |
North Dakota State |
Sr. |
Carrington, N.D. |
3.89 |
|
2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ACADEMIC ALL-LEAGUE TEAM
| Name |
School |
Year |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Caitlin Bright |
South Dakota State |
Jr. |
Alexandria, Minn. |
4.0 |
Human Biology (Pre-Med) |
| Abrielle Jirele** |
South Dakota |
Jr. |
Eden Prairie, Minn. |
4.0 |
Communication Sciences & Disorders |
| Jadyn Keeler** |
North Dakota |
Jr. |
Barrie, Ontario, Canada |
4.0 |
Molecular and Integrative Biology |
| Ava Pankratz |
St. Thomas |
Jr. |
Eau Claire, Wis. |
4.0 |
Biology |
| Abby Ripperda*** |
South Dakota |
Gr. |
Sioux Falls, S.D. |
3.84 |
Medical Bilogy |
*Career Cross Country Academic All-League honors
