BROOKINGS, S.D.—South Dakota captured 11 event titles at the SDSU Holiday Open Friday at the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.
 
South Dakota leads the women's and men's team races with three events remaining on Saturday. The Coyote women have 166.5 points while second-place South Dakota State has 123 points. The USD men have a tighter lead on South Dakota State, owning a 148-144 advantage.
 
In her first race back in uniform in nearly a full calendar year, junior Sara Reifenrath broke the South Dakota program record in the 600-meter run. She clocked a record time of 1:31.97, almost two seconds faster than the time 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Emma (Erickson) Ladwig set in 2012. Senior Madison Jochum finished third in the race in 1:36.66.
 
Senior Meredith Clark also got the season underway with a personal best throw of 51-11 ¼ (15.83m) to win the women's shot put.
 
The reigning Summit League Most Outstanding Performers of the Championships opened the season with victories in the 60 meters. Senior Dylan Kautz took first in 6.80 seconds on the men's side, while junior Erin Kinney won the women's race in 7.43 seconds. Junior Jacy Pulse placed third to Kinney in a career best time of 7.66 seconds.
 
Sophomore Mark Daley took first in the 200 meters by taking the tape in 21.77 seconds.
 
South Dakota's pole vault squads swept the top three spots on the men's and women's side.
 
Marshall Faurot opened his senior season by winning the pole vault competition with a height of 16-10 ¾ (5.15m). Junior Spencer Buley finished runner-up in 16-5 (5.00m) and freshman Wyatt Stewart was third in 15-11 (4.85m).
 
Returning All-Americans Cassidy Mooneyhan and Marleen Mülla tied for first on the women's side with a clearance of 12-10 (3.91m). The Coyotes also tied for third place with fourth-year sophomore Alayna Falak and freshman Kailee Swart both making 12-5 ¾ (3.80m).
 
Another returning All-American, junior Danii Anglin, made her debut with a victory on Friday. Anglin took first in the high jump with a clearance of 5-6 ¼ (1.68m).
 
South Dakota closed out opening day by winning the women's 4x400-meter relay with the fifth-fastest time in program history. Junior Anna Robinson, Jochum, Kinney and Pulse teamed up to clock a time of 3:46.28.
 
A pair of Coyotes competing unattached on Friday also took gold in their respective events. Senior Lydia Knapp won the women's weight throw while competing unattached, launching the weight 63-9 ¾ (19.45m). Freshman Lulu Ehinger, fresh off a fall triathlon season, won the 3,000 meters in 10:22.75 while competing unattached.
 
Junior Joe Lynch took second in the high jump in 6-10 ¾ (2.10m).
 
The Coyotes added runner-up performances in all four horizontal jumps. Sophomore Bennett Schwenn's leap of 23-2 (7.06m) in the men's long jump placed him second. Freshman Carsen Staehr was second in the men's triple jump in 46-0 (14.02m). Junior Sammy Neil took second in the women's long jump in 17-7 (5.36m). Junior Lauren Meyer was second in the women's triple jump in 37-8 ¾ (11.50m), with freshman Mae Siegel taking third in 37-7 ¾ (11.47m).
 
Sophomore Brandon Vander Sluis launched the shot put 54-8 (16.66m), less than an inch shy of his indoor collegiate best, to take second in the field. Redshirt-sophomore Tristan Gray put on the Coyote uniform for the first time since 2022 and took third in the shot put. He posted a throw of 54-6 ¾ (16.63m).
 
Junior Dylan Blake finished runner-up in the 800 meters in 1:53.84, within a second of his personal best. Coyote alumnus Casey Shade took third in the race in 1:53.97.
 
Junior Averi Schmeichel crossed the finish line of the 60-meter hurdle final in 8.61 seconds for runner-up.
 
In the men's 60-meter hurdle race, senior Davion Williams finished third in a time of 8.15 seconds.
 
Freshman Kennedy Wade placed third in the 200 meters in her collegiate debut, clocking 25.70 seconds.
 
Sophomore Matayah YellowMule competed in her first collegiate pentathlon and placed third in the event. She posted a score of 3,491 points, which ranks seventh in South Dakota program history.
 
The quartet of junior Thomas Nikkel, Daley, Williams and senior Ardell Inlay placed third in the men's 4x400-meter relay race. Inlay crossed the finish line as the anchor in 3:21.41.

Saturday's action at the SDSU Holiday Open gets underway at 11 a.m. with the men's and women's discus.