SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota senior Merga Gemeda, junior Erin Kinney and sophomore Marleen Mülla were named the TicketSmarter Summit League Track and Field Peak Performers of the Week for the period ended March 26.
 
Gemeda shaved 20 seconds off his own school record in the 10,000 meters on Friday night at the Raleigh Relays hosted by North Carolina State. He won his section of the 10,000 and finished 16th overall in the field. Gemeda leads the Summit League and ranks 19th nationally with the time. A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Gemeda picks up his second career weekly honor on the track, previously receiving the recognition last spring when he initially set the 10,000-meter school record. Gemeda's also a 10-time weekly honoree for cross country, the second-most by a cross country athlete in Summit League history.
 
Kinney anchored the Coyotes' record-breaking 4x100-meter relay and set a new personal best in the 100 meters on Saturday at the Aztec Invitational. She clocked 11.50 seconds in the 100 meters, finishing third behind a pair of All-Americans. That time leads the Summit League and ranks 27th in the nation. The relay clocked 44.95 seconds, which also tops the league and is tied for 29th nationally. In addition, her 200-meter time of 24.06 seconds from Saturday ranks second in the Summit. A native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Kinney collects her fifth honor of 2023 and seventh career recognition.
 
Mülla vaulted 14-0 (4.27m) at the Aztec Invitational to open the season, finishing as the second collegian and third overall. The mark leads the Summit League and ranks fourth nationally. She has vaulted 14 feet or higher at all eight meets in 2023. Hailing from Rakvere, Estonia, Mülla garners her fourth recognition of 2023 and eighth career honor.
 
South Dakota returns to action with the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, and Texas State's Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas, this Thursday through Saturday.