USD Early Bird welcomes nearly 30 teams to Vermillion

The Meet

The Coyote track and field program hosts the two-day USD Early Bird this weekend at Lillibridge Track Complex in Vermillion. On the track, Friday features a distance carnival beginning at 1:45 p.m. while sprinters take their marks beginning at 11:45 a.m. Saturday. Field events are split between the two days and a two-day decathlon and heptathlon competition kicks off each day's competition.

Spectators should enter through the north gate. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth.

The Coyotes

After two weeks of traveling south, South Dakota is home to host its first outdoor meet of the spring. Mother Nature is on board as well, with high temperatures forecasted near 70 degrees and a southern breeze. The Coyotes will face regional talent from nearly 30 teams at home this weekend.

South Dakota swept the women's Summit Peak Performer of the Week awards for the second consecutive week. Winning this week's honors were sophomore Danii Anglin and junior Jacy Pulse. Anglin cleared 5-11 ½ (1.82m) for third in the high jump at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. Her height ranks fourth nationally and tops the Summit by several inches. Pulse had a busy weekend in Texas, with personal bests in both the 400 hurdles and the 200 meters. Her 400-meter hurdle time of 58.25 seconds leads the Summit and ranks 30th in the nation. In all, USD had eight updates to the Coyote Top 10 during last weekend's trip to Texas: Pulse in the 400 hurdles and 200 meters, Anglin in the high jump, Anna Robinson in the 400 meters, Erin Kinney in the 200 meters, Cassidy Mooneyhan in the pole vault, Mark Daley in the 200 meters and Ken-Mark Minkovski in the 100 meters.

Featured ahead of this weekend's home meet is sixth-year pole vaulter Landon Kemp. Read the latest Mick's Minute here.

The League Leaders

South Dakota leads the Summit League in 13 of 42 events this outdoor season.

Women's 100m: Erin Kinney, 11.50 seconds
Men's 200m: Mark Daley, 21.17 seconds
Women's 200m: Erin Kinney, 23.68 seconds
Women's 400m: Anna Robinson, 53.95 seconds
Women's 400m Hurdles: Jacy Pulse, 58.25 seconds
Men's 10,000m: Merga Gemeda, 28:58.12
Men's 4x100m Relay: Ardell Inlay, Dylan Kautz, Johnson Adegbite, Ken-Mark Minkovski, 40.54 seconds
Women's 4x100m Relay: Sammy Neil, Jacy Pulse, Anna Robinson, Erin Kinney, 44.95 seconds
Women's High Jump: Danii Anglin, 5-11 ½ (1.82m)
Men's Pole Vault: Marshall Faurot, 16-11 (5.16m)
Women's Pole Vault: Marleen Mülla, 14-0 (4.27m)
Men's Triple Jump: Jayden Green, 45-6 ½ (13.88m)
Women's Hammer Throw: Lydia Knapp, 195-11 (59.73m)

The Competition

Visiting host South Dakota this weekend are nearly 30 teams with the following programs sending athletes to Vermillion: North Dakota State, Omaha, South Dakota State, Augustana, Bellevue, Black Hills State, Briar Cliff, Buena Vista, Concordia-Moorhead, Dakota State, Dakota Wesleyan, Dordt, Iowa Central CC, Jamestown, Mary, Midland, Minnesota State, Minot State, Morningside, MSU Moorhead, Northwestern (Iowa), Sioux Falls, South Dakota Mines, Southwest Minnesota State, St. Cloud State, Valley City State, Waldorf and Wayne.