SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota's Abrielle Jirele and Riley Ruhaak were named Summit League Preseason Runners to Watch by the league's head coaches as announced by the Summit office Tuesday.
 
Jirele, a fourth-year junior out of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has a breakout indoor track and field season last year in taking home the Summit League Track Championships MVP. She broke school records in both the indoor mile (4:44.47) and indoor 3,000 meters (9:30.48). She was the Coyotes' lead runner in the final four meets last fall. She clocked a season-best 6,000-meter time of 20:54.6 at the Gans Creek Classic, en route to being named the Summit League Peak Performer of the Week. Jirele was also an all-Summit second-team performer in 2021.
 
Ruhaak, a junior from Vermillion, South Dakota, steps up to the plate following the graduation of South Dakota's top two runners from a year ago. He was one of three runners to finish among USD's top-seven at all six meets last fall and finished among the scoring five at both the Summit League Championships and NCAA Midwest Regional.
 
In the Summit League preseason polls also announced Tuesday, South Dakota was picked fourth in both the men's and women's polls.
 
The 2023 season opens Friday with the Augustana Twilight in Sioux Falls. The women's 5,000-meter race is set for 8:30 p.m. with the men's four-mile race at 9 p.m.
 

2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1st place votes)
1.	North Dakota State	45 (3)
2.	South Dakota State	42 (4)
3.	North Dakota	38 (1)
4.	South Dakota	29
5.	St. Thomas	22
6.	Omaha	21
7.	Kansas City	17
8.	Oral Roberts	10

 

2023 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1st place votes)
1.	South Dakota State	34 (4)
2.	North Dakota State	33 (3)
3.	North Dakota	25
T-4.	South Dakota	19
T-4.	St. Thomas	19
6.	Oral Roberts	9
7.	Kansas City	8