VERMILLION, S.D. – South Dakota head tennis coach Brett Barnett is please to announce the upcoming spring schedule featuring a combined eight home matches and a strong slate of non-conference matches.

South Dakota has a total of 20 duals on its 2024 spring schedule, including four home matches in Vermillion and another four in Sioux Falls at Huether Family Match Pointe.

"We've got a strong schedule put together this season," Barnett said. "It will be fun to play some familiar and new teams. We are going to be challenged early and often but this team has proven they are up for the challenge and will embrace it.

"I looked to put together a schedule that will prepare us for every type of matchup we will see in the Summit League."

The Coyotes open the dual season with a match against Drake on Jan. 17, before traveling to Missouri that same weekend on Jan. 19.

The team will play on back-to-back days inside Huether Family Match Pointe against Missouri State on Jan. 23 and Sioux Falls on Jan. 24.

Non-conference contests the next weekend against Utah State on Feb. 1 and Montana State on Feb. 2 are next.

Two more opponents from Power 4 conferences in Nebraska (Feb. 8) and Iowa State (Feb. 16) are in front of the next two matches in Sioux Falls against Northern Illinois (Feb. 21) and Connecticut (Feb. 28).

The Summit League opener at Omaha (March 7) proceeds the annual spring break trip to Orlando, Florida, where matches with Quinnipiac, Fairfield and Hampton await.

A trip to Kansas City (March 22) proceeds a final stretch of matches that will see the Coyotes play four of the final five at home in Vermillion.

Oral Roberts (March 28), St. Thomas (March 30), Creighton (April 8) and Denver (April 11) are all home matches sandwiched around a final road match at North Dakota (April 4).

The top four teams in the final regular season standings will qualify for the Summit League tournament, hosted by Denver.

"There are no easy matches in the Summit League as teams get better and better each year," said Barnett. "We have a strong team in place and the goal is to win the league."

The Coyotes return all six members of last year's Summit League runners-up and a squad that posted the most dual wins under Barnett, entering his 11th season, going 12-10.