IOWA CITY, Iowa – South Dakota swimming and diving team came away with a victory to go along with 11 top 10 finishes on Sunday at the Central Zone Speedo Sectionals long course meters meet sponsored by USA Swimming and held at the University of Iowa Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.
 
Emily Kahn, the Summit League Champion in both the 50 free and 100 free in short course yards, sprinted to a victory in the 50 free meters in a time of 26.00. The junior's time was a personal best a Juniors National qualifying mark.
 
Kahn was one of three Coyotes in the top eight in the 50 free as Skyler Leverenz finished fifth in 26.96 and Carson White was seventh in 27.15.
 
Joaquin Contreras-Fallico posted a runner-up finish while Gabbie Ahrendt and Zachary Kopp had fourth-place efforts and Jack Berdahl's fifth-place finish gave the Coyotes six of the 11 top 10 finishes in the top five of the 'A' final.
 
Contreas-Fallico, a freshman, posted a time of 57.68 in the 'A' final of the 100 back and post a Junior Nationals qualifying time.
 
Ahrendt, a freshman, finished in 2:24.54 in the 200 IM while fifth-year senior Kopp touched the wall in 23.83 in the 50 free while teammate Matthew Sorbe, a sophomore, was seventh in 24.05.
 
Berdahl, a junior, was clocked in 1:03.04 a Junior Nationals and National Championships qualifying time in a 100 breast race that saw senior Parker Sonnabend place 10^th in 1:05.63 and senior Grant Wolner 11^th in 1:05.64.
 
Anna Balfanz, a freshman, finished sixth in the 100 back 'A' final in 1:05.32 while Grace Schultz and Tatum O'Shea, a pair of sophomores, were 12^th and 13^th respectively in 1:06.07 and 1:06.30.
 
Taylor Buhr, a sophomore, won the 'B' final to place ninth in the 100 breast in 1:14.81.
 
South Dakota finished third in the final men's team standings with 284 points while the women's team finished fifth with 285 points.
 
This meet officially ends the 2023-2024 season for the Coyote swimming and diving team.