SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—The University of South Dakota men's and women's track and field teams were picked second in the Summit League Outdoor Track & Field preseason poll released Wednesday by the league office.
 
The Coyote men received one of seven first-place votes and tallied 30 points to preseason favorite North Dakota State's 35 points. The USD women received two of eight first-place votes and tallied 43 points to preseason favorite North Dakota State's 48 points in the poll.
 
South Dakota's men are coming off their second-straight Summit League indoor crown. The Coyotes snuck away with a win on the Bison's home turf by 1.5 points in the team title race. Fifth-year senior Dylan Kautz led the Coyotes with 18 points and sophomore Bennett Schwenn added 13. The Newcomer of the Championship, Carsen Staehr added 12 points at the meet. In all it was a complete team effort with nearly every member of the roster scoring at the meet.
 
The Coyote women finished runner-up indoors by a margin of 11 points to NDSU. Fourth-year junior Erin Kinney led USD with 20.5 points, while classmates Sara Reifenrath and Jacy Pulse added 16.5 and 15 points, respectively.
 
This year's Summit League Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be held May 9-11 in St. Paul, Minnesota, with St. Thomas hosting for the first time.
 
USD Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Lucky Huber named four athletes to watch during the outdoor season. They include Staehr, sophomore Mikael Grace, freshman Alexis Pagel and junior Delaney Smith.
 
Staehr picked up Newcomer of the Championship honors during his freshman indoor season with a pair of top-five finishes in the jumps. He finished runner-up in the triple jump with a collegiate best 48-10 ¾ (14.90m) for all-Summit honors. He also took fifth in the long jump with a personal best 23-6 ¾ (7.18m).
 
Grace finished off the indoor season with a personal best in the 60-meter hurdles, taking third in the event at the Summit League Championships for all-Summit accolades. He clocked a time of 8.03 seconds.
 
Pagel finished among USD's scoring five in helping the Coyotes capture a Summit League Championship title in cross country last fall. She went on to finish fourth in the 800 meters at the indoor Summit League meet.
 
Smith is coming off a redshirt during the indoor season. She was all-Summit in the weight throw in 2023 and ranks in the top-10 in USD history in the women's hammer throw.
 
The Coyotes also return six women who qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2023. The group includes three vaulters in Gen Hirata, Marleen Mülla, Cassidy Mooneyhan; a high jumper in Danii Anglin; a 400 hurdler in Jacy Pulse; and a hammer thrower in Lydia Knapp.
 
South Dakota opens the outdoor season March 28-30 with the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Texas. The Coyotes will also send athletes to Texas State's Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas, the same weekend.
 
2024 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1st place votes)
1.	North Dakota State	35 (5)
2.	South Dakota	30 (1)
3.	South Dakota State	27 (1)
4.	North Dakota	20
5.	St. Thomas	14
6.	Kansas City	13
7.	Oral Roberts	8

 
2024 SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD PRESEASON POLL

	Team	Score (1st place votes)
1.	North Dakota State	48 (6)
2.	South Dakota	43 (2)
3.	North Dakota	35
4.	South Dakota State	32
5.	Kansas City	25
6.	St. Thomas	18
7.	Omaha	14
8.	Oral Roberts	9