ST. PAUL, Minn.—South Dakota captured two more Summit League Championship titles and broke two conference meet records on Friday at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
Fifth-year senior
Meredith Clark entered as the favorite in the women's shot put and set the stage early with her winning throw on her first time in the ring. She launched the shot put 52-0 ½ (15.86m). Clark was the Summit's indoor champion in the event and becomes the Coyotes' first outdoor shot put champion since Danielle Waldner in 2017.
Another favorite sealing his title, junior
Joe Lynch completed the indoor and outdoor sweep of the men's high jump. Lynch and senior teammate
Ethan Heitman were the only athletes to clear 6-9 ½ (2.07m) in the competition with Lynch taking the gold based on attempts. Heitman joined him on the podium to help the Coyotes rack up 18 points for the team race.
With fifth-year senior
Gen Hirata's title in the women's pole vault on day one, the Coyotes have captured three titles through two days.
South Dakota's sprinters also set a pair of Summit League meet records during the preliminaries on Friday night. Senior
Erin Kinney tied her own conference meet record in the 100 meters, taking the tape in 11.34 seconds. Senior
Jacy Pulse followed suit a few minutes later by breaking her own conference meet record in the 400-meter hurdles with a clocking of 58.04 seconds.
In the team races, the Coyotes sit in second on the men's side with 71 points and third on the women's side with 75 points.
Reaching the podium for the second-straight day, redshirt-sophomore
Tristan Gray followed yesterday's hammer performance with a runner-up finish in the men's shot put. He launched the shot 54-9 ¼ (16.69m).
Junior
Sammy Neil took fourth in the women's long jump with a season-best leap of 19-3 ¼ (5.87m). Sophomore
Matayah YellowMule added another point to the total with an eighth-place finish.
The Coyotes wrapped up the two-day men's decathlon competition by finishing in order from fifth through seventh. Junior
Derek Eidsness led the group in fifth with a personal best point total of 6,629 points. Sophomore
Townsend Barton was sixth and sophomore
Noel Spence was seventh.
Senior
Abbie Schmidt picked up a point for the Coyotes by finishing eighth in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. She clocked a personal record of 11:08.43.
Qualifying for finals on the women's side are:
Erin Kinney, 100 meters (11.34 seconds) and 200 meters (23.42 seconds);
Averi Schmeichel, 100-meter hurdles (13.49 seconds) and 400-meter hurdles (59.88 seconds);
Sara Reifenrath, 200 meters (23.52 seconds) and 400 meters (53.63 seconds);
Anna Robinson, 200 meters (23.96 seconds) and 400 meters (56.20 seconds);
Jacy Pulse, 400-meter hurdles (58.04 seconds);
Ella Byers, 800 meters (2:11.78);
Madison Jochum, 800 meters (2:14.17).
Advancing to finals on the men's side are:
Jaden Guthmiller, 100 meters (10.43 seconds) and 200 meters (21.31 seconds);
Mikael Grace, 110-meter hurdles (14.05 seconds) and 400-meter hurdles (56.69 seconds);
Thomas Nikkel, 200 meters (21.34 seconds) and 400 meters (48.55 seconds);
Mark Daley, 200 meters (21.21 seconds) and 400 meters (48.72 seconds).
South Dakota wraps up the final day at the Summit League Championships on Saturday with field events beginning at 11 a.m. and running events starting at 1 p.m. inside O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
Summit League Championships Men's Point Scorers
1.
Joe Lynch, high jump, 6-9 ½ (2.07m)
2.
Ethan Heitman, high jump, 6-9 ½ (2.07m)
2.
Tristan Gray, shot put, 54-9 ¼ (16.69m)
2.
Quincy Warren, hammer throw, 183-10 (56.05m)
3.
Tristan Gray, hammer throw, 176-1 (53.69m)
4.
Wyatt Pruce, hammer throw, 164-7 (50.18m)
2.
Bennett Schwenn, long jump, 24-1 (7.34m)
3.
Carsen Staehr, long jump, 23-7 ½ (7.20m)
6.
Jayden Green, long jump, 23-2 ¾ (7.08m)
5.
Derek Eidsness, decathlon, 6,629 points
6.
Townsend Barton, decathlon, 6,618 points
7.
Noel Spence, decathlon, 6,441 points
Summit League Championships Women's Point Scorers
1.
Meredith Clark, shot put, 52-0 ½ (15.86m)
1.
Gen Hirata, pole vault, 14-1 ¼ (4.30m)
2.
Jaidyn Garrett, pole vault, 13-4 ½ (4.08m)
3.
Eliza Aitken, pole vault, 12-10 ¾ (3.93m)
7.
Kailee Swart, pole vault, 12-10 ¾ (3.93m)
2.
Kenzie Campbell, hammer throw, 185-2 (56.45m)
6.
Delaney Smith, hammer throw, 176-4 (53.76m)
7.
Meredith Clark, hammer throw, 175-10 (53.59m)
8.
Riley Griffith, hammer throw, 165-7 (50.47m)
2.
Danii Anglin, high jump, 5-7 ¾ (1.72m)
3.
Maddie Olson, high jump, 5-7 ¾ (1.72m)
5.
Matayah YellowMule, high jump, 5-5 ¾ (1.67m)
4.
Sammy Neil, long jump, 19-3 ¼ (5.87m)
8.
Matayah YellowMule, long jump, 18-7 ¼ (5.67m)
8.
Abbie Schmidt, 3,000m steeplechase, 11:08.43
