SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota fifth-year senior Marshall Faurot, fifth-year junior Gen Hirata and senior Jacy Pulse have captured the Summit League Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year honors. USD Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Lucky Huber has been voted the Summit League Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
 
Faurot garners the Summit League Outdoor Men's Field Athlete of the Year, following up his indoor recognition from earlier in 2024. This is South Dakota's sixth men's outdoor field athlete of the year award since joining the league in 2011.
 
Hailing from Scott City, Kansas, Faurot was first team All-America in the men's pole vault. He cleared 17-7 ¼ (5.37m) for eighth place at the NCAA Championships. His season-best height of 17-9 ¼ (5.42m) in the pole vault came at the NCAA West Preliminary. Faurot captured a Summit League title in the men's pole vault and was named the Summit League Men's Athlete of the Month for May/June.
 
Hirata earns the Summit League Outdoor Women's Field Athlete of the Year for the second-straight season. Hirata becomes the third Coyote to collect two field athlete of the year honors from the Summit League with South Dakota picking up six total honors since joining the league.
 
Hailing from Fredericksburg, Virginia, Hirata was second team All-America in the women's pole vault. She took 12th at the national meet with a clearance of 14-1 ¼ (4.30m). Hirata cleared the same height for three straight meets to end the outdoor season – including at the Summit League Championships to capture an individual title in the women's pole vault. She had six vaults over 14 feet throughout the outdoor slate.
 
Pulse is recognized as the Summit League Outdoor Women's Track Athlete of the Year for the second-straight season. She picks up USD's fifth women's outdoor track athlete of the year since joining the Summit League and is the first Coyote to garner the award twice.
 
A native of Salem, South Dakota, Pulse was second team All-America in the women's 400-meter hurdles for the second consecutive season. She finished 12th at the NCAA Championships in 56.54 seconds. Pulse captured three golds at the Summit League Championships, including setting a meet record twice in the 400-meter hurdles. She won the final in 57.70 seconds. Pulse clocked a season best 56.17 seconds to win the Mt. SAC Relays and qualify for the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials.
 
The Coyotes also swept the 2024 Summit League Women's Track and Field Championship MVP awards with Sara Reifenrath (track) and Meredith Clark (field) garnering the most points during the conference meet.
 
Huber garners the Summit League Women's Outdoor Coach of the Year accolade for the third time. He has seven Summit League Coach of the Year accolades combined between men and women. South Dakota's women finished runner-up at the Summit League Championships with nine individual conference championships, a league-best 12 entries to the NCAA West Preliminary and two All-Americans. Huber is a 23-time conference coach of the year, eight-time regional coach of the year and two-time national coach of the year in his career.