The Meet

South Dakota track and field is sending five athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships June 5-8 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The meet will be televised on ESPN and ESPN2 with field-event specific live streams available on ESPN+ (direct links provided below).
 

The Coyotes

South Dakota will be represented by fifth-year senior Marshall Faurot (pole vault), senior Eerik Haamer (pole vault), fifth-year junior Gen Hirata (pole vault), senior Jacy Pulse (400-meter hurdles) and junior Joe Lynch (high jump).
 
This is the fifth time in the last six outdoor championships that the Coyotes have qualified five or more individuals to the national meet. South Dakota boasts five of the Summit League's eight entries to the national meet.
 
Hirata and Pulse both return to the national meet after a pair of All-America performances last spring. Hirata placed third in the pole vault at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin with a clearance of 14-5 ¼ (4.40m). She needed to clear 14-1 ¼ (4.30m) at the NCAA West Preliminaries two weeks ago to return to the finals. Hirata is a four-time All-American in her career. Pulse garnered All-America honors last spring with a 10th place finish in the 400-meter hurdles in 56.14 seconds. She clocked 57.00 seconds in the quarterfinals at the NCAA West Preliminaries to return to the championships.
 
Faurot and Haamer both cleared 17-9 ¼ (5.42m) in the men's pole vault to proceed past the NCAA West Preliminary round. Faurot garnered first-team All-America status indoors this past March. He's making his second national meet appearance outdoors after previously advancing in 2021. Haamer is a three-time All-American in the pole vault. His last outdoor national meet was in 2022.
 
Lynch cleared a personal best height of 7-1 ½ (2.17m) in the men's high jump to reach his first national meet.
 

The Schedule

All times listed as Central.
 
Wednesday, June 5
7 p.m. Men's Pole Vault – Marshall Faurot, Eerik Haamer (espn+)
 
Thursday, June 6
8 p.m. Women's Pole Vault – Gen Hirata (espn+)
9:30 p.m. Women's 400m Hurdles – Jacy Pulse (ESPN2)
 
Friday, June 7
7:30 p.m. Men's High Jump – Joe Lynch (espn+)
 
Saturday, Jen 8
5:57 p.m. Women's 400m Hurdles – Jacy Pulse (ESPN)
 

The Competition

The nation's best will clamor for the spotlight this weekend in TrackTown USA. To reach this point, athletes must have finished in the top-12 of their respective event at either the NCAA West or NCAA East regional round.
 

Up Next

This weekend marks the end of the 2024 collegiate season, although track and field as a sport will continue all summer long. The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials are scheduled for June 21-30 in Eugene, Oregon, with the Paris Olympics set for Aug. 1-11 in Paris, France.