VERMILLION, S.D. – The South Dakota track and field program is set to host the USD Early Bird, the first of two straight weekends at home, Friday and Saturday at the Lillibridge Track Complex in Vermillion.
 
USD EARLY BIRD INFO
One of two home multi-day track meets on the schedule this spring, the USD Early Bird is scheduled to begin at noon Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday in Vermillion. Due to forecasted weather conditions, there will be no combined events this weekend and the pole vault competitions will be held on Saturday inside the DakotaDome.
 
Live results can be found on Dakota Timing, and live video streams of the meet can be found on the Summit League Network. There are two streams for this weekend's meet, one for the track and a second for field events.
 
SUMMIT LEAGUE PEAK PERFORMERS
After South Dakota's first weekend of outdoor competition, the Coyotes are up to two Summit League Kwik Star Peak Performers this spring. Lydia Knapp placed third in the hammer throw and discus at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays with Summit League leading marks by over 25 feet each. Averi Schmeichel clocked a Summit League leading time in the 400-meter hurdles, the 4x400 relay, and the second best time in the 100-meter hurdles. It's Knapp's third weekly honor of her career and Schmeichel's first.
 
The Coyotes have compiled two Summit League weekly honors this spring. The full list of Coyote honorees this season by week:
 
April 1
Women's Field: Lydia Knapp
Women's Track: Averi Schmeichel
 
CONFERENCE LEADERS
The Coyotes play host to the Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships this May. After USD's first weekend of the outdoor season, these are the Coyotes who are competing this weekend with Top 5 results in the conference this season:
 
Men's:
Caleb Rivera, 1,500-meters, 3:47.59, 1^st  
Mason Sindelar, 800-meters, 1:52.16, 1^st  
Spencer Buley, pole vault, 16-10 ¾, t-1^st   
Tre Young, pole vault, 16-10 ¾, t-1^st  
Jaden Damiano, 400-meter hurdles, 54.1s, 2^nd  
Natnael Kifle, 5,000-meters, 14:38.0, 2^nd
Tommy Hensley, 800-meters, 1:54.28, 2^nd
Joe Lynch, high jump, 6-9 ½, 3^rd  
Carsen Staehr, triple jump, 47-10, 3^rd
Beau Karst, pole vault, 15-11, t-4^th
Jaden Damiano, 100-meter hurdles, 14.19s, 4^th
Landon Olson, high jump, 6-9, 4^th
Mikael Grace, 400-meter hurdles, 57.12s, 4^th  
Wyatt Stewart, pole vault, 15-11, t-4^th
Aidan Hedderman, 400-meter hurdles, 58.36, 5^th
Isaac Ochoa, 5,000-meters, 15:02.72, 5^th
Jaden Guthmiller, 100-meters, 10.72s, 5^th
 
Women's:
Averi Schmeichel, 400-hurdles, 59.64s, 1^st
4x400-relay, 3:47.19, 1^st
Lydia Knapp, discus, 172-2, 1^st
Lydia Knapp, hammer throw, 208-5, 1^st   
Marleen Mülla, pole vault, 14-8, 1^st
Anna Willis, pole vault, 14-4, 2^nd
Averi Schmeichel, 100-hurdles, 13.8s, 2^nd
Berkeley Engelland, 800-meters, 2:13.15, 2^nd  
Cassidy Mooneyhan, pole vault, 13-9 ¼, t-3^rd   
Delaney Smith, hammer throw, 178-1, 3^rd
Delaney Smith, shot put, 45-9, 3^rd
Gen Hirata, pole vault, 13-9 ¼, t-3^rd  
Delaney Smith, discus, 143-8, 4^th 
 
NCAA LEADERS
As the outdoor season gets underway, the race to make the NCAA West First Rounds begins for the Coyotes. The top 48 accepted entries from both regions will attend the NCAA First Rounds.
 
The Coyotes led the Summit League with 21 entries a season ago. Here are the list of Coyotes that currently stand inside the cutline:
 
Anna Willis, pole vault, 14-4, 4.37m, No. 6
Averi Schmeichel, 400 hurdles, 59.64s, No. 25
Averi Schmeichel, 100 hurdles, 13.8s, No. 38
Carsen Staehr, triple jump, 47-10, 14.58m, No. 43
Cassidy Mooneyhan, pole vault, 13-9 ¼, 4.20m, No. 14
Delaney Smith, hammer throw, 178-1, 54.28m, No. 48
Eliza Aitken, pole vault, 12-9 ¼, 3.90m, No. 46
Gen Hirata, pole vault 13-9 ¼, 4.20m, No. 14
Joe Lynch, high jump, 6-9 ½, 2.07m, No. 25
Kailee Swart, pole vault, 12-9 ½, 3.90m, No. 46
Landon Olson, high jump, 6-9, 2.06m, No. 28
Lydia Knapp, hammer throw, 208-5, 63.52m, No. 8
Lydia Knapp, discus, 172-2, 52.48m, No. 21
Marleen Mülla, pole vault, 14-8, 4.47m, No. 3
Spencer Buley, pole vault, 16-10 ¾, 5.15m, No. 24
Tre Young, pole vault, 16-10 ¾, 5.15m, No. 24  
4x400 relay, 3:47.19, No. 47
 
Nationally speaking, a handful of Coyotes fall inside the top 25 in their respective events:
 
Anna Willis, pole vault, 14-4, 4.37m, No. 6
Cassidy Mooneyhan, pole vault, 13-9 ¼, 4.20m, No. 23
Gen Hirata, pole vault 13-9 ¼, 4.20m, No. 23
Lydia Knapp, hammer throw, 208-5, 63.52m, No. 15
Marleen Mülla, pole vault, 14-8, 4.47m, No. 3
 
COYOTE TOP 10
The following Coyotes have either improved their standing or entered the all-time top-10 at South Dakota this spring:
 
Men's:
Sindelar/Nikkel/Hensley/Rivera, DMR, 9:46.63, 1^st
Caleb Rivera, 1,500-meters, 3:47.59, 3^rd
Jaden Damiano, 110 hurdles, 14.19s, 6^th
Natnael Kifle, 5,000-meters, 14:38.00, 10^th
 
Women's:
Lydia Knapp, hammer throw, 208-5, 2^nd
Anna Willis, pole vault, 14-4, 6^th
Ecoffey/Stodden/Thomas/Fenske, DMR, 12:01.96, 6^th
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
In the first week of the USTFCCCA Outdoor Rankings, the Coyote women's pole vault squad ranks first in the nation with their top four vaulters all ranked inside the top 25 in the country. The men's pole vault squad ranks eighth after their first week of competition.
 
The Coyote women rank 10^th in the Midwest rankings, second of any Summit League school in the region. The Coyote men are 13^th in the Midwest rankings.
 
In the conference rankings the Coyote men are third and the women are fourth after one week.