VERMILLION, S.D. – The rain held off for most of the evening, and the Coyotes were able to claim nine event titles on the first day of the USD Early Bird Friday afternoon at the Lillibridge Track Complex in Vermillion.
 
On the track, the Coyote women took the top three spots in the 1,500-meters. Abrielle Jirele (4:38.16), Geneva Timmerman (4:38.42), and Calia Chaney (4:40.24) ran the top three times in the event to sweep the podium. The Coyotes' first event win of the weekend came in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, where Alexus Sindelar ran the ninth fastest time in school history at 11:08.25. In second place for South Dakota was Jade Ecoffey, running 11:14.69.
 
The Coyotes also went 1-2 in the hurdles with Averi Schmeichel, this week's Kwik Star Summit League Women's Track Peak Performer, leading the way in 59.26 seconds. Second place went to Bre Dunn, running 1:03.83 for South Dakota.
 
The Coyote men also earned a podium sweep, as Tommy Nikkel (21.99), Ken-Mark Minkovski (22.16), and Jaden Guthmiller (22.18) took the top three spots in the 200-meters. Jaden Damiano earned an event win in the 400 hurdles in a time of 54.33.
 
Sydney Stodden took second in the 800-meters with a time of 2:14.31, which would place her fourth in the Summit League entering competition this weekend. Calli Davis took third in the 200-meters Friday, running 25.84. To round out the evening for the Coyotes, Alyssa Gerth took second in the 10,000-meters in a time of 28:26.89.
 
Carson Lauterbach (9:27.61) and Riley Ruhaak (9:48.04) took second and third in the 3,000-meter steeple. Caleb Rivera added a second-place finish in the 1,500-meters in a time of 3:48.56.
 
The Coyote men brought home three field event victories Friday. The first came in the men's shot put, where Tristan Gray recorded a mark of 53-2 ¾ (16.22m). A second throwing event win came at the end of the night when Quincy Warren won the hammer throw with a mark of 195-7 (59.62m), which moves him into sixth on the USD Top 10 list.
 
In the high jump, Joe Lynch took the top spot at 6-11 (2.11m) with teammate Landon Olson finishing second at 6-7 (2.01m).
 
In women's field events, Lydia Knapp, this week's Kwik Star Summit League Women's Field Peak Performer of the Week, won the discus competition with a mark of 169-4 (51.62m). USD also took second and third in the high jump with Maddie Olson clearing 5-8 (1.73m) for second and Danii Anglin at 5-6 (1.68m) for third.
 
Saturday action begins with the pole vault competitions inside the DakotaDome at 10 a.m. Action resumes outside with the men's long jump, men's javelin throw, and women's shot put at 11:30 a.m. On the track, action begins with the 4x100 relays at 11:45 a.m.