VERMILLION, S.D. – The sun was shining and the wind was blowing as the Coyotes competed in day two of the USD Early Bird Saturday at the Lillibridge Track Complex Saturday, totaling 12 event wins on the day.
 
Field events got the day started, including the pole vault competing indoors in the DakotaDome. The Coyote men had their fair share of success on the runway Saturday, as three Coyotes put up outdoor season bests.
 
Spencer Buley and Wyatt Stewart tie their coach Derek Miles and Kaleb Ellis for ninth on the USD Outdoor Top 10 list with clearances of 17-4 ½ (5.3m). They tied for second Saturday. Dylan Curtis recorded a personal best of 16-6 ¾ (5.05m) to place fifth. Eerik Haamer, second team all-American indoor, won the event competing unattached, with a height of 17-4 ½ (5.3m).
 
Gen Hirata and Cassidy Mooneyhan recorded season's bests of 13-9 ¾ (4.21m) to share the women's title. Eliza Aitken took third with a height of 12-11 ¾ (3.96m).
 
Carsen Staehr had a strong day in both the long jump and triple jump. In the triple jump, Staehr recorded a distance of 46-5 ¼ (14.15m) to win the event. In the long jump, he recorded a mark of 22-11 ¼ (6.99m) to place third. Bennett Schwenn took second in the long jump at 23-4 ¾ (7.13m).
 
Matayah YellowMule had a similar day to Staehr, winning the triple jump and taking third in the long jump. She recorded a mark of 37-1 (11.3m) in the triple and 18-9 ¼ (5.72m) in the long jump. Mae Siegel took third in the triple jump at 36-9 ½ (11.21m).
 
Lydia Knapp highlighted the day for Coyote throwers, winning the hammer throw with a distance of 201-3 (61.34m). Teammate Delaney Smith took third in the shot put at 43-8 ¾ (13.33m). In the men's discus, Tristan Gray took third with a throw of 156-3 (47.63m).
 
Runners battled windy conditions all afternoon. The first Coyote win of the day came in the 4x100 relay, where the team of Jaden Damiano, Ken-Mark Minkovski, Tommy Nikkel, and Jaden Guthmiller ran 41.32 to win the event.
 
The first podium sweep of the day for the Coyotes came in the women's 400-meters. Sydney Stodden (57.49), Caelyn Valandra (58.25), and Ellie Thomas (58.89) took the top three spots in the race. On the men's side, Evan Janzen ran a personal best 49.23 in the 400 to place second.
 
South Dakota swept the hurdle races Saturday and added a win the 100-meters. Averi Schmeichel won the 100-meter hurdles with a result of 13.73 and Jaden Damiano ran a 14.23 second 110-meter hurdles to beat teammate Mikael Grace (14.28).
 
In the men's 100, Guthmiller beat out teammate Nikkel  by one-tenth of a second for the win. Guthmiller's 10.62 is the fastest time that isn't wind-aided in the Summit League this spring. Nikkel's time is the second fastest non-wind aided finish.
 
The longest individual race of the day was the 800-meters, where the Coyotes took five of the six podium spots. Mason Sindelar (1:53.27), Caleb Rivera (1:53.55), and Tommy Hensley (1:56.55) swept the men's 800 top three. On the women's side, Caliua Chaney took home the title with a 2:17.57 time, followed by teammate Madison Brouwer (2:19.3).
 
Wrapping up the day of the track, The women's 4x400 team of Calli Davis, Thomas, Valandra, and Stodden ran a 3:52.81 to win the race.
 
South Dakota is back at home for the South Dakota Challenge Saturday at the Lillibridge Track Complex in Vermillion.