VERMILLION, S.D. — Bill and Jill Gassen have gifted South Dakota Athletics one million dollars towards the future indoor track and field facility, the Gassen Family Fieldhouse, as announced by Athletic Director Jon Schemmel on Tuesday morning.
 
"I want to thank Bill & Jill Gassen for their shared vision and leadership investment into USD Athletics and the Gassen Family Fieldhouse," said Schemmel. "This facility will significantly enhance the holistic experience for all of our Coyote student-athletes and provide a premier facility for the USD Track & Field program and community of Vermillion."
 
"We are deeply grateful for our experiences at the University of South Dakota," said Bill and Jill Gassen. "It is where we had the privilege of competing as student-athletes and where we completed our education, earning our undergraduate degrees and graduating from the USD School of Law and USD Physician Assistant Program, respectively. Our time in Vermillion will always be an important chapter of our story, as it's where we started our lives together more than 25 years ago."
 
The state-of-the-art indoor track and field facility was officially announced back in August 2025, following a $20 million dollar gift from Mr. Denny Sanford and will be named after the President and CEO of Sanford Health, a USD track and field alum, pending approval from the South Dakota Board of Regents.
 
"Our philanthropic investment in the Gassen Family Fieldhouse is inspired by Mr. Denny Sanford's enduring commitment to building a stronger future for all," continued the Gassens. "Through his unparalleled generosity, Mr. Sanford has made the University of South Dakota the greatest place to pursue one's academic dreams, thrive as a student-athlete and build a foundation for a lifetime of success. It is our honor to support a facility that will elevate opportunities for future generations of Coyotes." 
 
The new indoor facility will feature a 200-meter banked track with a pair of perimeter warm-up lanes, plus a 60-meter straightaway. It will also feature a pair of long jump/triple jump pits, two pole vaulting stations, two high jumps over straightaways and a pair of throwing cages.
 
The venue will feature elevated seating for 2,000 spectators and a viewing concourse that opens to the track and field events below. 
  
As the new home of South Dakota track and field, the facility will also include coach offices, a recruiting lounge, a training and nutrition center, and locker rooms. 

Both alumni of USD, Bill graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2004 and a J.D. in 2008, while Jill earned her bachelor's degree in biology in 2004 and physician assistant degree in 2006. Both were members of the track and field team. Jill competed in hurdles and pole vault, and Bill competed as a two-sport athlete, throwing shot put and starting at nose guard for the Coyote football team. Bill is the President and CEO of Sanford Health. Jill is a physician assistant (PA) with the VA Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.