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* South Dakota competed in the Vernon Kennedy heptathlon/decathlon meet hosted by Central Missouri State March 31-April 1 in Warrensburg, MO . . . Tonya Kneifl, a junior from Newcastle, NE, captured the heptathlon crown with 4,927 points and she automatically qualified for the NCAA Division II meet in the process. In the seven-event competition, she won the high jump and the javelin . . . Sarah Hoffman was seventh for the Coyotes with 4,083 points and Jill Kurtenbach was 16th with 3,254 points. In the men's decathlon division, Jesse Haines finished 17th with 5,648 points and Paul Brozik was 21st with 4,980.
COYOTE SOFTBALL UPDATE
* The South Dakota softball team posted a 1-3 record at the Nebraska-Omaha
Tournament April 1-2 . . . In first-round action Saturday at the UNO
Tournament, the Coyotes lost to Southwest State in the opener, 5-0. USD
then defeated Minnesota-Duluth, 3-0, before falling to Washburn, 4-0. In
single-elimination action Sunday, the Coyotes lost to South Dakota State,
6-5 . . . In the win over Minnesota Duluth, the Coyotes had six hits led
by Michelle Carpenter's two singles. Tiffany Davis had a two-run triple .
. . March 31 in Vermillion, the Coyotes dropped a doubleheader to North
Dakota State by the scores of 9-1 and 8-0. Both games went five innings.
USD had two hits in the first game and one hit in the second game.
* The South Dakota softball team finished with an 0-4 record in the USD Softball Invitational March 25-26. The Coyotes lost to North Dakota (2-0), University of Mary (8-0), North Dakota State (4-2) and Minnesota State-Mankato (5-2) . . . South Dakota managed only one hit against Mary - a single by Amie Mertens. Mary, which collected eight hits in the game, scored five runs on four hits in the second inning . . . The Coyotes led North Dakota State, 2-0, through two innings on a two-run home run by Tiffany Davis. The Bison shut out USD the rest of the way scoring single runs in the third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings. NDSU outhit the Coyotes, 9-3, with all of USD's hits coming in the first inning . . . USD and Minnesota State-Mankato were tied, 1-1, after four innings before the Mavericks scored three runs on three hits in the fifth inning en route to the win. For the game, MSU-Mankato outhit the Coyotes, 7-4. Carla Hunt paced USD with a double . . . North Dakota outhit the Coyotes, 10-4. UND scored the game's only runs in the first inning on five hits. Davis led USD with a pair of doubles.
* South Dakota swept a softball doubleheader from Wayne State March 23 in the DakotaDome by the scores of 8-0 in five innings in the first game and a 4-3 victory in the second game that went eight innings . . . The Coyotes banged out 12 hits in the first game led by Tiffany Davis, who went 2-for-2 with a single and a three-run home run. Davis' homer, her fifth of the season, highlighted USD's four-run third inning. Michelle Carpenter was 3-for-3 with three singles and one RBI. Carla Hunt had a run-scoring double and Jaimie Kremer delivered a double in the game. Winning pitcher Amber Lucas allowed only two hits along with one walk and two strikeouts . . . In the second game, the Coyotes won the game in the bottom of the eighth when Maggie Gorman connected for a run-scoring double with one out scoring Jessica Bills, who reached on an error. USD tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Davis led-off with her sixth home run - a solo shot to right. Wayne State held a 3-0 lead when the Wildcats scored three runs on five hits in the top of the third. USD narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the fifth on a two-run single by Hunt. Janice Alswager picked up the win after relieving Alicia Anderson in the third. The Coyotes had nine hits in the second game with two singles apiece by Hunt, Amie Mertens and Julie MacRunnels.
* South Dakota and Morningside split a North Central Conference doubleheader on March 22. The Coyotes won the first game, 6-2, and the Mustangs claimed the nightcap, 4-1 . . . In the first game with the score tied, 1-1, the Coyotes took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run single by Michelle Carpenter. In the fifth, USD grabbed a 6-1 margin scoring three runs on three hits led by Maggie Gorman's RBI single. Winning pitcher Tiffany Hill went the distance scattering seven hits along with two strikeouts and six walks . . . In the second game, Morningside scored all its runs in the fourth inning. Carla Hunt and Julie MacRunnels led USD with two singles apiece.
* South Dakota finished with a 3-1 record in the DakotaDome Softball Classic March 18-19. The Coyotes defeated Bemidji State (5-0), Southwest State (9-8 in eight innings), Moorhead State (3-0) and lost to Winona State (2-0) . . . The Coyotes notched 11 hits in their win over Bemidji State, including four hits in the second inning when they scored three runs. For the game, Jessica Bills paced USD going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Carla Hunt collected two singles in three trips to the plate. Winning pitcher Janice Alswager went six innings allowing only four hits. She was relieved in the seventh by Andrea Bigalk . . . South Dakota was held to only five hits in the second game by winning pitcher Cyndy Schubbe, who fanned nine batters and didn't issue a walk. Maggie Gorman was 2-for-3 with two singles and Michelle Carpenter had a two-out double in the seventh but was stranded.
* South Dakota posted a doubleheader sweep over Briar Cliff March 15 in Vermillion by the scores of 2-0 and 5-3 . . . In the first game winning pitcher Janice Alswager went the distance allowing only two hits with two walks and two strikeouts. USD scored twice in the bottom of the third on run-scoring doubles by Alswager and Jessica Bills. Tiffany Davis led USD's seven-hit attack going 3-for-3 with three singles . . . In the second game, the Coyotes rallied from a 2-1 deficit after two innings with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the third as 10 batters went to the plate. Sparking the Coyotes in the third were Alswager with an RBI double and Maggie Gorman's run-scoring single. USD had six hits in the second game led by Gorman, who was 2-for-3 and Julie MacRunnels, who had a single and a triple in four at-bats.
. . . South Dakota and Winona State split a softball doubleheader March 17 in Vermillion. Winona State won the first game, 7-3, and the Coyotes claimed the second game, 3-0 . . . For the Coyotes in the first game, leading the way was Amie Mertens, who had a single and a double. Julie MacRunnels delivered a two-run double in the fifth. Carla Hunt also had an extra base hit with a double in the fifth . . . In the second game, winning pitcher Tiffany Hill went the distance with one walk and two strikeouts while scattering seven hits. USD scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the first when Jessica Bills drove in Hunt with a single. In the third, Bills connected for a run-scoring double sending Janice Alswager home, and in the sixth the Coyotes added an insurance run on a home run by Maggie Gorman. Bills led USD's 10-hit attack going 3-for-3 with two singles and a double and she had two RBI.
* The South Dakota softball team concluded its spring trip to Florida March 11 with a 12-10 win over Bloomsburg and a 4-0 loss to Ferris State in Orlando, FL. The Coyotes were 7-5 in Florida . . . The Coyotes collected 19 hits in the win over Bloomsburg. Tiffany Davis had a single and a solo home run and she finished with two RBI. Julie MacRunnels had a single and a double and she drove in three runs. Julie Kremer delivered two singles and a double, while Maggie Gorman and Janice Alswager each banged out three singles. Carla Hunt added two singles. Alswager was the winning pitcher and she was relieved by Tiffany Hill in the fourth and she picked up the save. In the second game, South Dakota finished with seven hits paced by Hunt, who went 3-for-4 with three singles. MacRunnels had two singles in four plate appearances . . . The Coyotes split March 9 with a 7-0 loss to Florida Tech and a 5-3 win over Lock Haven. Jaime Kremer had three of USD's five hits against Florida Tech. Against Lock Haven, Davis had a two-run double, and Alswager and Kremer each had a single . . . South Dakota swept Mount Olive (9-1) and Truman State (4-0) March 8. Davis connected for a two-run home run and Amie Mertens banged out a single and double. Alicia Anderson drove in two runs with a double, and Hunt had two singles and two RBI. Jessica Bills paced the Coyotes against Truman State with a single and double. USD, which scored all four runs in the sixth inning, was also sparked by Alswager's two-run double and Davis' run-scoring single . . . March 7, the Coyotes posted two wins with a 10-2 decision over St. Joseph's and a 10-1 verdict over Indianapolis. Winning pitcher Tiffany Hill was backed by an 11-hit attack led by Julie MacRunnels, who was 2-for-4 with four RBI. Davis belted a two-run home run, and Bills was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Winning pitcher Andrea Bigalk gave up only four hits against Indianapolis. The Coyotes had 10 hits paced by MacRunnels' 2-for-4 effort with two RBI. Alswager and Michelle Carpenter each had run-scoring doubles . . . March 6 in Orlando, the Coyotes defeated Ashland (7-4) and lost to Florida Southern (6-0). Hunt led USD's 13-hit game against Ashland with three singles and she drove in two runs. Davis had a two-run homer, and Kremer was 3-for-4 with a single and two doubles.
COYOTE BASEBALL UPDATE
* South Dakota improved its baseball record to 17-4 with four wins over
Northern State . . . March 31 in Aberdeen, the Coyotes rolled past
Northern State by the scores of 16-6 and 14-5. March 28 in Vermillion, USD
defeated the Wolves twice with a 9-5 decision in the first game and an 8-2
verdict in the second game . . . In the opener against Northern State
March 31, Mike Miller sparked the Coyotes when he tied USD school records
with three home runs and seven runs batted in. Mark Jenkins hit three
homers against Yankton College in 1976 and Tom Sahli drove in seven runs
for the Coyotes in a game against Northern State in 1968. USD finished
with 16 hits in the game. Jeff Snell had a two-run home run, and Dustin
Moore tallied two singles and a triple. Derek Huxford had a double and two
singles, while Don Busi notched three singles and he drove in two runs.
Kyle Thousand picked up the win going five innings with seven strikeouts .
. . The Coyotes also had 16 hits in the second game March 31 led by Snell,
who was 3-for-3 with a home run and two singles for five RBI. Josh
Kuecker, who improved his pitching record to 6-1, had three singles and
two RBI. Darold DeBolt belted a two-run homer, while Chris Gosch and
Thousand finished with two hits apiece . . . In the four-game series with
Northern State, the Coyotes banged out 53 hits . . . In the first game
March 28, the Coyotes grabbed a 2-0 lead on Miller's two-run home run. USD
pulled away with five runs on five hits in the fourth. USD tallied four
doubles in the fourth led by a two-run double by Moore. Moore ended up
going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Kuecker was 2-for-4 with a single and a
double, and Miller was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Snell connected for a solo
homer in the sixth inning. Winning pitcher Matt McDermott went five
innings with no walks and four strikeouts. McDermott is 6-0 on the season
with a 1.45 ERA . . . In the second game, the Coyotes held a 3-2 lead
through five innings before exploding for five runs on four hits in the
sixth for an 8-2 margin. The key blow in the sixth was a three-run home
run by Kuecker, who also tallied a run-scoring double in the fifth.
Kuecker, who also had a single, finished with four RBI. Huxford and Nathan
Dunlap had two singles apiece. Winning pitcher Ryan Goodwin went five
innings with three strikeouts. Goodwin and John Brunswold, who earned the
save, combined for a two-hitter.
* The South Dakota baseball team has a record of 13-4 after going 2-1 during the week of March 20 . . . The Coyotes rolled to a 13-1 win over Briar Cliff March26 . . . On March 24, USD defeated Dakota Wesleyan, 5-4 . . . The Coyotes fell to Iowa State March 22 in Ames, IA, 6-0 . . . The Coyotes banged out 17 hits against Briar Cliff with the final hit being a run-scoring single by Darold DeBolt that drove in Kyle Thousand with one out in the bottom of the eighth that ended the game based on the 12-run rule. Josh Kuecker was the winning pitcher as he improved his season record to 5-1 by going seven innings allowing only three hits. John Brunswold hurled the eighth inning for USD . . . In the sixth, the Coyotes collected seven hits with 13 batters going to the plate. Thousand and Don Busi fueled the uprising with a two-run double and a two-run single, respectively . . . Kuecker led the Coyotes at the plate going 3-for-3 with three RBI. He belted a two-run homer to center against a strong wind in the first inning, along with a double in the third and a single in the sixth. Kuecker, who also walked twice, leads USD in home runs (five), runs batted in (22) and batting average (.509). Thousand connected for a pair of doubles, while Jeff Snell was 3-for-5 with two singles and a double and he finished with two RBI. Dustin Moore notched two singles in five trips to the plate. . . . The Dakota Wesleyan game: Dakota Wesleyan, which fell to 6-12 on the season, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a run-scoring double by Adam Beggs that drove in Ray Peterson, who reached on a two-out single. The Coyotes tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second when Don Busi singled and scored on Leonard Rau's double . . . South Dakota grabbed a 4-1 margin with three runs on two hits in the fifth. With one out, Dustin Moore singled and Nathan Dunlap drew a walk. Josh Kuecker drove in both runners with a double to right-center and he latered scored on a wild pitch. In the sixth, Dakota Wesleyan cut the margin to 4-2 when Zach Watkins singled and scored one out later on a single by Peterson . . . Dakota Wesleyan knotted the game, 4-4, in the top of the eighth on a two-run double by Eugene Kitchens that plated Taylor Gantt (single) and Watkins (walk). The Coyotes then scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the eighth when John Brunswold led-off with a double and scored on a double by Dustin Moore . . . Brunswold, the third pitcher for the Coyotes, picked up the win. The loss went to Josh Hartman, who relieved Aaron Cook in the seventh. The Coyotes finished with 10 hits led by Moore and Rau with each notching a single and a double. . . . The Iowa State game: The Coyotes managed only two hits against Iowa State with a single by Dustin Moore and a single by Josh Kuecker. The loss went to Kuecker, who dropped his first game of the season, after winning his first four starts. He lasted four innings and was relieved by Matt McDermott, Ryan Goodwin and John Brunswold. Iowa State notched 12 hits and the Cyclones scored two runs in the first inning, two in the third and two more in the fifth inning.
* South Dakota finished its spring baseball schedule in Panana City, FL with a 19-8 loss to Ohio Dominican March 11. The Coyotes were 6-3 in Florida . . . USD fell behind Ohio Dominican, 9-0, after the first inning. The Coyotes collected 10 hits in the game led by Leonard Rau, who went 3-for-3 with two singles and a three-run home run in the second inning. Darold DeBolt was 2-for-3 with a single and a solo home run . . . March 10, the Coyotes swept Urbana (6-0) and Truman State (3-2). USD had 12 hits against Urbana led by Dustin Moore, who went 2-for-4 and extended his consecutive game hitting streak to 12 games. Don Busi was 2-for-3 and he drove in two runs, and Josh Kuecker was 1-for-4 with three runs scored. Ryan Goodwin picked up the win and he allowed only two hits in his complete game victory. In the second game, the Coyotes were paced by Jeff Snell, who was 2-for-3 with a single and triple, and Zane Gibbons drove in a run with a triple. Winning pitcher Matt McDermott went the distance and surrendered three hits . . . In the first meeting against Ohio Dominican March 9, the Coyotes recorded a 5-4 win. Kuecker improved his pitching record to 4-0, and he was 2-for-3 at the plate with a single and home run. Moore had a single and double, and Nathan Dunlap added two singles . . . The Coyotes lost to Marietta College (9-8) and defeated Charleston (7-2) March 7. Against Marietta, Snell belted a grand slam home run in the first inning and a two-run homer in the seventh to highlight a 12-hit attack. Kuecker went 4-for-4 in the win over Charleston, and Rau was 3-for-4 . . . South Dakota split with Urbana March 6 with a 3-2 win in the first game and a 9-5 loss in the second game. Moore went 3-for-4 in the opener. Snell connected for a home run in the nightcap, while Derek Huxford and Kuecker had two hits apiece.
* South Dakota took three games from Concordia in baseball action in Seward, NE over the weekend. February 27, the Coyotes improved to 5-0 with a 19-4 victory. On February 26, USD swept Concordia by the scores of 7-2 and 13-1 . . . The Coyotes banged out 14 hits in Sunday's nine-inning contest led by Zane Gibbons, who belted his second grand slam home run in two days. Jeff Snell was 3-for-5 with three doubles and he drove in two runs. Winning pitcher Matt McDermott improved his record to 2-0 . . . Saturday, the Coyotes had nine hits in the first game led by Gibbons, who went 2-for-4. Mike Miller was 1-for-3 and he drove in two runs. In the second game, winning pitcher Ryan Goodwin tossed a one-hitter, while the Coyotes collected nine hits. Josh Kuecker was 2-for-2 with five RBI, including two home runs and three runs scored. Gibbons was 1-for-3 with a grand slam home run and five RBI.
* South Dakota opened the 2000 baseball season on a positive note with a doubleheader sweep over Regis University February 20 in Denver, CO by the scores of 7-4 in the first game and 8-1 in the second game. The Coyotes are at Concordia University in Seward, NE on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 26-27 . . . In the first game against Regis, the Coyotes banged out eight hits led by Derek Huxford, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Kyle Thousand was 3-for-3, and Josh Kuecker was 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in the first inning. Kuecker was the winnng pitcher allowing six hits. John Brunswold relieved Kuecker with two outs in the seventh . . . In the second game that was a nine inning contest, winning pitcher Matt McDermott went eight innings allowing only four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Ryan Goodwin pitched the ninth inning. The Coyotes, who took a 4-0 lead with four runs in the fourth inning, collected 10 hits. Thousand paced USD going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Dustin Moore and Rob Miller had two hits apiece.
COYOTE FOOTBALL RECRUITS - 2000
Mark Blackburn, 6-1, 210 - RB, DB - Moreno Valley, CA
Ya'Tarrie Brown, 6-5, 335 - OL - Minneapolis, MN
Kellen Burch, 5-10, 175 - DB, RB - St. Paul, MN
Matt Chambers, 6-3, 205 - RB, LB - Treynor, IA
Joshua Childress, 6-1, 225 - FB, LB - Larchwood, IA
Wesley Clubb, 6-2, 300 - DL - Sigourney, IA
Raymond Cooley, 6-6, 210 - DL - Powell, WY
Robert Cupich, 6-1, 218 - FB, LB - Omaha, NE
Lemautu Faaaoga, 6-3, 260 - TE, DL - Fagatogo, AS
Joshua Gassen, 6-0, 190 - RB, DB - Rapid City, SD
Oakly Haines, 6-1, 180 - RB, DB - White Lake, SD
Trevor Hightree, 5-11, 165 - RB - Homer, NE
Tadd Jones, 6-3, 240 - LB - Hampton, IA
Erik Lange, 6-5, 275 - DL, OL - Inwood, IA
Thomas Martin, 6-2, 205 - RB, LB - Sioux Falls, SD
Chris Mikkelsen, 6-3, 180 - QB, DB - Gregory, SD
Fred Mitchell, 6-3, 240 - TE - St. Louis, MO
Vance Newman, 6-6, 210 - TE, DB - Watertown, SD
Cory Novak, 6-2, 220 - LB, TE - Vermillion, SD
Nicholas Peterson - 6-8, 245 - OL - Sioux Falls, SD
Michael Sonne, 6-5, 245 - DL - Mount Vernon, SD
Martin Sonnenfeld, 6-3, 225 - DL - Rapid City, SD
Dusty Stamer, 5-9, 170 - RB - Grand Island, NE
Adam Suther, 6-2, 200 - RB, LB - Claremont, SD
Sheldon Swan, 6-4, 210 - LB, RB - Sioux Falls, SD
Paul Tschetter, 6-4, 220 - TE - Sioux Falls, SD
Jonathan Weems, 5-7, 180 - RB - Thousand Oaks, CA
Paul Willis, 6-3, 235 - TE - Sioux Falls, SD
COYOTE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL UPDATE
* South Dakota finished the season 11-16 overall and 4-14 in the North
Central Conference after losing home games March 3-4 to South Dakota State
(85-79) and Augustana (82-59) . . . After double digit deficits, the
Coyotes trailed SDSU at halftime, 42-36. In the second half, USD continued
its surge and in fact led for most of the second half. USD held margins
of four points five times with the last being 77-73 with 2:07 to play. The
Coyotes still led, 79-78, with 1:11 remaining before the Jackrabbits went
on a 7-0 scoring run for the win . . . The Coyotes, who shot 34.9 percent
to SDSU's 42.0, were led by Heather Nelson with 21 points. Julia Frie had
15 points and Kelly Koepp had 13. Amanda Iverson, Nicole Jaycox and
Melinda Oster had nine points apiece. Koepp and Iveson each pulled down
seven rebounds . . . South Dakota fell behind Augustana, 42-31, at
halftime and the Coyotes were outscored, 40-28, during the final 20
minutes. The Vikings connected on 46.9 percent from the field compared to
34.9 for the Coyotes, who were also outrebounded, 49-36. Nelson paced USD
in scoring again with 18 points. Koepp had eight points and Oster added
six.
COYOTE MEN'S BASKETBALL UPDATE
* The South Dakota men's basketball team finished the season with a 22-6
record after losing to Wayne State in the semifinals of the North Central
Region Tournament March 10 in Denver, CO . . . Wayne State, which lost to
the Coyotes in the Quad State Classic in the first game of the season,
shot 60.6 percent in the first half en route to a 55-37 halftime lead.
USD, which hit 53.8 percent during the first 20 minutes, rallied in the
second half and outscored the Wildcats, 46-31. USD faced a 20-point
deficit at 59-39 with 17:30 left, and eventually battled back for a
one-point margin at 80-79 with 3:19 to play. However, the Wildcats
regained the lead and held on at the end . . . The Coyotes, who shot 48.3
for the game, were led by Nathan Blessen and Jeremy Kudera with 21 and 20
points, respectively. Eric Hickenbottom had 16 points and Ben Ries
finished with 11. USD held a 34-33 edge in rebounds paced by Blessen's
nine boards . . . South Dakota, the North Central Conference champion with
a 13-5 record, landed three players on the all-North Central Conference
team in Blessen, Ries and Kudera. Nate Tibbetts and Jason Barrow earned
honorable mention all-NCC honors. Coyote head coach Dave Boots was named
NCC Coach of the Year for the fourth time.
* The South Dakota men's basketball team will be making their eighth appearance in post-season play when the Coyotes compete in the North Central Region Tournament to be held March 9-11 in Denver, CO hosted by Metropolitan State . . . The Coyotes are the number-two seed and will take on the winner of Wayne State and St. Cloud State Friday at 6:30 p.m. Metro State, the top-seed, will face the winner of South Dakota State and North Dakota Friday at 8:30 p.m. The championship game is slated for Saturday at 8:30 p.m. The North Central Region winner will face the Northeast Region champion in the first-round of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament to be held March 22-25 in Louisville, KY . . . South Dakota finished the regular-season as the North Central Conference champions for the second straight year with a 13-5 record. The Coyotes enter the region field with a 22-5 record - the school's eighth 20-win campaign in 12 years . . . The Coyotes, who own an all-time post-season record of 14-6, look to break out of a three-game losing streak. After falling to St. Cloud State February 26, USD suffered back-to-back home setbacks March 3-4 to South Dakota State (83-77) and Augustana (70-67) . . . USD led South Dakota State by nine points in the first half at 28-19 at the 7:51 mark, but the Jackrabbits came back for a 38-37 halftime advantage. In the second half neither team led by more than five points until the final score. USD held leads of five points three times early in the second half but SDSU stayed close. The Jackrabbits took the lead for good at 64-63 with 7:22 remaining, and managed to hold off the Coyotes, who cut the deficit to 78-77 with 1:22 left . . . The Coyotes shot 38.1 percent compared to 47.0 for SDSU and USD missed 11 free throws (22-for-33). In addition, the Coyotes were outrebounded, 46-34. Nathan Blessen paced USD with 27 points. Jeremy Kudera had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Jason Barrow notched 12 points and nine rebounds. Nate Tibbetts, who set the NCC single-season assist record for the weekend with 164, finished with six points, five steals and eight assists. Ben Ries added six points . . . The same senario followed the Coyotes into the Augustana game. USD shot 39.3 percent to the Vikings' 40.4, and the Coyotes missed 10 free throws going 21-for-31. USD was also outrebounded, 40-34 . . . Augustana took a 33-30 halftime lead and remained on top for most of the second half. The Coyotes came back and assumed a five-point margin at 58-53 with 7:34 showing. However, the Vikings quickly tied the game and took the lead for good at 59-58 with 5:40 to play. The Coyotes were down 68-67 with 40 seconds remaining before Augustana sealed its first win in the Dome since 1991 with a pair of free throws . . . Blessen led the Coyotes with 16 points and seven rebounds. Barrow had 14 points and six boards, while Ries tallied 10 points. Kudera and Tibbetts each finished with nine points.
* USD clinched a share of the conference title February 25 in Mankato, MN with a 78-55 victory over Minnesota State-Mankato. February 26 in St. Cloud, MN, the Coyotes fell to St. Cloud State, 80-78. Despite the setback, USD claimed the league crown outright after North Dakota lost to South Dakota State . . . The Coyotes improved to 22-3 overall and 13-3 in the NCC . . . In USD's win over Minnesota State-Mankato, the Coyotes were simply too much for the Mavericks - both offensively and defensively. USD shot 55.4 percent and held MSU-Mankato to 30.9. After taking a 32-25 halftime lead, the Coyotes broke the game open in the second half by shooting 67.9 percent. USD opened with a 24-10 scoring run for a 21-point advantage at 56-35 with 12:23 remaining . . . Leading the Coyotes was Nathan Blessen, who tossed in 22 points and he grabbed seven rebounds. Jeremy Kudera had 18 points and Ben Ries finished with 17. Jason Barrow had seven points, while Nate Tibbetts delivered 12 assists and three steals to go with his five points. The Coyotes were 13 of 22 from three-point range led by Ries, who was 5-for-7 . . . South Dakota trailed St. Cloud State, 38-34, at halftime after coming back from a 12-point deficit at 28-16 at the 7:31 mark. In the second half, the Coyotes continued their surge and eventually took their biggest margin at 45-39 with 16:20 to play. The game remained close and USD continued to hold the upper-hand until the Huskies went on top, 69-67, with 4:29 left. The Coyotes never regained the lead and fell behind by seven at 76-69 with 1:43 showing . . . The Coyotes had four players in double scoring figures. Kudera was tops with 21 points and Ries notched 20. They each had five three-point field goals. Blessen and Barrow had 13 points apiece, while Tibbetts finished with seven points, 10 assists and three steals. USD shot 45.5 percent compared to 47.3 for the Huskies. The Coyotes were outrebounded, 37-30, led by Barrow's nine boards . . . Tibbetts racked up 22 assists against MSU-Mankato and St. Cloud State which pushed his season total to 198 - breaking the single-season record of 197 set by John Hemenway in 1994-95. Tibbetts also has 150 assists in North Central Conference play - six short of the league record held by North Dakota State's David Ryles in 1987.
COYOTE TRACK & FIELD UPDATE
* South Dakota competed in the Willie Williams Division I Track & Field
Invitational March 18 in Tucson, AZ. The Coyotes came away with a couple
of school records . . . Senior Steve Schmidt placed fifth in the shot put
with a throw of 55-2 3/4 and it broke the USD school record of 53-4 1/4
set by Larry Hoeflot back in 1959 - the oldest existing outdoor record in
the books. In addition, junior Andrew Neugebauer took first-place in the
800 with a clocking of 1:49.80 - breaking the school record of 1:50.10 set
by Mike Martin in 1983. Schmidt and Neugebauer both met national
provisional qualifying marks for the outdoor national meet . . . In other
results for the Coyotes, Tom Green was eighth in the 200 (21.92) and
eighth in the 100 (10.84). John Kehoe finished ninth in the 400
(48.54).
* South Dakota crowned its seventh national champion in school history (indoor and outdoor) when junior Andrew Neugebauer claimed the 800 title at the NCAA Division II indoor track and field championships March 10-11 in Boston, MA . . . Neugebauer, who ranked fourth in the prelims on Friday with a 1:54.09, finished first Saturday with a clocking of 1:50.06. Abilene Christian's John Kemboi was a close second in 1:50.91. Also winning national championships for the Coyotes were: Kyle Collins, high jump, 1990; Heather Andrews, discus, 1992; Michelle Christie, 200, 1994; Nancy Overman, discus, 1995; Steve Gordon, triple jump, 1997 and 1998; and Elena Swan, long jump and triple jump, 1998 . . . The Coyote men finished ninth in the team standings with 12 points. Abilene Christian won its fifth consecutive men's title with 80 points. St. Augustine's was second with 77 points. Abilene Christian claimed its eighth straight women's crown with 48 points and North Dakota State was second with 47 points. The Coyote women were 13th with eight points . . . Overall, the USD men and women combined for eight all-America certificates (five men, three women) . . . Neugebauer came away with all-America honors twice. He teamed with Tom Green , Ryan Finley and John Kehoe for fifth in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:15.59 . . . In other results for the USD men, Matt Hoyt came in seventh in the 5,000 (14:27.51); Steve Schmidt was eighth in the shot put (53-5); Will Hardin was ninth in the triple jump (47-9 3/4) and Kehoe placed 11th in the 400 (49.35) . . . Leading the Coyote women were Tonya Kneifl, Stephanie Senn and Sandy Pelkofer. Kneifl finished third in the high jump (5-8 3/4) and eighth in the long jump (17-11 1/2), while Senn placed sixth in the mile run (4:56.20) and Pelkofer was sixth in the pole vault (11-7 3/4). Also for USD, Molly Wedel finished seventh in the 5,000 (17:33.02) and Sara Deckert came in 12th in the 55 (7.25).
* South Dakota's three-year run as the men's and women's North Central Conference indoor track and field champions came to an end February 26 in Fargo, ND . . . The USD men tallied 187 points but it wasn't enough as North Dakota State set a meet scoring record with 199 points. Augustana was a distant third with 55 points. On the women's side, the Coyotes finished third with 77 points. North Dakota State won the crown with a meet-record 184.33 points and North Dakota was second with 94.33 . . . The Coyote men, who led after the first day of competition with 44.5 points compared to NDSU's 42, have been one of the most consistent teams in NCC history having placed fourth or better in 27 of the last 31 league meets . . . Overall, the USD men and women crowned seven champions led by Sara Deckert, who captured the 55 (7.16) and 200 (24.72) . . . Headlining the Coyote men were Chad Rohde and Matt Hoyt. Rohde, who ended up scoring 24 points, won the long jump (23-4 3/4) and he was second in the high jump (6-6 1/4) and third in the triple jump (48-1 1/4). Meanwhile, Hoyt finished first in the mile run (4:12.91) and he was second in the 5,000 (15:00.12). In the 800, Andrew Neugebauer posted a winning time of 1:51.96, while Jason Probasco claimed the 3,000 in 8:46.95. USD had two other field event champions. Steve Schmidt was tops in the shot put with a throw of 56-0, while Will Hardin took the triple jump (49-7 3/4) . . . South Dakota had a number of runner-up performances, including Tom Green, who was second in the 200 (22.30) and the 55 (6.35). Also in the second slot were Jesse Haines in the pentathlon (3,494), John Kehoe in the 500 (1:03.23), Chad Russell in the 55 hurdles (7.71), Ryan Finley in the 400 (49.36) and the 4x400 relay team (3:19.06) . . . Remaining Coyotes picking up thirds were Paul Brozik, long jump (22-9 1/4); Pat Belling, 200 (22.40); and Joel Solomonson, 1,000 (2:30.58) . . . Tonya Kneifl sparked the Coyote women by scoring in four events. She was second in the high jump (5-7 1/4), third in the 55 hurdles (8.32), fourth in the long jump (18-10 1/4) and sixth in the triple jump (36-8 1/4) . . . Sandy Pelkofer (11-3 1/2) and Stacie Janish (10-11) went two-three in the pole vault. Also finishing third were Molly Wedel in the 3,000 (10:19.30) and Stephanie Senn in the mile run (5:00.40).
* South Dakota claimed both the men's and women's team titles at the United States Track Coaches Association Track & Field quadrangular held February 19 at the DakotaDome . . . In the four-team meet, the USD men scored 180 points. South Dakota State was second with 154.50, followed by Northern State (116) and Augustana (107.50). On the women's side, the Coyotes scored 193.50 points and South Dakota State was second with 166.50. Augustana finished third (88) and Northern State was fourth (83) . . . The Coyote men captured seven events led by Tom Green, who won the 200 (22.17) and 55 (6.40). Steve Schmidt qualified for the national indoor meet in the shot put with a school-record first-place throw of 56-1. USD won two other field events with Dean Gillen taking the weight throw (52-10 1/2) and Aaron Dykstra winning the long jump (22-6 3/4). In the 400, John Kehoe met the NCAA qualifying standard with a top clocking of 48.80. In the 4x400 relay, Pat Belling, Chad Russell, Eric Van Laecken and Ryan Finley teamed for a first-place time of 3:22.37 . . . South Dakota's women claimed 10 events. Leading the Coyotes were Tonya Kneifl and Sara Deckert. Kneifl emerged as a triple winner with first-place marks in the high jump (5-5), long jump (17-11 1/4) and triple jump (36-9). Deckert captured the 55 (7.33) and 200 (25.80), and she teamed with Patricia Goertz, Tammy Christensen and LaRae Klarenbeek for first in the 4x400 relay (4:01.00). Mandi Muller was a double winner with top efforts in the weight throw (50-3 1/2) and shot put (43-5). Both of Muller's throws were NCAA provisional qualifying marks. Sandy Pelkofer won the pole vault with a national provisional qualifying height of 11-4 and it broke her own school record of 11-1 set earlier this year. All-American Molly Wedel finished first in the mile run in 5:13.39.
* South Dakota competed in the Nebraska Track & Field Invitational February 12 in Lincoln, NE . . . Leading the Coyotes were Matt Hoyt and Andrew Neugebauer. Hoyt placed second in the 3,000 with a school-record time of 8:17.81 - breaking his own school mark of 8:30.77 set in 1998. Neugebauer teamed with Tom Green, Ryan Finley and John Kehoe in the 4x400 relay for a fourth-place time of 3:15.73 which qualified the Coyotes to the NCAA Division II indoor meet. In the 800, Neugebauer came in fifth in 1:53.57 which met the provisional national qualifying standard . . . Stephanie Senn was second in the unseeded mile with a provisional time of 5:02.32. Also meeting NCAA provisional marks were Molly Wedel in the 5,000 (11th in 17:28.32) and Sandy Pelkofer in the pole vault (ninth at 11-1). In other results, Green was fifth in the 60 (6.83); Tonya Kneifl was eighth in the high jump (5-5); and the women's 4x400 relay team placed third in the unseeded division (3:58.25).
* South Dakota athletes broke eight meet records and had one former athlete qualify for the Olympic Trials at the USD Graphic Edge Track & Field Invitational held February 5 . . . Former Coyote all-American Derek Miles went 18-4 1/2 in the pole vault to qualify for the Olympic Trials to be held July 17 in Sacramento, CA . . . USD senior Matt Hoy, a six-time all-American, broke the school record in the two-mile run with a first-place clocking of 8:54.99. The time erased the 1976 record of 8:57.40 set by Mike Clift. Also setting meet records with winning performances were: Ryan Finley in the 400 (49.09), John Kehoe in the 500 (1:04.21), Steve Schmidt in the shot put (53-10) and the 4x400 relay team (3:18.82) of Pat Billings, Eric VanLaecken, Andrew Neugebauer and Kehoe. Neugebauer was a double winner by also taking first in the 1,000 (2:29.34). The marks by Finley in the 400, Schmidt in the shot put and the 4x400 relay team met the NCAA Division II national indoor qualifying standards . . . The USD women were led by Sara Deckert and Patricia Goertz. Deckert won the 200 with a meet-record time of 25.07 and Goertz claimed the 800 with a record clocking of 2:18.09. Deckert and Goertz teamed with Sarah Hoffman and LaRae Klarenbeek for top honors in the 4x400 with a 3:58.29. Sandy Pelkofer established a meet-record in the pole vault with a first-place mark of 11-1 1/2 which met the national indoor provisional standard. Also winning for the Coyote women were: Tonya Kneifl in the high jump (5-4 1/2) and Mandi Muller in the weight throw (48-1 1/2) . . . Coyotes placing second: Stephanie Senn, 1,000 (2:59.86); Stacie Janish, pole vault (10-6); Tom Green, 55 (6.34); Jeremy Kyte, 800 (1:53.78); Chad Russell, 55 hurdles (7.74); Paul Brozik, high jump (6-5 1/4); Bill Gassen, shot put (50-10 1/2); Dean Gillen, weight throw (48-7); Finley, 200 (22.22); and VanLaecken, 500 (1:05.81).
COYOTE SWIMMING & DIVING UPDATE
* For the first time in school history, South Dakota crowned a national
champion at the NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships March
8-11 in Buffalo, NY. In fact, the Coyotes had two national title-holders
with senior Justin Devln winning the 200 breaststroke with a clocking of
2:02.35,and senior Shad Durham claiming the three-meter diving board with
510.85 points. USD diving coach Jessica Riccobono was named the NCAA
Division II Diving Coach of the Year for the men . . . South Dakota
finished 11th in the team standings with 125 points . . . Durham was also
third on the one-meter board with 458.95 points, and Devlin finished sixth
in the 100 breaststroke in 57.23. In other results for the Coyotes, Matt
Fox placed fifth in one-meter diving (426.80) and he was third in
three-meter (488.10). Evan Plumley was eighth in one-meter diving (388.05)
and 10th in three-meter (410.65). David Nelson took 10th in the 200
breaststroke (2:06.65) and he was 15th in the 100 breaststroke (59.09).
* At the three-day North Central Conference swimming and diving championships that concluded February 19 in Grand Forks, ND, the South Dakota men finished second (898) and the Coyote women were fifth (296). North Dakota swept the men's (1080) and women's (1074) team titles . . . The Coyote men crowned six champions. Matt Fox, who was named the NCC's Most Valuable Diver, won the three-meter event with 544.90 points and he was third on the one-meter (440.10). Shad Durham claimed the one-meter board with 475.45 points. USD coach Jessica Riccobono was selected the NCC Diving Coach of the Year . . . David Molesworth won the 200 backstroke (1:54.22), and he teamed with Tyler Hartl, John Javorski and Luke Thomason for first in the 200 freestyle relay (1:24.96). Justin Devlin captured the 200 breaststroke (2:03.64) and he tied for first in the 100 breaststroke (57.56) . . . Second-place finishes for the Coyote men: Molesworth, 100 backstroke (53.07); Javorski, 50 freestyle (21.57); David Nelson, 200 breaststroke (2:05.69); 400 medley relay (3:30.07); 400 freestyle relay (3:13.30); 200 medley relay (1:35.37); 800 freestyle relay (7:07.99) . . . The USD women were led by Robyn Chrissinger and Sara Pokela. Chrissinger was fourth in the 1650 freestyle (18:12.29); fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:15.87); and seventh in the 200 breaststroke (2:29.88). Pokela placed fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:00.26), fifth in the 200 backstroke (2:10.31) and seventh in the 200 IM (2:11.82). Sara Hamlet was sixth in the 1650 freestyle (18:14.80). The Coyotes were also fourth in the 800 freestyle (8:04.86), fifth in the 400 medley relay (4:08.26) and sixth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:45.27).
* The South Dakota men's and women's swimming and diving teams posted a North Central Conference dual sweep over South Dakota State January 28 in Brookings. The USD women recorded a 109-55 win, and the Coyote men defeated the Jackrabbits, 116.5-91.5 . . . Leading the USD women were Sara Pokela, Sara Hamlet, Robyn Chrissinger and Sanami Fottral. Pokela won the 100 breaststroke (1:11.38) and she teamed with Fottral, Tiffany Lillie and Angie Anderson for first in the 200 freestyle relay (2:01.15). Hamlet won the 200 IM (2:21.43) and she joined forces with Chrissinger, Pokela and Tracy Magnuson for top honors in the 400 freestyle relay (3:51.35). Fottral took the 1000 freestyle (11:22.77) and Chrissinger was first in the 200 freestyle (2:00.70). Jenny Grooters was USD's other winner in the 500 freestyle (5:32.33) . . . Sparking the USD men were Greg Perzinski and Evan Plumley. Perzinski teamed with Sam Schimelpfenig, Dakota Tefertiller and Chad Gohman for first in the 200 freestyle relay (1:50.35), and he won the 200 IM (2:04.56). Plumley won the one-meter (243.30) and three-meter (221.62) diving boards . . . Also winning for the Coyotes were: David Nelson, 100 butterfly (57.67); Torey Melton, 100 freestyle (51.75); and Justin Devlin, 100 breaststroke (1:00.33).
* The South Dakota men's swimming and diving team took first at the nine-team Wisconsin Stevens-Point Invitational January 21-22. The Coyotes scored 938 points. The USD women finished sixth with 360 points. Overall, the USD men and women crowned five champions . . . MEN: The Coyotes were led by Justin Devlin, who won the 200 breaststroke (2:10.77) and the 100 breaststroke (1:00.00). John Javorski was first in the 50 freestyle (21.88) and Tyler Hartl captured the 100 freestyle (48.91) . . . USD had a number of second-place performances. They were: 200 medley relay (1:37.49); Torey Melton, 200 butterfly (2:00.81); Matt Fox, three-meter diving (542.20); 400 medley relay (3:38.04); 400 freestyle relay (3:15.18); and 200 freestyle relay (1:28.57) . . . Shad Durham, who qualified for the national meet, took third in three-meter diving (526.05). Hartl added a third-place mark in the 200 IM (2:01.95) and he was also fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:49.55). David Nelson was third in the 200 breaststroke (2:15.16). David Molesworth earned a pair of fourth-place times in the 100 freestyle (49.45) and 100 backstroke (55.14). Zach Devine was fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.83) and Greg Perzinski finished fourth in the 1,650 freestyle (17:08.07) . . . WOMEN: Sara Hamlet and Robyn Chrissinger sparked the Coyote women. Hamlet took top honors in the 1,650 freestyle (18:19.20), and Robyn Chrissinger was first in the 400 IM (4:44.82). Chrissinger was also second in the 500 freestyle (5:15.02) and she was third in the 200 breaststroke (2:29.52) . . . Hamlet was also third in the 500 freestyle (5:24.92), while Sara Pokela was fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:02.39), fourth in the 200 backstroke (2:14.71) and fifth in the 200 IM (2:17.36).
COYOTE SOCCER UPDATE
* Northern Colorado posted a 3-1win over South Dakota in NCC soccer action
October 23. USD's lone score came in the 76th minute on a goal by Angela
Houdek on an assist from Ginny Mingle. The Coyotes finished the season
with a record of 6-9-1.
COYOTE FOOTBALL UPDATE
* South Dakota finished the 1999 season on a winning note with a 35-29
victory over Minnesota State-Mankato in Mankato, MN November13. The
Coyotes closed the season 4-7 overall and 3-6 in the North Central
Conference . . . The Coyotes rallied from a 17-7 halftime deficit. On
USD's second possession of the third quarter, the Coyotes drove 80 yards
in eight plays capped by Jamel White's five-yard touchdown run and a 17-14
deficit with 7:13 left in the period. It would be the only score for
either team in the third quarter . . . South Dakota put 21 points on the
board in the fourth quarter. USD grabbed the lead for good at 21-17 with
12:33 showing in the period when White ended a 64-yard drive with a
10-yard touchdown run. After forcing the Mavericks to punt, the Coyotes
got the ball back and immediately assumed a 28-17 lead when quarterback
Ryan Justice connected with Kary Gantt for a 62-yard touchdown pass . . .
After the Mavericks closed the deficit to 28-23 with 5:22 left in the
game, White scored his third touchdown of the game with a seven-yard run
to give the Coyotes a 35-23 cushion with 3:25 remaining . . . White, who
rushed for 108 yards in the fourth quarter, finished with 229 yard rushing
on 32 carries. Mike Weister had 35 yards on three attempts. Justice, who
gave the Coyotes a 7-0 lead with a three-yard run with 6:14 left in the
first quarter, completed seven of 13 passes for 128 yards . . . White
established 11 school records this season, including yards rushing
(1,807), touchdowns (24 - 19 rushing, five receiving), all-pupose yards
(2,447), scoring in a season (144 points), yards rushing in a game (285),
touchdowns in a game (five), points in a game (30), most games rushing for
100 yards in a season (10), most games 200 yards rushing in a season and
career (three) and most yards receiving by a running back in a season
(640) . . . Minnesota State-Mankato outgained the Coyotes with 591 yards
in total offense compared to 396 for USD. The Coyotes averaged 7.6 yards
per play and the Mavericks generated 6.2. MSU had 390 yards passing . . .
Leading the Coyote defense was Kory Ebel with 11 tackles. USD, which
handed out nine quarterback sacks for 54 yards in losses, got nine tackles
from Scott Larson and eight by Ryan Winters. Larson had three sacks for
15 yards in losses. Kaseem Gaines, Josh Stamer and Raj Clark had seven
tackles apiece.
COYOTE CROSS-COUNTRY UPDATE
* South Dakota participated in the NCAA Division II national cross-country
meet November 20 in Joplin, MO . . . Leading the Coyotes was sophomore
Molly Wedel, who finished third with a clocking of 20:52.9. She was named
North Central Region Athlete of the Year by the regional coaches prior to
the meet . . . Marjo Venalainen of Kennesaw (GA) State was first in
20:48.2. Wedel, who moved into contention at the three-mile mark, was
fourth at last year's national meet . . . The USD men qualified as a team
for the seventh consecutive year, and the Coyotes finished 11th with 276
points. Jason Probasco earned all-America honors placing 32nd in 31:33.1.
Noah Randles was 48th (32:03.0), followed by Jacob Christensen, 69th
(32:35.9); David Farnsworth, 103rd (33:37.3); Adam Lindahl, 108th
(34:07.1); and Andrew Nelson, 121st (34:45.5) . . . Western State won the
men's title and Adams State took the women's team championship.
* South Dakota was in Fargo, ND November 6 for the NCAA Division II North Central Region cross-country championships, and for the seventh consecutive year the Coyote men advanced to the national meet as a team with a second-place region finish. The USD women came in third as a team and the Coyotes qualified Molly Wedel for the national meet . . . Wedel, a sophomore from Spencer, IA, captured the region title with a clocking of 21:18.5 over the 6,000-meter course. Last year at the national meet Wedel earned all-America honors placing fourth as a freshman . . . Krista Lederer was eighth for the Coyotes in 21:56.4, followed by Krista Trei, 13th (22:40.7); Jennifer Feely, 40th (23:49.5); Aimee Dunlop, 48th (24:11.9); Alison Woolley, 53rd (24:26.2); and Alison Luedke, 74th (25:05.2) . . . Jason Probasco paced the USD men finishing a strong second in 31:14.2 over the 10,000-meter race. Noah Randles was fifth (31:31.2) and Solomom Richards was sixth (31:47.7). In 17th place was Adam Lindahl (32:32.7), followed by Jacob Christensen, 22nd (32:48.9); David Farnsworth, 35th (33:31.0); and Andrew Nelson, 44th (34:26.6) . . . The national meet is November 20 in Joplin, MO . . . REGION MEN'S STANDINGS: Minnesota State-Mankato, 42; South Dakota, 52; Augustana, 70; South Dakota State, 110; North Dakota State,122; North Dakota, 123; Minnesota-Duluth, 146; Wayne State, 202; Northern State, 273 . . . REGION WOMEN'S STANDINGS: North Dakota State, 69; North Dakota, 88; South Dakota, 110; Nebraska-Omaha, 110; Northern Colorado, 114; Minnesota-Duluth, 118; South Dakota State, 148; Minnesota State-Mankato, 180; Augustana, 238; Wayne State, 263; Moorhead State, 303; Winona State, 356; Bemidji State, 421; Minnesota-Morris, 437.
For information, contact: kjsid@sundance.usd.edu ">Kyle Johnson USD Sports Information Director.
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