Coyote runners championship bound

All season long the University of South Dakota cross-country team has been gearing up for their first ever Summit League meet.

The Coyotes will do just that, Oct. 29, when they head to Tulsa, Okla.

But it won’t be just a duel meet: they will be competing in the Summit League Championship.

Head coach Dan Fitzsimmons said the team has been looking forward to this competition all season.

“We knew this meet was going to culminate everything we have done this season,” Fitzsimmons said. “We will prepare for this meet just like it was any other weekend week.”

Throughout the season, USD has competed against a wide variety of schools across the nation, as well as some Summit League schools in order to prepare for this meet.

Fitzsimmons said the season schedule prepared the team to know what to expect going into their first ever official Summit League meet.

“We mixed it up well with competing against strong D-I programs like Nebraska and then also running against small schools as well throughout the season,” Fitzsimmons said.  “The Summit League is a mixture of both big and small schools so I think we are well prepared for the meet.” “We have been training the same each week in moderation. We stepped up our miles this season. Right now everyone puts in about 70-75 miles a shape.”

USD will face for the first time the entire Summit League field of runners, Fitzsimmons said the team has worked hard all year and should be in good shape to compete in the meet.

“Since this is our last meet of the season our runners should be able to run longer and stronger,” Fitzsimmons said. “We need our first runner to be up in the lead and our fifth runner to be level.”

Reach reporter Eric Mayer at [email protected]