Column: nothing but excitement ahead for Coyote sports

University of South Dakota fans have been saying this for a long time: It’s a great day to be a Coyote fan.

Now, I don’t want to sound like that overly-cheery parent whose eyes twinkle after every play little Johnny makes in pee-wee baseball, but it’s hard not to enjoy the ride of Coyote sports right now.

I came to this conclusion after the football team’s winning performance over Northern Arizona Saturday, combined with volleyball’s wins over Colorado and Creighton. Sprinkle in two soccer victories and you have a good weekend in the athletic department.

I wrote in the spring the long list of accomplishments Coyotes sports had my first year at USD — and their momentum hasn’t slowed down since then.

In fact, new head basketball coach Craig Smith is feeling the Coyote sports train rolling down the hill:

“What an amazing weekend for @SDCoyotes athletics! USD is a special, special place! #Yotes #pride,” — tweeted Smith.

Coyote football is 2-0 at home heading into its bye week. Kendall Kritenbrink looks like the best Coyote volleyball player ever, and her team defeated Creighton for the first time. Coyote soccer has shut out five teams already.

No wonder Smith is enthusiastic.

And Smith’s enthusiasm comes at the brink of basketball season. Obviously, there has been a lot of chatter about what Smith will bring to USD basketball following the reign of David Boots and Joey James.

Meanwhile, the team staying under the radar — if you subtract the ring ceremony at halftime of the first football game – is the women’s basketball team who took Coyotes to an NCAA tournament.

The team topped the Summit League tournament last March and only lost one player following graduation last May. Add in junior Heidi Hoff, one of the Coyotes most talented scorers who was unable to play last season due to injury, and the Coyotes are already prepped for another successful season.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Basketball isn’t until November.

You know who is in-season and riding strong seasons last year? Cross country. The team had top three finishes in the conference last season on both the men’s and women’s sides, and it’s just another team to look out for at USD.

Here’s, however, what I’m most looking forward to — Coyotes vs. Jackrabbits Nov. 22 in Brookings.

I ran into a group of football players around Vermillion this summer, and leaving the names out of the conversation, let’s just say there were definitive “We will beat SDSU” statements.

From costly turnovers to an inexperienced quarterback situation, I was given the rundown about why this is a year for a Coyote victory. I was convinced.

Never mind Zach Zenner. Never mind the longer Division I tenure. Never mind the road environment.

“We will beat SDSU” is on the minds of players, and I’ve been hyped since.

This weekend I even added to my butterflies, deciding with a friend that any win over SDSU in football will be a staple moment of our four years in college.

Football and basketball are where State finds itself superior. That superiority can be taken away immediately.

It is time for the anticipation to start building, and not just for football games. Volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball and track are swinging upward.

A new year in athletics has started.