2020 Coyote Hall of Fame class announced
Earlier this fall, USD announced their 2020 Coyote Hall of Fame class. Five former Coyotes are being celebrated as a part of the class, as well as the 2005 USD football team.
The five athletes being recognized are, Bridget Yoerger, Tyler Cain, Stephanie (Gebhart) Murphy, Zach Weiss and Chris Morton. One member of the 2019 class, Sandy (Pelkofer) Fiddler, was unable to attend the 2019 ceremony and will be celebrated with the class of 2020.
Due to COVID-19, the Hall of Fame weekend and ceremony celebrating the class was canceled. The group will be celebrated with the 2021 class next fall.
Yoerger graduated from USD in 2010 and was USD’s second-leading all-time scorer in women’s basketball at the time of her graduation. She was a member of the 2007-08 women’s basketball team that made the NCAA Division II National Championship game.
Since graduating, Yoerger has played 11 years of professional basketball, with two years in Holland before spending the last nine in Luxembourg.
Cain also graduated in 2010 and is still the all-time leader in blocks at USD. Cain played for the men’s basketball team and won the inaugural Great West Conference Player of the Year award.
Cain, like Yoerger, has played overseas since graduation. Cain has competed in Latvia, France and Italy over the last 10 seasons.
Murphy recorded 21 all-American honors during her time on the USD track and field team, a program record. She won 13 NCC titles in her time and was a part of the Coyote team that finished sixth nationally for both indoor and outdoor track and field in 2008.
Murphy now lives in Fargo with her husband and two children.
Weiss is a 2000 graduate of USD and a 14-time all-American sprint swimmer. Weiss placed in the top five nationally to earn 11 of his 14 all-American awards.
Weiss now lives in Omaha, Neb. with his wife and two kids.
Morton was a 2007 graduate of USD and an offensive lineman for the Coyote football team. He was a three-year starter and earned the Rimington Award for the top center in Division II. Morton was a member of the 2005 national champion football team.
Morton received his master’s degree from the University of Missouri. He later became a graduate assistant coach there and coached a few other places before moving to Omaha, where he now resides with his wife and two children.
The 2005 football team has been inducted into the Hall of Champions. They are the 19 team and eighth football team inducted. The team won nine games and was ranked inside the top 25 all season.
