South Dakota track and field had a busy week competing in two events on Feb. 11 and 12.
They first traveled to Washburn University in Kansas to compete in the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge.
In the meet, the Coyotes broke a school record in the 4×400 relay. The four person team of freshmen Moe Bridgen, Jacy Pulse, Sara Reifenrath and Anna Robinson broke the USD record with a time of 3:43.12. The record had previously gone unbroken for 24 years.
Sophomore Eerik Haamer also captured the win in men’s pole vault with a season best of 18-1 (5.51m). Haamer also moved to seventh in the nation with this jump.
Haamer wasn’t the only person jumping a season best as sophomore Gen Hirata cleared her previous best with a 14-2 ¾ (4.34m) height. Her jump moved her to No. 12 in the nation and one spot ahead of her freshman teammate Marleen Mülla.
Sophomore Lydia Knapp led the way to a Coyotes’ sweep in the women’s weight throw with a throw of 64-10 ½ (19.77m). She was followed by her teammates freshman Delaney Smith, freshman Maggie Heesch and sophomore Meredith Clark who finished in second, third and fourth, respectively.
USD had one athlete compete in the women’s 800-meter. Senior Alli Wroblewski came out on top out of 12 athletes, and finished with a time of 2:16.97.
Junior Jessie Sullivan capped off the challenge with a win in the men’s weight throw. He threw his new personal best 68-9 (20.95m). Sullivan also found himself 27th in the nation for weight throw following this new personal best. Sullivan also moved into fifth place in USD history in shot put with a throw of 56-11 ¼ (17.35m).
The Coyotes then traveled to Brookings to compete in the South Dakota State classic inside of the Sanford Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.
There were eight total events held inside the complex, however the Coyotes only competed in the women 3000-meter.
Junior Abby Ripperda was the Coyotes’ best finisher in the event. Ripperda finished in sixth place with a time of 10:24.93.
Three other runners competed in the event. Sophomore Renee Thompson finished just slightly behind Ripperda, finishing in 11th with her time of 10:29.97. They were followed by freshman Abbie Schmidt who finished in 13th and sophomore Haley Miller who finished in 14th.
USD’s next event will be in Lincoln, Nebraska where the team will compete in the Nebraska Tune-Up on Feb. 18 right before the Summit League tournament on Feb. 25-26 in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
