Record Breaker Leads Rounds to NCAA Championship

South Dakota Coyotes Swim and Dive wrapped up the Summit League Championship meet in Iowa City, Iowa, this past week. After four days of competition, the Coyotes finished with 41 medals, including 13 first place finishes. They placed second overall on both the men’s and women’s sides.

Sophomore Nick Rounds finished the meet with six medals overall and three race wins. Rounds also qualified for the NCAA Championship meet in multiple events with a school and conference record of 19.15 in the 50 free and a 45.21 in the 100 backstroke. He is the first South Dakota athlete to qualify in school history. Rounds earned the Summit League Championship MVP after his performance. 

Brock Russell, a freshman from Mitchell, South Dakota, earned Summit League Newcomer of the Year, highlighted by a win in the 200 breaststroke and the 400 medley relay. 

Senior Grace Schultz and junior Tanner Reed earned the Scholar of the Championship for each side. Head coach Jason Mahowald was also awarded the Summit League Coach of the Year for the first time since 2021.

Gold medal relay performances include the men’s 200 medley, 200 freestyle, 400 medley and 400 freestyle.

Individual wins include sophomore Alex Parkinson in the 500 and 1650 freestyle, senior Taylor Buhr in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, sophomore Emily DiProspero in the 1650 freestyle, Rounds in the 50 and 100 freestyle, as well as the 100 backstroke, junior Joaquin Contreras-Fallico in the 200 backstroke and Russell in the 200 breaststroke.

Overall, South Dakota finished second in the women’s standings with 799 points behind Denver, while the men finished second with 832 points, only 30 points behind Denver. The Coyotes look towards the CSCAA-NIC Championships in Ocala,  Florida, in March. Rounds looks forward to the Men’s NCAA Championships in Atlanta from March 25 through March 28 to compete in the 50 free and 100 backstroke.