Dakota Days
Football Snags a Dakota Days Win
The USD Coyotes football team came away victorious during Dakota Days, defeating Murray State 49-24 on Saturday at the DakotaDome. The win puts South Dakota at 3-3 overall and gives the Coyotes their first conference victory of the season. South Dakota complemented a strong defensive effort by scoring five touchdowns in the first half and […]
2025 Coyote Carnival Kicks off 111 Annual Dakota Days
On Tuesday Sept. 30, the USD Dakota Days Kickoff Carnival marked the start of the 111 Dakota Days. The Carnival was from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. located on campus at Coyote Alley and had a variety of activities, including balloon darts, bull riding, putt golf and a dunk tank. Different student organizations held booths […]
Dakota Days Week Comes to an end With Homecoming Crowning
Following a week of school spirit, festivities and fun, the final event of the 2025 Dakota Days celebration had students and fans on the edge of their seats while they awaited the crowning of the homecoming royalty. Griffin Peterson and Zena Aragon were crowned this year’s King and Queen, respectively. “I was pretty surprised, because […]
The Dakota Days Committee is Seeking New Student Members
The Dakota Days Committee is gearing up for the homecoming celebration of 2025 by selecting new members for their staff. The committee is currently in the process of selecting new members who will bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to the D-Days events. As the planning process for Dakota Days begins, committee leaders are eager […]
Interview With a Former Homecoming Queen
Linda Gay Winters Zimmerman was born and raised here in Vermillion. Growing up, her father worked for the REA and her mother was a school teacher. In the 1960s she attended USD and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music education. After graduating, she married her husband and moved to El Paso, […]
Dakota Days Queen of 1968 Still in Vermillion
Today, Winter Zimmerman lives in Vermillion and is a member of PEO. In 1968 Gay Winters Zimmerman, Then Linda Gay Winters, was Dakota Days Queen. Winters Zimmerman majored in music education and was involved in a multitude of activities. These include Freshman Snow Queen, pledge class secretary, 1967 Rose of Delta Sigma Pi, local and […]
Behind the Scenes of Homecoming Week
With unusually warm October temperatures, the 110th annual celebration known as D-Days is well underway at USD. Tuesday morning, students gathered in the MUC for free bagels from Einstein’s and mocktails made from Bubblr and fruit juice. With some jazz music in the background at nine in the morning, the Rise N Dine […]
A Historic Look at the Very First Dakota Days
The narrative below describing the first Dakota Days parade in 1914 contains language and cultural references that some may find offensive and/or objectionable. It is published here in edited form for documentary purposes. It reflects the values and ideas of the original authors, and the time in which it was written, not those of the […]
USD Coyote Carnival Kicks off Dakota Days’ Long List of Events
As Dakota Days rounds the corner, Vermillion is getting ready for a week of excitement to start. The Dakota Days Kickoff Carnival was hosted on Monday, October 7th. The Dakota Days Committee had many fun games and activities to get all the students excited for the rest of the week. The first 100 students were […]
Local Law Enforcement Prepares for D-Days
By Sara Mauszycki and Abigail Saylor As this year’s Dakota Days approaches, local law enforcement is putting extra effort into their preparations to ensure a safe and enjoyable week for all of those who partake. Vermillion Police Chief Crystal Brady says collaboration between local law enforcement has been crucial to D-Day’s success in the past, […]