Four Coyotes and one Jackrabbit qualify for NCAA National Track & Field Championships

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – While most of the track focus in South Dakota was on the the high school State Meet, athletes from the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State were hard at work in Texas trying to earn a spot at the NCAA Division One National Championships.

Eleven Jackrabbits and a Summit League-high 22 members of the Coyotes’ teams went down to College Station for the NCAA West First Round last Wednesday through Saturday.

It’s been a good season at both schools with USD’s women finishing second in the Summit and SDSU’s men winning their first conference title since 1986.

Going to regionals is step up in competition and pressure, with Coyote senior Averi Schmeichel saying you have to empty the tank.

“Everyone is super good there so, I mean, you just got to go all out every race and give it your all because you don’t know what’s going to make the next round for times. So just giving it everything you got.” Schmeichel says.

Averi just missed out on making Nationals on Saturday, finishing 13th in the 400 meter hurdles in 57.32 seconds, just 0.18 seconds out of clinching a spot.

Four of her Coyote teammates did move on to the National Meet. To the surprise of no one plenty of Derek Miles’ pole vaulters are heading west with Tre Young, Anna Willis and Gen Hirata qualifying. On the track Sara Reifenrath ran the 400 in a school record time to punch her ticket.

Meanwhile South Dakota State will be represented by Warner’s Cody Larson via the 3,000 Meter Steeplechase.

Nationals will be in Eugene, Oregon June 11-14.

Copyright 2025 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.