2024 Coyote Invitational
- February 2-3, 2024
- Sioux Falls, S.D.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Courtesy: South Dakota Athletics
Day 1 Recap
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota freshman Gabbie Ahrendt posted an individual victory on day one of the Coyote Invitational swimming and diving meet on Friday inside Midco Aquatic Center.
The Coyotes, led by Ahrendt’s individual win, posted 11 top six finishes on Friday during session one that saw five finals contested, two relays and three individual events.
Ahrendt, swimming in her hometown, captured her second individual race victory in the 500 free this season when she touched the wall first in 5:07.09.
Emily Kahn, a junior, placed second in the 50 free in 23.90 while the men’s and women’s teams each posted runner-up finishes in the day’s last event, the 400 medley relay.
Grace Schultz, Katie Roberson, Sara Mayer and Skyler Leverenz clocked 3:57.51 while the men’s quartet of Joaquin Contreras-Fallico, Grant Wolner, Jacob Carlson and Mack Sathre had a 3:24.08 time.
The South Dakota foursome of Mayer, Tatum O’Shea, Anna Balfanz and Kahn opened the day with a third-place finish in the 200 free relay in 1:35.90. The men’s team of Aidan Gantenbein, Dean Wall, Contreras-Fallico and Carlson also placed third in the 200 free relay in 1:24.90.
Leverenz, a junior, made her season debut in the 200 IM and placed fourth in 2:09.98.
Parker Sonnabend and Contreras-Fallico came to the wall one after the other in the 200 IM, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively in 1:56.70 and 1:57.27.
Keegan Henning placed fourth in the 500 free in 4:48.47.
South Dakota’s foursome of Leverenz, Schultz, Spomer and Ahrendt was fourth in the 200 free relay in 1:36.09.
The second and final day Saturday begins with session two at 10 a.m. followed by the diving session at 1 p.m. and the final session at 4 p.m.
Day 2 Recap
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota swimming and diving closed the regular season portion of its schedule with nine individual and one relay victory on day two of the Coyote Invitational on Saturday inside Midco Aquatic Center.
The nine Coyote wins came from seven different individuals while the men’s team opened Saturday with a triumph in the 200 medley relay. The two sessions on Saturday saw 11 individual finals, both diving events and two relays contested as South Dakota came away with 26 top three finishes in that span.
The Coyotes swept the diving competition as senior Stella Fairbanks won both the one-meter and three-meter competitions and freshman Charlie Matthews did the same on the men’s side with fourth and fifth individual wins of the season.
Fairbanks posted final point totals of 243.95 on the one-meter board and 261.05 on the three-meter board to earn her third individual wins on each board this season.
South Dakota received individual wins on the women’s side from Sara Mayer, Blake Currie and Mairead Powers while the men’s team saw Matthew Sorbe and Jacob Carlson touch the wall first in individual swim events.
Mayer, a junior, earned her second individual victory in the 200 fly this season when she touched in 2:05.66. Powers, a junior, won the 400 IM in 4:43.59 for her second win in the event this season.
Currie, a sophomore, earned her first collegiate victory when she won the 200 breast in 2:28.69.
Sorbe, a sophomore, won the 1650 free for the second time this season while Carlson, a senior, claimed the 100 fly in 50.56 for his second individual win in the event.
Carlson was joined by Adam Fisher, Parker Sonnabend and Grant Wolner on the winning 200 medley relay.
The Coyotes had 11 runner-up finishes, nine individual and two relays as well as five third-place efforts.
Kayla Middaugh and Taylor Buhr each recorded a pair of runner-up performances while second place efforts came from Gabbie Ahrendt, Emily Kahn, James Coffey, Grant Wolner and Tanner Reed.
Middaugh, a senior, placed second on both diving boards, scoring 238.85 on the one-meter and 236.70 on the three-meter.
Buhr, a sophomore, was the runner-up in the 100 breast (1:06.13) and the 100 IM (59.47). Ahrendt, a freshman, was second in the 100 fly while Kahn, a junior, took second in the 100 free.
Coffey, a freshman, touched second in the 400 IM, Wolner, a senior, was second in the 100 breast while Reed, a freshman, placed second in the 200 fly.
Katie Roberson and Sloane Lightfoot, a pair of seniors, closed their collegiate careers with strong meets with each posting a collegiate best time on Saturday.
Roberson swam 2:30.63 in the 200 breast for a fifth-place effort while Lightfoot had a 4:49.40 in the 400 IM for a fifth-place finish.
South Dakota will compete in the Summit League Championships in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Feb. 21-24.
