COLLEGE STATION, Texas – On the final day of the NCAA West First Rounds in College Station, Texas, the Coyotes had their fourth qualifier for the NCAA Championships, and it came on a school record performance from Sara Reifenrath.
Reifenrath, a senior from Hartington, Nebraska, broke her own 400-meter school record Thursday night to advance to Saturday’s quarterfinal round race. She had to best her own record yet again Saturday to make the NCAA Championships in Eugene, and she did that by running 51.91 to place 11th.
She became the first Coyote woman to run under 52 seconds with the performance Saturday. She also competed in the 200-meters, where her time of 23.36 placed her 17th.
Also on the track Saturday, Averi Schmeichel ran a personal best 57.32 in the 400-meter hurdles that ranks her second in South Dakota history in the event. That time placed her 13th in the quarterfinal, missing on making the NCAA Championships by .18 seconds.
In the field events, Lydia Knapp placed 36th in the discus with a throw of 165-7 (50.47m). She took 13th in the hammer throw on Thursday. Danii Anglin tied for 36th in the high jump with a 5-7 ¼ (1.71m) clearance.
Four South Dakota track and field athletes will compete at the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon June 11-14. Tre Young represents the Coyote men in the pole vault. Anna Willis and Gen Hirata represent the Coyote women’s pole vault squad and Reifenrath will compete in the 400-meters.