VERMILLION, S.D. — The South Dakota Classic Tournament Sept. 7-8 and the Summit League Tournament in Vermillion right before Thanksgiving highlight the Coyotes’ 2023 schedule announced Wednesday.
South Dakota is coming off a 29-4 campaign in which the Coyotes won the Summit League regular season and tournament titles. USD starts 2023 with fellow NCAA tournament participant Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, Aug. 25. The Coyotes stay in Ames to face DePaul out of the Big East Aug. 26.
South Dakota football opens its season July 31 against Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. South Dakota volleyball faces NCAA national runner-up Louisville the next day inside the Hearnes Center on the University of Missouri campus. It is the first game of a three-day tournament in Columbia. The Coyotes also face Missouri (Sept. 2) and Northern Kentucky (Sept. 3).
The Coyotes return to campus to face NIVC runner-up Drake (Sept. 7), former Summit foe IUPUI (Sept. 8) and South Florida (Sept. 8) inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The USD athletic department is hosting a band and petting zoo from 4:30-6:30 p.m. ahead of the Coyotes’ 7 p.m. match with South Florida. South Dakota faced South Florida for the first time last season at the Bulls Invitational in Tampa, Florida, where the Yotes swept the Bulls 3-0.
Non-conference play concludes the following weekend in Green Bay, Wisconsin. South Dakota will take on Green Bay (Sept. 14), Illinois State (Sept. 15) and another NIVC qualifier in Central Michigan (Sept. 16).
Summit League play starts Sept. 23. The Coyotes open at Omaha in a rematch of last year’s Summit League Tournament championship game. USD returns home to host Kansas City (Sept. 28) and Denver (Sept. 30).
Rival South Dakota State comes to Vermillion on a Tuesday, Oct. 17. Omaha returns to Vermillion two days later on Oct. 19. The Coyotes face South Dakota State in Brookings Nov. 14 for the final game of the regular season.
The top six Summit League finishers will compete in the Summit League Tournament Nov. 19-21 at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. The Coyotes have won the last three tournament crowns and are 67-13 in its home arena. The winner of the tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.