Three USD Athletes Grab Summit League Weekly Awards

We all know about the recent success of USD star Chris Nielsen and his amazing run to a silver medal at the Olympics last summer.

But it wasn't just Nielsen that was thriving over the last few years in Track and Field for the Coyotes and this year those individuals are getting their own personal recognition.

Just this last week, three USD student-athletes were named the Summit League Track and Field Athletes of the Week.

Freshman Eerik Haamer, sophomore Gen Hirata and freshman Sara Reifenrath were selected as the Athletes of the Week presented by TicketSmarter.

Here is the complete release from Britni Smith and the University of South Dakota Athletic Department on the awards for all three student athletes.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.—South Dakota second-year freshman Eerik Haamer, third-year sophomore Gen Hirata and second-year freshman Sara Reifenrath have picked up the TicketSmarter Summit League track and field athlete of the week honors for the period ended Feb. 13.

Haamer, hailing from Tartu, Estonia, picked up his second career league field athlete of the week honor. It is also his second honor of the season. Haamer cleared a season-best 18-1 (5.51m) to win the pole vault at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge last Thursday. He moved to seventh in the NCAA for the event.

Hirata, a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, garners her second career Summit field athlete of the week award and first this season. She captured the pole vault at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge with a season-best of 14-2 ¾ (4.43m). The height is tied for 14th in the nation this season.

Reifenrath, a native of Hartington, Nebraska, picks up the league's track athlete of the week for the eighth time of her career and third time this season. She ran a leg of the Coyotes' winning 4x400-meter relay that broke a 24-year-old school record, clocking 3:43.12. She also finished runner-up in the 200 meters with a time of 23.84 seconds at the Ichabod Mid-Week Challenge. She's the only athlete in the league to clock under 24 seconds for the event this season. Reifenrath is the league-leader in the 200 meters, 400 meters and 4x400 meters.

South Dakota track and field resume Friday at the Nebraska Tune-Up in Lincoln, Nebraska.

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