The South Dakota Coyotes women's basketball team represents the University of South Dakota in NCAA Division I basketball. They are currently members of the Summit League.[2]

South Dakota Coyotes
2024–25 South Dakota Coyotes women's basketball team
UniversityUniversity of South Dakota
All-time record890–559 (.614)
Head coachCarrie Eighmey (1st season)
ConferenceSummit League
LocationVermillion, South Dakota
ArenaSanford Coyote Sports Center
(capacity: 6,000)
NicknameCoyotes
ColorsRed and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away


NCAA tournament runner-up
2008*
NCAA tournament Final Four
2008*
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
2008*
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1984*, 1985*, 2003*, 2008*, 2022
NCAA tournament second round
2003*, 2008*, 2022
NCAA tournament appearances
1983*, 1984*, 1985*, 1989*, 2003*, 2004*, 2007*, 2008*, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2022
*at Division II level
Conference tournament champions
NCC: 1983, 1984, 1985, 2008
Summit League: 2014, 2020, 2021, 2022
Conference regular season champions
NCC: 2003, 2008
Summit League: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022

History

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As of the end of the 2022–23 season the Coyotes have a 890–559 all-time record, with play beginning in 1971. They won the North Central Conference regular season title in 1983, 1984, 1985, 2003, and finishing their time in NCC with a regular season and conference tournament win in 2008. South Dakota then made the transition from Division II to Division I with stops with the NCAA I Independents and the Great West Conference before settling in the Summit League. The Coyotes in the Summit League have won the regular season five times (2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022) then also have won the Summit League tournament four times (2014, 2020, 2021, 2022).[3] South Dakota made the NCAA tournament 10 times since joining the Division I. The NCAA four times (2014, 2019, 2019, 2022), the WNIT five times (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and the WBI twice (2011 and 2013).[4]

Head coaches

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# Name Term Record (W–L)
1 Irene Mehnert 1971–73 16–6 (.727)
2 Jean Jacobsen 1973–76 22–28 (.440)
3 Mary Zimmerman 1976–82 85–64 (.570)
4 Chad Lavin 1982–86, 1998–08 273–139 (.663)
5 Fred Tibbetts 1986–90, 1998 67–53 (.558)
6 Gary Larson 1990–95 67–69 (.493)
7 Lynn Griffin 1995–98 16–58 (.216)
8 Ryun Williams 2008–12 76–47 (.618)
9 Amy Williams 2012–16 96–44 (.686)
10 Dawn Plitzuweit 2016–22 158–36 (.814)
11 Kayla Karius 2022–24 37–29 (.561)
12 Carrie Eighmey 2024–present 0–0 (–)

Postseason results

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NCAA Division I tournament results

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The Coyotes have appeared in four NCAA Tournaments. Their record is 2–4.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
2014 #15 First round #2 Stanford L 62–81
2019 #8 First round #9 Clemson L 66–79
2021 #11 First round #6 Oregon L 47–67
2022 #10 First round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
#7 Ole Miss
#2 Baylor
#3 Michigan
W 75–61
W 61–47
L 49–52

WNIT appearances

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The Coyotes have appeared in five WNIT Tournaments. Their record is 12–4.

Year Round Opponent Result
2012 First round
Second Sround
Drake
Colorado
W 61–53
L 55–64
2015 First round
Second Round
Creighton
Northern Colorado
W 68–58
L 58–59
2016 First round
Second Round
Third round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship Game
Creighton
Minnesota
Northern Iowa
Western Kentucky
Oregon
Florida Gulf Coast
W 74–68
W 101–89
W 51–50
W 68–54
W 88–54
W 71–65
2017 First round
Second Round
North Dakota
Iowa
W 78–55
L 73–78
2018 First round
Second Round
Third round
Quarterfinals
Houston
Colorado State
Michigan State
TCU
W 65–58
W 74–49
W 85–83 (OT)
L 71–79

WBI appearances

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The Coyotes have appeared in 2 WBI Tournaments. Their record is 3–2.

Year Round Opponent Result
2011 First round
Quarterfinals
Idaho
Cal State Bakersfield
W 62-47
L 64-90
2013 First round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Utah State
Lamar
McNeese State
W 77-69
W 71-48
L 63-71

NCAA Division II tournament results

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The Coyotes made eight appearances in the NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament. They had a combined record of 8–8.

Year Round Opponent Result
1983 First round Texas A&I L, 71–81
1984 First round
Regional Finals
North Dakota
St. Cloud State
W 49–48
L 55–66
1985 Regional Finals St. Cloud State L 55–56
1989 First round North Dakota State L 71–72 (OT)
2003 First round
Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Concordia-St. Paul
North Dakota State
South Dakota State
W 83–68
W 84–61
L 63–87
2004 First round North Dakota State L 63–70
2007 First round Concordia-St. Paul L 74–82
2008 First round
Regional semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship
CSU Pueblo
Nebraska–Kearney
Minnesota State
Washburn
Delta State
Northern Kentucky
W 66–55
W 59–48
W 61–49
W 85–80 (2OT)
W 68–58
L 58–63

Season–by–season results

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Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Irene Mehnert (No Conference) (1971–1973)
1971–72 Irene Mehnert 4–2
1972–73 Irene Mehnert 12–4
Irene Mehnert: 16–6 (.727)
Jean Jacobsen (No Conference) (1973–1976)
1973–74 Jean Jacobsen 8–8
1974–75 Jean Jacobsen 9–7
1975–76 Jean Jacobsen 5–13
Jean Jacobsen: 22–28 (.440)
Mary Zimmerman (No Conference) (1976–1982)
1976–77 Mary Zimmerman 7–11
1977–78 Mary Zimmerman 17–11
1978–79 Mary Zimmerman 17–7
1979–80 Mary Zimmerman 14–15
1980–81 Mary Zimmerman 16–10
1981–82 Mary Zimmerman 14–10
Mary Zimmerman: 85–64 (.570)
Chad Lavin (North Central Conference) (1982–1986)
1982–83 Chad Lavin 19–9 7—3 1st NCAA Division II First Round
1983–84 Chad Lavin 22–7 10—2 1st NCAA Division II Regional Finals
1984–85 Chad Lavin 23–6 11—3 1st NCAA Division II First Round
1985–86 Chad Lavin 18–10 9—5 3rd
Chad Lavin (1st stint): 82–32 (.719) 37–13 (.740)
Fred Tibbetts (North Central Conference) (1986–1990)
1986–87 Fred Tibbetts 14–14 4—10 4th
1987–88 Fred Tibbetts 13–15 3—11 8th
1988–89 Fred Tibbetts 22–7 10—4 3rd NCAA Division II First Round
1989–90 Fred Tibbetts 17–11 8—10 6th
Fred Tibbetts (1st stint): 66–47 (.584) 25–35 (.417)
Gary Larson (North Central Conference) (1990–1995)
1990–91 Gary Larson 19–9 11—7 4th
1991–92 Gary Larson 13–14 6—12 8th
1992–93 Gary Larson 16–11 9—9 6th
1993–94 Gary Larson 12–15 6—12 T—7th
1994–95 Gary Larson 7–20 6—12 7th
Gary Larson: 67–69 (.493) 38–52 (.422)
Lynn Griffin (North Central Conference) (1995–1998)
1995–96 Lynn Griffin 6–21 1—17 10th
1996–97 Lynn Griffin 6–21 2—16 10th
1997–98 Lynn Griffin 4–16 0—11
1998 Fred Tibbetts 1–6 1—6 10th
Lynn Griffin: 16–58 (.216) 3–42 (.067)
Fred Tibbets(overall): 67–53 (.558) 26–41 (.388)
Chad Lavin (North Central Conference) (1998–2008)
1998–99 Chad Lavin 7–20 3—15 10th
1999–00 Chad Lavin 11–16 4—14 9th
2000–01 Chad Lavin 15–12 9—9 T—5th
2001–02 Chad Lavin 19–9 12—6 T—2nd
2002–03 Chad Lavin 27–5 14—2 T—1st NCAA Division II Regional Finals
2003–04 Chad Lavin 25–8 9—5 4th NCAA Division II First Round
2004–05 Chad Lavin 17–13 3—9 7th
2005–06 Chad Lavin 15–13 3—9 6th
2006–07 Chad Lavin 22–9 6—6 3rd NCAA Division II First Round
2007–08 Chad Lavin 33–2 12—0 1st NCAA Division II Runner-up
Chad Lavin (overall): 273–139 (.663) 112–88 (.560)
Ryun Williams (NCAA Division I Independent) (2008–2009)
2008–09 Ryun Williams 18–11
Ryun Williams (Great West Conference) (2009–2011)
2009–10 Ryun Williams 15–16 6—6 4th
2010–11 Ryun Williams 20–12 10—2 2nd WBI Second Round
Ryun Williams (Summit League) (2011–2012)
2011–12 Ryun Williams 23–8 12—6 3rd WNIT Second Round
Ryun Williams: 76–47 (.618) 28–14 (.667)
Amy Williams (Summit League) (2012–2016)
2012–13 Amy Williams 19–16 10—6 3rd WBI Semifinals
2013–14 Amy Williams 19–14 7—7 4th NCAA first round
2014–15 Amy Williams 26–8 13—3 1st WNIT Second Round
2015–16 Amy Williams 32–6 15—1 1st WNIT Champions
Amy Williams: 96–44 (.686) 45–17 (.726)
Dawn Plitzuweit (Summit League) (2016–2022)
2016–17 Dawn Plitzuweit 23–9 11—5 4th WNIT Second Round
2017–18 Dawn Plitzuweit 29–7 14—0 1st WNIT Quarterfinals
2018–19 Dawn Plitzuweit 28–6 14—2 2nd NCAA First Round
2019–20 Dawn Plitzuweit 30–2 16—0 1st NCAA Tournament not held
2020–21 Dawn Plitzuweit 19–6 12—2 2nd NCAA First Round
2021–22 Dawn Plitzuweit 29–6 17—1 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
Dawn Plitzuweit: 158–36 (.814) 84–10 (.894)
Kayla Karius (Summit League) (2022–2024)
2022–23 Kayla Karius 14–16 10–8 4th
2023–24 Kayla Karius 23–13 9–7 4th
Kayla Karius: 37–29 (.561) 19–15 (.559)
Carrie Eighmey (Summit League) (2024–present)
2024–25 Carrie Eighmey 0–0 0–0
Carrie Eighmey: 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–)
Total: 913–572 (.615)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ University of South Dakota Graphic Standards and Editorial Guide. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  2. ^ "University of South Dakota Athletics". Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  3. ^ http://northcentral.prestosports.com/Record_Book/08_Updates/08_WBB.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "University of South Dakota Athletics - QuickFacts.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved February 21, 2017.
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