Coyotes dominate Summit League Indoor Track & Field postseason awards

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - South Dakota third-year sophomore Erin Kinney and sophomore Marleen Mülla have been voted the Summit League Women’s Track and Field Athletes of the Year, respectively, while USD Director of Track and Field Lucky Huber was voted the Summit League Coach of the Year for both the men and women. The Summit League indoor track and field awards, voted on by the league’s head coaches, were announced Friday by the league office.

Kinney, a native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, garners the Summit’s Track Athlete of the Year for the first time of her career. She was also named the Summit’s Most Outstanding Performer of the Championship this winter, sweeping the 60 meters and 200 meters at the Summit’s championship meet. She broke the Summit League Championship meet record in the preliminaries of the 60 meters by clocking 7.24 seconds. She finished the indoor season ranked 22nd in the nation in the event. She was a four-time Summit athlete of the week during the season and broke her own school record in the 60 meters six times. Kinney’s the third Coyote to receive the honor for the indoor season, joining teammate Sara Reifenrath (2022) and alumna Shanice Cannigan (2018).

Mülla, who hails from Rakvere, Estonia, receives the Summit’s Field Athlete of the Year for the first time in her career. She posted the nation’s best mark in the pole vault during the indoor season, clearing 14-11 (4.55m) at the Summit League Championships. That mark was a championship meet record and a South Dakota program record. She went on to garner All-America honors with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships. She was a three-time Summit athlete of the week during the season and vaulted over 14 feet at seven meets in 2023. Mülla’s the third Coyote to receive the honor for the indoor season, joining pole vault alumnae Emily Grove (2016) and Helen Falda (2018).

After leading the men and women to a sweep of the Summit League indoor titles for the first time in program history, Huber was voted the Summit’s Coach of the Year for both men and women. This marks his second-straight recognition on the women’s side and his first Coach of the Year honor for the men.

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